About nine o'clock that same night a rich man, having himself under the reading lamp, a book in his hands and a after-dinner cigar his teeth, was when his knocked, entered, and presented a card.
“My orders were that I was not at home to any one.”
“Yes, sir. But he said you would see him he came to see you a Mr. Gregory.”
“What?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Damn these newspapers!... Wait, wait!” the banker called, for the was starting for the door to the to the head. “Bring him in. He's a big bug, and I can't to him.”
“Yes, sir”—with the of a perfect servant.
When the visitor entered he stopped just the threshold. He there after the closed the door. Blue and clashed; two masters of who had the same stroke. The banker laughed and Cutty smiled.
“I suppose,” said the banker, “you and I ought to an armistice, too.”
“Agreed.”
“And you've always been a puzzle to me. A rich man, a gentleman, and yet to the newspaper game.”
“And you're a puzzle to me, too. A rich man, a gentleman, and yet to the banking game.”
“What the was our about?”
“Can't recall.”
“Whatever it was it was the way you at it.”
“A was yet by and pussyfooting,” said Cutty.
“Come over and down. Now, how the did you out about this Gregory affair?” The banker out his hand, which Cutty with pressure. “If you are here in the of a newspaper man, not a word out of me. Have a cigar?”
“I anything but pipes that curtains. You should have your name to Miss Conover.”
“I was under promise not to my business. But we proceed, an answer. Newspaper?”
“No. I the Department of Justice. And we'll along when I add that I unlimited powers under that head. How did you to into this affair?”
“Through Captain Rathbone, my son-in-law, who is in Coblenz. A this morning, me to in the manner I did. Rathbone is an friend of the man I was actually seeking. The of this man Gregory was mentioned to Rathbone in a as a possible temporary place. What do you want to know?”
“Whether or not he is undesirable.”
“Decidedly, I should say, desirable.”
“You make that as an American citizen?”
“I do. I make it my son-in-law is a difficult man to make friends with. I am acting as Rathbone's agent. On the other hand, I should be a if I told you I wasn't interested. What do you know?”
“Everything,” answered Cutty, quietly.
“You know where this man is?”
“At this moment he is in my apartment, and penniless.”
“Well, I'll be tinker-dammed! You know who he is, of course?”
“Yes. And I want all your so that I may my accordingly. If he is he shall be the moment he can on his two feet.”
The banker his fingers, pleased to learn that he this beggar. “He has on account at my bank a dollars. Originally he had eight hundred thousand. The three hundred thousand, under orders from Yokohama, was transferred to our branch in San Francisco. This was about two ago. How that you?”
“All in a heap,” Cutty. “When was this fund with you?”
“Shortly Kerensky's government up. The were in our London bank. There was, of course, a of red tape, in exchange, and all that. Anyhow, about eight hundred thousand arrived.”
“What him to America? Why didn't he go to England? That would have been the haven.”
“I can that. He to an American citizen. Some time ago he the owner of a in Montana.”
“Well, I'll be tinker-dammed, too!” Cutty.
“A man with these ideas in his ought to a first-rate citizen. What do you say?”
“I am relieved. His forbears, the blood—”
“His mother was a healthy Italian peasant—a famous singer in her time. His fortune, I take it, was his from her. She a in the of Europe and from time to time. She sent the boy, at the age of ten, to England. Afraid of the home influence. He there, under the name of Hawksley, for something like fourteen years, under the of this Gregory. Of Gregory I know positively nothing. The is, to all purposes, methods of living, points of view, an Englishman. Rathbone, who was at Oxford, met him there and they quarters. But it was only in years that he learned the identity of his friend. In 1914 the returned to Russia. Military obligations. That's all I know. Mighty interesting, though.”
“I am much to you. The white elephant a normal pachyderm,” said Cutty.
“Still something of an elephant on your hands. I see. Bring him here if you wish.”
“And the Bolshevik at your door.”
“That's so. You spoke of his having been and robbed. Bolshevik?”
“Yes. An old line of put into by Oliver Cromwell. The axe.”
“The devil!”
“Fact. I'm sorry for him, but I wish he would away conveniently.”
“Rathbone says he's handsome, gay, but decent, considering. Humanity is being about some. The hour has come for our lawyers to go to their offices. Politics must step for business. We ought to up in every in the country: 'Men Wanted—Specialists.' A man from Pittsburgh, a man from Idaho, a from Boston, a meat from Omaha, a man from Chicago. What the do lawyers know about these things—the that make the of this country go round? By the way, that Miss Conover was a girl. She to be a of me.”
“Good reasons. That to Gregor's—Gregor is his name—and was beaten, robbed, and left for dead. She saved his life.”
“Good Lord! Does she know?”
“No. And what's more, I don't want her to. I am her guardian.”
“Then you ought to her out of that roost.”
“Hang it, I can't her to leave. I'm not legally her guardian; self-appointed. But she has to in May.”
“I'm you in. Command me in any way you please.”
“That's very good of you, considering.”
“The is over. We'd be a pair of to let an go on. They tell me you've a on top of that of yours.”
“Will you come to dinner some night?”
“Any time you say. I should like to my daughter.”
“She doesn't know?”
“No. Heard of Hawksley; thinks he's English.”
“I am agreeable.” This would be a to Kitty. “I see you have a good book there. I'll take myself off.”
In the Avenue Cutty his pipe. He a match on the and it over the bowl of his pipe, his into relief. Opposite the of the two men him—in one, chagrin; in the other, exultation.
Cutty to walk downtown, the night being fine. He set his to a long, stride. An elephant on his hands, truly. Poor devil, for a fad! Nobody wanted him, not those who him well. Wanted to an American citizen. He would have been safe in England. Here he would be free of danger. A ranch. The would have a out there in the West. The and the Bolshevik were town cooties. His one chance, actually. The devil! Kitty had the right idea. It was a thing, these times, to be a citizen under the protection of the American doctrine.
Three hundred thousand! And Karlov had got that along with the drums. The devil's own for luck! The would be able to start some with all that him. Episodes in the night.
Kitty of rose gardens, and changing; but as she would she not Cutty anywhere, which her, in her dream.
The nurse the patient a single word times he asleep.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Fan!” And he smiled.
She for the leaf, but with a he that that was not what he wanted.
Cutty played with his until the telephone in upon his reveries. What he over the wire him greatly.
“You were from the Avenue to the apartment.”
“How do you know?”
“I am Henderson. You me to watch the in Eightieth through the night. I the man who you. He saw your when you the pipe. When the banker left Miss Conover he was home. That him in the affair. The round, and so did I. You appeared. He took a in the dark. Not sure, but doing a of guessing.”
“You still him?”
“Yes.”
“Where did he wind up?”
“A house in the district. Vacant on each side. Some new nest. I can lead you to it, sir, any time you wish.”
“Thanks.”
Cutty pushed the telephone and returned to his green stones. After all, why worry? It was unfortunate, of course, but the was more than the top of the Matterhorn. Still, they might what his was and with his work on the other side. A in the district? A good place to look for Stefani Gregor—if he were still alive.
He was. And in his dark room he for water—water—water!
