"This is nonsense," he said in a harsh voice. "That young girl doesn"t want to marry anybody. Neither do I. She doesn"t wish to have her throat cut, that"s all. And I"m determined she shan"t."
"There are stealthier a.s.sa.s.sins, Cleves,--the slayers of reputations. It goes badly with their victim. It does indeed."
"Well, hang it, what do you think I ought to do?"
"I think you ought to marry her if you"re going to keep her here."
"Suppose she doesn"t mind the unconventionality of it?"
"All women mind. No woman, at heart, is unconventional, Cleves."
"She--she seems to agree with me that she ought to stay here....
Besides, she has no money, no relatives, no friends in America----"
"All the more tragic. If you really believe it to be your duty to keep her here where you can look after her bodily safety, then the other obligation is still heavier. And there may come a day when Miss Norne will wish that you had been less conscientious concerning the safety of her pretty throat.... For the knife of the Yezidee is swifter and less cruel than the tongue that slays with a smile.... And this young girl has many years to live, after this business of Bolshevism is dead and forgotten in our Republic."
"Recklow!"
"Yes?"
"You think I might dare try to find a room somewhere else for her and let her take her chances? _Do_ you?"
"It"s your affair."
"I know--hang it! I know it"s my affair. I"ve unintentionally made it so. But can"t you tell me what I ought to do?"
"I can"t."
"What would _you_ do?"
"Don"t ask me," returned Recklow, sharply. "If you"re not man enough to come to a decision you may turn her over to me."
Cleves flushed brightly. "Do you think _you_ are old enough to take my job and avoid scandal?"
Recklow"s cold eyes rested on him: "If you like," he said, "I"ll a.s.sume your various kinds of personal responsibility toward Miss Norne."
Cleve"s visage burned. "I"ll shoulder my own burdens," he retorted.
"Sure. I knew you would." And Recklow smiled and held out his hand.
Cleves took it without cordiality. Standing so, Recklow, still smiling, said: "What a rotten deal that child has had--is having. Her father and mother were fine people. Did you ever hear of Dr. Norne?"
"She mentioned him once."
"They were up-State people of most excellent antecedents and no money.
"Dr. Norne was our Vice-Consul at Yarkand in the province of Sin Kiang.
All he had was his salary, and he lost that and his post when the administration changed. Then he went into the spice trade.
"Some Jew syndicate here sent him up the Yarkand River to see what could be done about jade and gold concessions. He was on that business when the tragedy happened. The Kalmuks and Khirghiz were responsible, under Yezidee instigation. And there you are:--and here is his child, Cleves--back, by some miracle, from that flowering h.e.l.l called Yian, believing in her heart that she really lost her soul there in the temple. And now, here in her own native land, she is exposed to actual and hourly danger of a.s.sa.s.sination.... Poor kid!... Did you ever hear of a rottener deal, Cleves?"
Their hands had remained clasped while Recklow was speaking. He spoke again, clearly, amiably:
"To lay down one"s life for a friend is fine. I"m not sure that it"s finer to offer one"s honour in behalf of a girl whose honour is at stake."
After a moment Cleves"s grip tightened.
"All right," he said.
Recklow went downstairs.
CHAPTER VI
IN BATTLE
Cleves went back into the apartment; he noticed that Miss Norne"s door was ajar.
To get to his own room he had to pa.s.s that way; and he saw her, seated before the mirror, partly undressed, her dark, l.u.s.trous hair being combed out and twisted up for the night.
Whether this carelessness was born of innocence or of indifference mattered little; he suddenly realised that these conditions wouldn"t do.
And his first feeling was of anger.
"If you"ll put on your robe and slippers," he said in an unpleasant voice, "I"d like to talk to you for a few moments."
She turned her head on its charming neck and looked around and up at him over one naked shoulder.
"Shall I come into your room?" she inquired.
"No!... when you"ve got some clothes on, call me."
"I"m quite ready now," she said calmly, and drew the Chinese slippers over her bare feet and pa.s.sed a silken loop over the silver bell b.u.t.tons on her right shoulder. Then, undisturbed, she continued to twist up her hair, following his movements in the mirror with unconcerned blue eyes.
He entered and seated himself, the impatient expression still creasing his forehead and altering his rather agreeable features.
"Miss Norne," he said, "you"re absolutely convinced that these people mean to do you harm. Isn"t that true?"
"Of course," she said simply.
"Then, until we get them, you"re running a serious risk. In fact, you live in hourly peril. That is your belief, isn"t it?"
She put the last peg into her thick, curly hair, lowered her arms, turned, dropped one knee over the other, and let her candid gaze rest on him in silence.
"What I mean to explain," he said coldly, "is that as long as I induced you to go into this affair I"m responsible for you. If I let you out of my sight here in New York and if anything happens to you, I"ll be as guilty as the dirty beast who takes your life. What is your opinion?
It"s up to me to stand by you now, isn"t it?"
"I had rather be near you--for a while," she said timidly.