The Drums of Jeopardy - Page 43/202

"Guess it's all right, miss. I'll report the affair at the precinct and

have an ambulance sent over. You'll have to come along with me, sir."

"Is that legally necessary?" asked the squat man, rather perturbed.

"Sure. You saw the thing and I verified it," declared the policeman. "It

won't take ten minutes. Your name and address, in case this man dies."

"I see. Very well."

Kitty wasn't sure, but the policeman seemed embarrassed about something.

The directness was gone from his eyes and his speech was no longer

brisk.

"My name is Conover," said Kitty.

"I got that coming in," replied the policeman. "We'll be on our way."

Not once again did the squat man glance at the man on the bed. He

followed the policeman into the hall, his air that of one who had

accepted a certain obligation to community welfare and cancelled it.

Kitty shut the door--and leaned against it weakly. Where had Cutty gone?

Even as she expressed the query she smelt burning tobacco. She ran out

into the kitchen, to behold Cutty seated in a chair calmly smoking his

infamous pipe!

"And I thought you were gone! What did you say to that policeman?"

"I hypnotized him, Kitty."

"The newspaper?"

"No. Just looked into his eye and made a few passes with my hands."

"Of course, if you believe you ought not to tell me--" said Kitty, which

is the way all women start their wheedling.

Cutty looked into the bowl of his pipe.

"Kitty, when you throw a cobble into a pond, what happens? A splash. But

did you ever notice the way the ripples have of running on and on, until

they touch the farthest shore?"

"Yes. And this is a ripple from some big stone cast into the pond of

southeastern Europe. I understand."

"That's just the difficulty. If you understood nothing it would be much

easier for me. But you know just enough to want to follow up on your own

hook. I know nothing definitely; I have only suspicions. I calmed

that policeman by showing him a blanket police power issued by the

commissioner. I want you to pack up and move out of this neighbourhood.

It's not congenial to you."

"I'm afraid I can't afford to move until May."

"I'll take care of that gladly, to get you out of this garlicky ruin."

"No, Cutty; I'm going to stay here until the lease is up."