ck the descension and breed a little
optimism.

Cutty's study. The sunlight, thrown westward, turned windows and roofs
and towers into incomparable bijoux. The double reflection cast a white
light into the room, lifting out the blue and old-rose tints of the
Ispahan rug.

Cutty shifted the chrysoprase, irresolutely for him. A dozen problems,
and it was mighty hard to decide which to tackle first. Principally
there was Kitty. He had not seen her in four days, deeming it advisable
for her not to call for the present. The Bolshevik agent who had
followed him from the banker's might decide, without the aid of some
connecting episode, that he had wasted his time.

It did not matter that Kitty herself was no longer watched and followed
from her home to the office, from the office home. Was Karlov afraid
or had he some new trick up his sleeve? It was not possible that he
had given up Hawksley. He was probably planning an attack from some
unexpected angle. To be sure that Karlov would not find reason to
associate him with Kitty, Cutty had remained indoors during the daytime
and gone forth at night in his dungarees.

Problem Two was quite as formidable. The secret agent who had passed
as a negotiator for the drums of jeopardy had disappeared. That had
sinister significance. Karlov did not intend to sell the drums; merely
wanted precise information regarding the man who had advertised for
them. If the secret-service man weakened under torture, Cutty recognized
that his own usefulness would be at an end. He would have to step aside
and let the great currents sweep on without him. In that event these
fifty-two years would pile upon his head, full measure; for the only
thing that kept him vigorous was action, interest. Without some great
incentive he would shrivel up and blow away--like some exhumed mummy.

Problem Three. How the deuce was he going to fascinate Kitty if he
couldn't see her? But there was a bit of silver lining here. If
he couldn't see her, what chance had Hawksley? The whole sense and
prompting of this problem was to keep Kitty and Hawksley apart. How this
was accomplished was of no vital importance. Problem Three, then, hung
fire for the present. Funny, how this idea stuck in his head, that
Hawksley was a menace to Kitty. One of those fool ideas, probably, but
worth trying out.

Problem Four. That night, all on his own, he would make an attempt
to enter that old house sandwiched between the two vacant wareho