"Sit down," she ordered. Either he was harmless or he wasn't. If he
wasn't she was utterly at his mercy. She might be able to lift that
terrible-looking engine of murder, battle, and sudden death with the aid
of both hands, but to aim and fire it--never in this world! "As I came
in to-night I found a note in the hall from Mr. Gregory. I will fetch
it. But you call him Gregor?"
"His name is Stefani Gregor; and years and years ago he dandled me on
his knees. I promise not to move until you return."
Subdued by she knew not what, no longer afraid, Kitty moved out of the
kitchen. She had offered Gregory's letter as an excuse to reach the
telephone. Once there, however, she did not take the receiver off the
hook. Instead she whistled down the tube for the janitor.
"This is Miss Conover. Come up to my apartment in ten minutes.... No;
it's not the water pipes.... In ten minutes."
Nothing very serious could happen inside of ten minutes; and the janitor
was reliable and not the sort one reads about in the comic weeklies. Her
confidence reenforced by the knowledge that a friend was near, she took
the letter into the kitchen. Apparently her unwelcome guest had not
stirred. The revolver was where he had laid it.
"Read this," she said.
The visitor glanced through it. "It is Gregor's hand. Poor old chap! I
shall never forgive my self."
"For what?"
"For dragging him into this. They must have intercepted one of my
telegrams." He stared dejectedly at the strip of oilcloth in front of
the range. "You are an American?"
"Yes."
"God has been exceedingly kind to your country. I doubt if you will ever
know how kind. I'll take myself off. No sense in compromising you."
He laid a folded handkerchief inside his cap which he put on. "Know
anything about this?"--indicating the revolver.
"Nothing whatever."
"Permit me to show you. It is loaded; there are five bullets in the
clip. See this little latch? So, it is harmless. So, and you kill with
it."
"It is horrible!" cried Kitty. "Take it with you please. I could not
keep my eyes open to shoot it."
"These are troublous times. All women should know something about small
arms. Again I thank you. For your own sake I trust that we may never
meet again. Good-bye." He stepped out of the window and vanished.