the drums of jeopardy- 第45部分

〃I　say；　what　a　ripping　thing　hope　is　…　always　springing　back！〃

Cutty　nodded。　　But　he　knew　there　was　one　hope　that　would　never　warm
his　heart　again。　　Molly！　。。。　Well；　he'd　let　the　young　chap　believe
that。　　Kitty　must　never　know。　　Poor　little　chick；　fighting　with　her
soul　in　the　dark　and　not　knowing　what　the　matter　was！　　Such　things
happened。　　He　had　loved　Molly　on　sight。　　He　had　loved　Kitty　on　sight。
In　neither　case　had　he　known　it　until　too　late　to　turn　about。　　Mother
and　daughter；　a　kind　of　sacrilege；　as　if　he　had　betrayed　Molly！　　But
what　a　clear　vision　acknowledged　love　lent　to　the　mind！　　He
understood　Kitty；　who　did　not　understand　herself。　　Well；　this　night's
adventure　would　decide　things。

He　smiled。　　Neither　Kitty　nor　the　drums　of　jeopardy；　nothing。　　The
gates　of　paradise　again　…　for　somebody　else！　　Whoever　heard　of　a
prompter　receiving　press　notices？

〃Let's　look　alive！　　We　haven't　any　time　to　waste。　　We'll　have　to
change　to　dungarees　…　engineer　togs。　　There'll　be　some　tools　to
carry。　　We　go　straight　down　to　the　boiler　room。　　We　come　up　the　ash
exit　on　the　street　side。　　Remember；　no　suspicious　haste。　　Two
engineers　off　for　their　evening　swig　of　beer　at　the　corner　groggery。
Through　the　side　door　there；　and　into　my　taxi。　　Obey　every　order　I
give。　　Now　run　along　to　Kuroki　and　say　night　work　for　both　of　us。
He'll　understand　what's　wanted。　　I'll　set　the　machinery　in　motion
for　a　raid。　　How　do　you　feel？　　I　want　the　truth。　　I　don't　want　to
turn　to　you　for　help　and　not　get　it。〃

Hawksley　laughed。　　〃Don't　worry　about　me。　　I'll　carry　on。　　Don't
you　understand？　　To　have　an　end　of　it；　one　way　or　the　other！　　To
come　free　or　to　die　there！〃

〃And　if　Kitty　is　not　where　I　believe　her　to　be？〃

〃Then　I'll　return　to　the　taxi　outside。〃

To　be　young　like　that！　　thought　Cutty；　feeling　strangely　sad　and
old。　　〃To　come　free　or　to　die　there！〃　　That　was　good　Anglo…Saxon。
He　would　make　a　good　American　citizen　…　if　he　were　in　luck。

At　half　after　nine　the　two　of　them　knelt　on　the　roof　before　the
cemented　trap。　　Nothing　but　raging　heat　disintegrates　cement。　　So
the　liberation　of　this　trap；　considering　the　time；　was　a　Herculean
task；　because　it　had　to　be　accomplished　with　little　or　no　noise。
Cold　chisels；　fulcrums；　prying；　heaving；　boring。　　To　free　the　under
edge；　the　top　did　not　matter。　　Not　knowing　if　Kitty　were　below　…　
that　was　the　worst　part　of　the　job。

The　sweat　of　agony　ran　down　Hawksley's　face；　but　he　never　faltered。
He　was　going　to　die　to…night；　somehow；　somewhere；　but　with　free
hands；　the　way　Stefani　would　have　him　die；　the　way　the　girl　would
have　him　die。　　All　these　thousands　of　miles　…　to　die　in　a　house　he
had　never　seen　before；　just　when　life　was　really　worth　something！

An　hour　went　by。　　Then　they　heard　Kitty's　signal。　　Instinctively　the
two　of　them　knew　that　the　taps　came　from　her。　　They　were　absolutely
certain　when　her　signal　was　repeated。　　She　was　below；　alone。

〃Faster！〃　whispered　Cutty。

Hawksley　smiled。　　To　say　that　to　a　chap　when　he　was　digging　into
his　tomb！

When　the　sides　of　the　trap　were　free　Cutty　tapped　to　Kitty　again。
There　was　a　long；　agonizing　wait。　　Then　three　taps　came　from　below。
Cutty　flashed　a　signal　to　the　warehouse　windows。　　In　five　minutes
the　raid　would　be　in　full　swing　…　from　the　roof；　from　the　street；
from　the　cellar。

With　their　short　crowbars　braced　by　stout　fulcrums　the　two　men
heaved。　　Noise　did　not　matter　now。　　Presently　the　trap　went　over。

〃Look　out　for　your　hands；　there's　lots　of　loose　glass。　　And　together
when　we　drop。〃

〃Right…o！〃　whispered　Hawksley；　assured　that　when　he　dropped　through
the　trap　the　result　would　be　oblivion。　　Done　in。



CHAPTER　XXXI


Karlov；　upon　forcing　his　way　past　Kitty's　barricade；　stared　at　her
doubtfully。　　This　was　a　clever　girl；　she　had　proved　her　cleverness
frequently。　　She　might　have　some　reason　other　than　fear　in　keeping
him　out。　　So　he　put　a　fresh　candle　in　the　sconce　and　began　to　prowl。
He　pierced　the　attic　windows　with　a　ranging　glance；　no　one　was　in
the　yard　or　on　the　Street。　　The　dust　on　the　windows　had　not　been
disturbed。

To　Kitty　the　suspense　was　intolerable。　　At　any　moment　Cutty　might
tap　a　query　to　her。　　How　to　warn　him　that　all　was　not　well？　　A　scream
would　do　it；　but　in　that　event　when　Cutty　arrived　there　would　be　no
Kitty　Conover。　　Something　that　would　sound　unusual　to　Cutty　and
accidental　to　Karlov。　　She　hit　upon　it。　　She　seized　a　plank　from　her
barricade；　raised　it　to　a　perpendicular　position；　then　flung　it
down　violently。　　Would　Cutty　hear　and　comprehend　that　she　was　warning
him？　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Cutty　never　heard　the　crash；　for　at　that
particular　minute　he　was　standing　up　to　get　the　kinks　out　of　his
knees。

Karlov　whirled　on　his　heels；　ran　to　Kitty；　and　snatched　her　wrist。
〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃

Kitty　remained　mute。　　〃Answer　！〃　…　with　a　cruel　twist。

〃You　hurt！〃　she　gasped。　　Anything　to　gain　time。　　She　tried　to　break
away。

〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃

〃I　was　going　to　thrust　it　through　a　window　to　attract　attention。
It　was　too　heavy。〃

This　explanation　was　within　bounds　of　reason。　　It　is　possible　that
Karlov　…　who　had　merely　come　up　with　a　fresh　candle　…　would　have
departed　but　for　a　peculiarly　grim　burst　of　humour　on　the　part　of
Fate。

Tap　…　tap　…　tap？　　inquired　the　unsuspecting　man　on　the　roof　…　
exactly　to　Kitty　like　some　innocent；　inquisitive　child　embarrassing
the　family　before　company。

Karlov　flung　her　aside　roughly；　stepped　under　the　trap；　and　cupped
an　ear。　　He　required　no　explanations　from　Kitty；　who　shrank　to　the
wall　and　remained　pinned　there　by　terror。　　Karlov's　intuition　was
keen。　　Men　on　the　roof　held　but　one　significance。　　The　house　was
surrounded　by　Federal　agents。　　For　a　space　he　wavered　between　two
desires；　the　political　and　the　private　vengeance。

A　call　down　the　stairs；　and　five　minutes　afterward　there　would　be
nothing　on　the　spot　but　a　jumble　of　smoking　wood　and　brick。　　But
not　to　see　them　die！

His　subsequent　acts；　cold　and　methodical；　fascinated　Kitty。　　He
took　a　step　toward　her。　　The　scream　died　in　her　throat。　　But　he
did　not　go　beyond　that　step。　　The　picture　of　her　terror　decided
his　future　actions。　　He　would　see　them　die；　here；　with　the　girl
looking　on。　　A　full　measure。　　Well　enough　he　knew　who　were
digging　away　the　cement　of　the　trap。　　What　gave　lodgment　to　this
conviction　he　did　not　bother　to　analyze。　　The　man　he　had　not　yet
seen；　who　had　balked　him；　now　here；　now　there；　from　that　first
night；　and　who　but　the　last　of　that　branch　of　the　hated　house
should　be　with　him？　　To　rend；　batter；　crush；　kill！　　If　he　were
bound　for　hell；　to　go　there　with　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that
his　private　vengeance　had　been　cancelled。　　The　full　reckoning　for
Anna's　degradation：　Stefani　Gregor；　broken　and　dying；　and　all
the　others　dead！

He　would　shoot　them　as　they　dropped　through　the　trap。　　Not　to
kill；　but　to　maim；　render　helpless；　then　he　would　taunt　them　and
grind　his　heels　in　their　faces。　　Up　there；　the　two　he　most　hated
of　all　living　men！

First　he　restored　Kitty's　barricade　…　to　keep　assistance　from
entering　before　his　work　was　completed。　　The　butt　of　the　first
plank　he　pushed　under　the　door　knob。　　The　other　planks　he　laid　flat；
end　to　end；　with　the　butt　of　the　last　snug　against　the　brick
chimney。　　The　door　would　never　give　as　a　whole；　it　would　have　to
be　smashed　in　by　axes。　　He　then　set　the　candle　on　the　floor；
backed　by　an　up…ended　soapbox。　　His　enemies　would　drop　into　a　pool
of　light；　while　they　would　not　be　able　to　see　him　at　once。　　The
girl　would　not　matter。　　Her　terror　would　hold　her　for　some　time。
These　manoeuvres　completed；　he　answered　the　signal；　sat　down　on
another　box　and　waited；　reminding　Kitty　of　some　grotesque
Mongolian　idol。

Kitty　saw　the　inevitable。　　Thereupon　her　terror　ceased　to　bind　her。
As　Cutty　flung　back　the　trap　she　would　cry　out　a　warning。　　Karlov
might　…　and　probably　would　…　kill　her。　　Her　share　in　this　night's
work　…　her　incredible　folly　…　required　full　payment。　　Having　decided
to　die　with　Cutty；　all　her　courage　returned。　　This　is　the　normal
result　of　any　sublime　resolve。　　But　with　the　return　of　her　courage
she　evolved　another　plan。　　She　measured　the　distance　between　herself
and　Karlov；　calculating　there　would　be　three　strides。　　As　Cutty
dropped　she　would　fling　herself　upon　the　madman。　　The　act　would　at
least　give　Cutty　something　like　equal　terms。　　What　became　of　Kitty
Conover　thereafter　was　of　no　importance　to　the　world。

Sounds。　　She　became　conscious　of　noises　elsewhere　in　the　house。　　The
floor　trembled。　　There　came　a　creaking　and　snapping　of　wood；　and　she
heard　the　trap　fall。　　Karlov　stood　up；　menacing；　terrible。　　She　saw
where　Cutty　would　drop；　and　now　understood　the　cunning　of　the
manoeuvre　of　placing　the　candle　in　front　of　the　soapbox。　　Cutty
would　be　an　absolute　mark　for　Karlov；　protected　by　the　shadow。　　She
set　herself；　as　a　runner　at　the　tape。

Karlov　was　not　the　type　criminal；　which　when　cornered；　thinks　only
of　personal　safety。　　He　was　a　political　fanatic。　　All　who　opposed
his　beliefs　must　not　be　permitted　to　survive。　　There　was　a　touch　of
Torquemada　of　the　Inquisition　in　his　cosmos。　　He　could　not　kill
directly；　he　had　to　torture　first。

He　knew　by　the　ascending　sounds　that　there　would　be　no　way　out　of
this　for　him。　　To　the　American；　Russia　was　an　outlaw。　　He　would　be
treated　as　a　dangerous　alien　enemy　and　locked　up。　　Boris　Karlov
should　never　live　to　eat　his　heart　out　behind　bars。

Unique　angle　of　thought；　he　mused。　　He　wanted　mud　to　trample　them
in；　Russian　mud。　　The　same　mud　that　had　filled　the　mouth　of　Anna's
destroyer。

He　was；　then；　a　formidable　antagonist　for　any　two　strong　men；　let
alone　two　one　of　whom　was　rather　spent；　the　other　dizzy　with　pain；
holding　himself　together　by　the　last　shreds　of　his　will。　　They
dropped　through　the　trap；　Cutty　in　front　of　the　candle；　Hawksley
a　little　to　one　side。　　The　elder　man　landed　squarely；　but　Hawksley
fell　backward。　　He　crawled　to　his　feet；　swaying　drunkenly。　　For　a
space　he　was　not　sure　of　the　reality　of　the　scene。。。。　　Torches
and　hobnailed　boots！

〃So！〃　said　Karlov。

The　torturer　must　talk；　he　must　explain　the　immediate　future　to
double　the　agony。　　He　coul