the drums of jeopardy-第57章
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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 could have maimed them both； then trampled
them to death； but he had to inform them of the fact。 He pointed
the automatic at Cutty because he considered this man the more
dangerous of the two。 He at once saw that the other was a
negligible factor。 He spoke slowly。
〃And the girl shall witness your agonies；〃 he concluded。
Cutty； bereft of invention； could only stare。 Death！ He had faced
it many times； but always with a chance。 There was none here； and
the absolute knowledge paralyzed him。
Had Cutty been alone Kitty would have rushed at the madman； but the
sight of Hawksley robbed her of all mobility。 His unexpected
appearance was to her the Book of Revelation。 The blind alley she
had entered and reentered so many times and so futilely crumbled。。。。
Johnny Two…Hawks！
As for Hawksley； he knew he had but little time。 The floor was
billowing； he saw many candles where he knew there was only one。 He
was losing his senses。 There remained but a single idea … to do the
old thoroughbred one favour for the many。 Scorning death … perhaps
inviting it … he lunged headlong at Karlov's knees。
This reckless challenge to death was so unexpected that Karlov had
no time to aim。 He fired at chance。 The bullet nipped the left
shoulder of Hawksley's coat and shattered the laths of the partition
between the attic and the servant's quarters。 Under the impact of
the human catapult Karlov staggered back； desperately striving to
maintain his balance。 He succeeded because Hawksley's senses left
him in the instant he struck Karlov's knees。 Still； the episode
was a respite for Cutty； who dashed at Karlov before the latter
could set himself or raise the smoking automatic。
Kitty then witnessed … dimly … a primordial； titanic conflict which
haunted her dreams for many nights to come。 They were no longer men；
but animals； the tiger giving combat to the gorilla； one striking
the quick； terrible blows of the tiger； the other seeking always to
come to grips。
The floor answered under the step and rush。 Rare athletes； these
two； big men who were light on their feet。 Kitty could see their
faces occasionally and the flash of their bare hands； but of their
bodies little or nothing。 Nor could she tell how the struggle was
going。 Indeed until the idea came that they might be trampling
Johnny Two…Hawks there was no coherent thought in her head； only
broken things。
She ran to the soapbox and kicked it aside。 She saw Hawksley on
his face； motionless。 At least they should not trample his dead
body。 She caught hold of his arms and dragged him to the wall … to
discover that she was sobbing； sobs of rage and despair that tore
at her breast horribly and clogged her throat。 She was a woman and
could not help； she could not help Cutty！ She was a woman； and all
she could do was to drag aside the lifeless body of the man who
had given Cutty his chance！
She knelt； turning Hawksley over on his back。 There was a slight
gash on one grimy cheek； possibly caused by contact with the latchets
of Karlov's boots。 She raised the handsome head； pressed it to her
bosom； and began to sway her body from side to side。 Tumult。 The
Federal agents were throwing their bodies against the door repeatedly。
In the semi…darkness Cutty fought for his life。 But Kitty neither
heard nor saw。 The world had suddenly contracted； there was only
this beautiful head in her arms； beyond and about； nothing。
Cutty felt his strength ebbing； soon he would not be able to wrench
himself loose from those terrible arms。 He knew all the phases of
the fighting game。 Chivalry and fair play had no part in this
contest。 Clear light； to observe what his blows were accomplishing；
a minute or two of clear light！ Half the time his blows glanced。
The next time those arms wound about him； that would be the end。
He was growing tired； winded； he had not gone into battle fresh。 He
knew that many of his blows had gone home。 Any ordinary man would
have dropped； but Karlov came on again and again。
And all the while Karlov was not fighting Cutty； he was endeavouring
to remove him。 He was an obstacle。 What Karlov wanted was that
head the girl was holding in her arms； to grind his heel into it。
Had Cutty stepped aside Karlov would have rushed for the other man。
〃Kitty； the door； the door！〃 Cutty shouted in despair； taking a
terrible kick on the thigh。 〃The door！〃
Kitty did not stir。
A panel in the door crushed in。 The sole of a boot appeared and
vanished。 Then an arm reached in； groping； touched the plank propped
under the door knob； wrenched and tugged until it fell。 Immediately
the attic became filled with men。 It was time。 Karlov had Cutty in
his arms。
This turn in the affair roused Kitty。 Presently she saw men in a
snarl； heaving and billowing； with a sudden subsidence。 The snarl
untangled itself； men began to step back and produce pocketlamps。
Kitty saw Cutty's face； battered and bloody； appear and disappear
in a flash。 She saw Karlov's； too； as he was pulled to his feet；
his hands manacled。 Again she saw Cutty。 With shaking hand he was
trying to attach the loose end of his collar to the button。 The
absurdity of it！
〃Take him away。 But don't be rough with him。 He's only a poor
devil of a madman；〃 said Cutty。
Karlov turned and calmly spat into Cutty's face。 A dozen fists were
raised； but Cutty intervened。
〃No！ Let him be。 Just take him away and lock him up。 He's a
rough road to travel。 And hustle a comfortable car for me to go
home in。 Not a word to the newspapers。 This isn't a popular raid。〃
As soon as the attic was cleared Cutty limped over to Molly Conover's
daughter。 The poor innocent！ The way she was holding that head was
an illumination。 With a reassuring smile … an effort； for his lips
were puffed and burning … he knelt and put his hand on Hawksley's heart。
〃Done in； Kitty； that's all。〃
〃He isn't dead？〃
〃Lord； no！ He had nine lives； this chap； and only one of 'em
missing to date。 But I had no right to let him come。 I thought he
