the titan-第47部分

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d　Stephanie　ceased　to　speak　of　his　poverty。　　A　gift　of　two　hundred　dollars；　which　Cowperwood　made　her　in　June；　was　followed　by　an　accidental　meeting　with　her　and　Gurney　in　Washington　Street。　　Mr。　Gurney；　pale　and　pleasant；　was　very　well　dressed　indeed。　　He　wore　a　pin　which　Cowperwood　knew　had　once　belonged　to　Stephanie。　　She　was　in　no　way　confused。　　Finally　Stephanie　let　it　out　that　Lane　Cross；　who　had　gone　to　New　Hampshire　for　the　summer；　had　left　his　studio　in　her　charge。　　Cowperwood　decided　to　have　this　studio　watched。

There　was　in　Cowperwood's　employ　at　this　time　a　young　newspaper　man；　an　ambitious　spark　aged　twenty…six；　by　the　name　of　Francis　Kennedy。　　He　had　written　a　very　intelligent　article　for　the　Sunday　Inquirer；　describing　Cowperwood　and　his　plans；　and　pointing　out　what　a　remarkable　man　he　was。　　This　pleased　Cowperwood。　　When　Kennedy　called　one　day；　announcing　smartly　that　he　was　anxious　to　get　out　of　reportorial　work；　and　inquiring　whether　be　couldn't　find　something　to　do　in　the　street…railway　world；　Cowperwood　saw　in　him　a　possibly　useful　tool。

〃I'll　try　you　out　as　secretary　for　a　while；〃　he　said；　pleasantly。　〃There　are　a　few　special　things　I　want　done。　　If　you　succeed　in　those；　I　may　find　something　else　for　you　later。〃

Kennedy　had　been　working　for　him　only　a　little　while　when　he　said　to　him　one　day：　〃Francis；　did　you　ever　hear　of　a　young　man　by　the　name　of　Forbes　Gurney　in　the　newspaper　world？〃

They　were　in　Cowperwood's　private　office。

〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Francis；　briskly。

〃You　have　heard　of　an　organization　called　the　Garrick　Players；　haven't　you？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Well；　Francis；　do　you　suppose　you　could　undertake　a　little　piece　of　detective　work　for　me；　and　handle　it　intelligently　and　quietly？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　said　Francis；　who　was　the　pink　of　perfection　this　morning　in　a　brown　suit；　garnet　tie；　and　sard　sleeve…links。　　His　shoes　were　immaculately　polished；　and　his　young；　healthy　face　glistened。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　want　you　to　do。　　There　is　a　young　actress；　or　amateur　actress；　by　the　name　of　Stephanie　Platow；　who　frequents　the　studio　of　an　artist　named　Cross　in　the　New　Arts　Building。　　She　may　even　occupy　it　in　his　absenceI　don't　know。　　I　want　you　to　find　out　for　me　what　the　relations　of　Mr。　Gurney　and　this　woman　are。　　I　have　certain　business　reasons　for　wanting　to　know。〃

Young　Kennedy　was　all　attention。

〃You　couldn't　tell　me　where　I　could　find　out　anything　about　this　Mr。　Gurney　to　begin　with；　could　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I　think　he　is　a　friend　of　a　critic　here　by　the　name　of　Gardner　Knowles。　　You　might　ask　him。　　I　need　not　say　that　you　must　never　mention　me。

〃Oh；　I　understand　that　thoroughly；　Mr。　Cowperwood。〃　Young　Kennedy　departed；　meditating。　　How　was　he　to　do　this？　With　true　journalistic　skill　he　first　sought　other　newspaper　men；　from　whom　he　learneda　bit　from　one　and　a　scrap　from　anotherof　the　character　of　the　Garrick　Players；　and　of　the　women　who　belonged　to　it。　　He　pretended　to　be　writing　a　one…act　play；　which　he　hoped　to　have　produced。

He　then　visited　Lane　Cross's　studio；　posing　as　a　newspaper　interviewer。　　Mr。　Cross　was　out　of　town；　so　the　elevator　man　said。　His　studio　was　closed。

Mr。　Kennedy　meditated　on　this　fact　for　a　moment。

〃Does　any　one　use　his　studio　during　the　summer　months？〃　he　asked。

〃I　believe　there　is　a　young　woman　who　comes　hereyes。〃

〃You　don't　happen　to　know　who　it　is？〃

〃Yes；　I　do。　　Her　name　is　Platow。　　What　do　you　want　to　know　for？〃

〃Looky　here；〃　exclaimed　Kennedy；　surveying　the　rather　shabby　attendant　with　a　cordial　and　persuasive　eye；　〃do　you　want　to　make　some　moneyfive　or　ten　dollars；　and　without　any　trouble　to　you？〃

The　elevator　man；　whose　wages　were　exactly　eight　dollars　a　week；　pricked　up　his　ears。

〃I　want　to　know　who　comes　here　with　this　Miss　Platow；　when　they　comeall　about　it。　　I'll　make　it　fifteen　dollars　if　I　find　out　what　I　want；　and　I'll　give　you　five　right　now。〃

The　elevator　factotum　had　just　sixty…five　cents　in　his　pocket　at　the　time。　　He　looked　at　Kennedy　with　some　uncertainty　and　much　desire。

〃Well；　what　can　I　do？〃　he　repeated。　　〃I'm　not　here　after　six。　　The　janitor　runs　this　elevator　from　six　to　twelve。〃

〃There　isn't　a　room　vacant　anywhere　near　this　one；　is　there？〃　Kennedy　asked；　speculatively。

The　factotum　thought。　　〃Yes；　there　is。　　One　just　across　the　hall。〃

〃What　time　does　she　come　here　as　a　rule？〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　nights。　　In　the　day　she　sometimes　comes　mornings；　sometimes　in　the　afternoon。〃

〃Anybody　with　her？〃

〃Sometimes　a　man；　sometimes　a　girl　or　two。　　I　haven't　really　paid　much　attention　to　her；　to　tell　you　the　truth。〃

Kennedy　walked　away　whistling。

From　this　day　on　Mr。　Kennedy　became　a　watcher　over　this　very　unconventional　atmosphere。　　He　was　in　and　out；　principally　observing　the　comings　and　goings　of　Mr。　Gurney。　　He　found　what　he　naturally　suspected；　that　Mr。　Gurney　and　Stephanie　spent　hours　here　at　peculiar　timesafter　a　company　of　friends　had　jollified；　for　instance；　and　all　had　left；　including　Gurney；　when　the　latter　would　quietly　return；　with　Stephanie　sometimes；　if　she　had　left　with　the　others；　alone　if　she　had　remained　behind。　　The　visits　were　of　varying　duration；　and　Kennedy；　to　be　absolutely　accurate；　kept　days；　dates；　the　duration　of　the　hours；　which　he　left　noted　in　a　sealed　envelope　for　Cowperwood　in　the　morning。　　Cowperwood　was　enraged；　but　so　great　was　his　interest　in　Stephanie　that　he　was　not　prepared　to　act。　　He　wanted　to　see　to　what　extent　her　duplicity　would　go。

The　novelty　of　this　atmosphere　and　its　effect　on　him　was　astonishing。　Although　his　mind　was　vigorously　employed　during　the　day；　nevertheless　his　thoughts　kept　returning　constantly。　　Where　was　she？　What　was　she　doing？　The　bland　way　in　which　she　could　lie　reminded　him　of　himself。　　To　think　that　she　should　prefer　any　one　else　to　him；　especially　at　this　time　when　he　was　shining　as　a　great　constructive　factor　in　the　city；　was　too　much。　　It　smacked　of　age；　his　ultimate　displacement　by　youth。　　It　cut　and　hurt。

One　morning；　after　a　peculiarly　exasperating　night　of　thought　concerning　her；　he　said　to　young　Kennedy：　〃I　have　a　suggestion　for　you。　　I　wish　you　would　get　this　elevator　man　you　are　working　with　down　there　to　get　you　a　duplicate　key　to　this　studio；　and　see　if　there　is　a　bolt　on　the　inside。　　Let　me　know　when　you　do。　　Bring　me　the　key。　　The　next　time　she　is　there　of　an　evening　with　Mr。　Gurney　step　out　and　telephone　me。〃

The　climax　came　one　night　several　weeks　after　this　discouraging　investigation　began。　　There　was　a　heavy　yellow　moon　in　the　sky；　and　a　warm；　sweet　summer　wind　was　blowing。　　Stephanie　had　called　on　Cowperwood　at　his　office　about　four　to　say　that　instead　of　staying　down…town　with　him；　as　they　had　casually　planned；　she　was　going　to　her　home　on　the　West　Side　to　attend　a　garden…party　of　some　kind　at　Georgia　Timberlake's。　　Cowperwood　looked　at　her　withfor　hima　morbid　eye。　　He　was　all　cheer；　geniality；　pleasant　badinage；　but　he　was　thinking　all　the　while　what　a　shameless　enigma　she　was；　how　well　she　played　her　part；　what　a　fool　she　must　take　him　to　be。　　He　gave　her　youth；　her　passion；　her　attractiveness；　her　natural　promiscuity　of　soul　due　credit；　but　he　could　not　forgive　her　for　not　loving　him　perfectly；　as　had　so　many　others。　　She　had　on　a　summery　black…and…white　frock　and　a　fetching　brown　Leghorn　hat；　which；　with　a　rich…red　poppy　ornamenting　a　flare　over　her　left　ear　and　a　peculiar　ruching　of　white…and…black　silk　about　the　crown；　made　her　seem　strangely　young；　debonair；　a　study　in　Hebraic　and　American　origins。

〃Going　to　have　a　nice　time；　are　you？〃　he　asked；　genially；　politically；　eying　her　in　his　enigmatic　and　inscrutable　way。　　〃Going　to　shine　among　that　charming　company　you　keep！　I　suppose　all　the　standbys　will　be　thereBliss　Bridge；　Mr。　Knowles；　Mr。　Crossdancing　attendance　on　you？〃

He　failed　to　mention　Mr。　Gurney。

Stephanie　nodded　cheerfully。　　She　seemed　in　an　innocent　outing　mood。

Cowperwood　smiled；　thinking　how　one　of　these　daysvery　shortly；　perhapshe　was　certain　to　take　a　signal　revenge。　　He　would　catch　her　in　a　lie；　in　a　compromising　position　somewherein　this　studio；　perhapsand　dismiss　her　with　contempt。　　In　an　elder　day；　if　they　had　lived　in　Turkey；　he　would　have　had　her　strangled；　sewn　in　a　sack；　and　thrown　into　the　Bosporus。　　As　it　was；　he　could　only　dismiss　her。　　He　smiled　and　smiled；　smoothing　her　hand。　　〃Have　a　good　time；〃　he　called；　as　she　left。　　Later；　at　his　own　homeit　was　nearly　midnightMr。　Kennedy　called　him　up。

〃Mr。　Cowperwood？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　know　the　studio　in　the　New　Arts　Building？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃It　is　occupied　now。〃

Cowperwood　called　a　servant　to　bring　him　his　runabout。　　He　had　had　a　down…town　locksmith　make　a　round　keystem　with　a　bored　clutch　at　the　end　of　ita　hollow　which　would　fit　over　the　end　of　such　a　key　as　he　had　to　the　studio　and　turn　it　easily　from　the　outside。　　He　felt　in　his　pocket　for　it；　jumped　in　his　runabout；　and　hurried　away。　　When　he　reached　the　New　Arts　Building　he　found　Kennedy　in　the　hall　and　dismissed　him。　　〃Thanks；〃　he　observed；　brusquely。　　〃I　will　take　care　of　this。〃

He　hurried　up　the　stairs；　avoiding　the　elevator；　to　the　vacant　room　opposite；　and　thence　reconnoitered　the　studio　door。　　It　was　as　Kennedy　had　reported。　　Stephanie　was　there；　and　with　Gurney。　　The　pale　poet　had　been　brought　there　to　furnish　her　an　evening　of　delight。　　Because　of　the　stillness　of　the　building　at　this　hour　he　could　hear　their　muffled　voices　speaking　alternately；　and　once　Stephanie　singing　the　refrain　of　a　song。　　He　was　angry　and　yet　grateful　that　she　had；　in　her　genial　way；　taken　the　trouble　to　call　and　assure　him　that　she　was　going　to　a　summer　lawn…party　and　dance。　　He　smiled　grimly；　sarcastically；　as　he　thought　of　her　surprise。　　Softly　he　extracted　the　clutch…key　and　inserted　it；　covering　the　end　of　the　key　on　the　inside　and　turning　it。　　It　gave　solidly　without　sound。　　He　next　tried　the　knob　and　turned　it；　feeling　the　door　spring　slightly　as　he　did　so。　　Then　inaudibly；　because　of　a　gurgled　laugh　with　which　he　was　thoroughly　familiar；　he　opened　it　and　stepped　in。

At　his　rough；　firm　cough　they　sprang　upGurney　to　a　hiding　position　behind　a　curtain；　Stephanie　to　one　of　concealment　behind　draperies　on　the　couch。　　She　could　not　speak；　and　could　scar