There was no vanity back of these premises. Cutty was merely reaching
about for an expedient to thwart what to his anticipatory mind promised
to be an inevitability. Of course the glamour would not last; it never
did, but he felt he could sustain it until yonder chap was off and away.
That evening at five-thirty Kitty received a box of beautiful roses,
with Cutty's card.
"Oh, the lovely things!" she cried.
She kissed them and set them in a big copper jug, arranged and
rearranged them for the simple pleasure it afforded her. What a dear
man this Cutty was, to have thought of her in this fashion! Her father's
friend, her mother's, and now hers; she had inherited him. This thought
caused her to smile, but there were tears in her eyes. A garden some
day to play in, this mad city far away, a home of her own; would it ever
happen?
The bell rang. She wasn't going to like this caller for taking her away
from these roses, the first she had received in a long time--roses she
could keep and not toss out the window. For it must not be understood
that Kitty was never besieged.
Outside stood a well-dressed gentleman, older than Cutty, with shrewd,
inquiring gray eyes and a face with strong salients.
"Pardon me, but I am looking for a man by the name of Stephen Gregory. I
was referred by the janitor to you. You are Miss Conover?"
"Yes," answered Kitty. "Will you come in?" She ushered the stranger into
the living room and indicated a chair. "Please excuse me for a moment."
Kitty went into her bedroom and touched the danger button, which would
summon Bernini. She wanted her watchdog to see the visitor. She returned
to the living room. "What is it you wish to know?"
"Where I may find this Gregory."
"That nobody seems able to answer. He was carried away from here in an
ambulance; but we have been unable to locate the hospital. If you will
leave your name--"
"That is not necessary. I am out of bounds, you might say, and I'd
rather my name should be left out of the affair, which is rather
peculiar."
"In what way?"
"I am only an agent, and am not at liberty to speak. Could you describe
Gregory?"
"Then he is a stranger to you?"
"Absolutely."
Kitty described Gregor deliberately and at length. It struck her that
the visitor was becoming bored, though he nodded at times. She was glad
to hear Bernini's ring. She excused herself to admit the Italian.