the white moll-第31部分

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reconsider　any　such　intentions　…　Pinkie。　　It　would　be　a　very
disastrous　thing　for　you　if　I　were　caught。　　Somebody　is　'wanted'　for
the　murder　of　Marny　Day　at　Charlie's　a　little　while　ago；　and　a　jury
would　undoubtedly　decide　that　the　guilty　man　was　the　one　who　broke
in　the　door　there　and　stole　the　money。　　And　if　I　were　caught　and
were　obliged　to　confess　that　I　got　it　from　you；　and　French　Pete
swore　that　it　was　whoever　broke　into　the　room　that　shot　his　pal；　it
might　go　hard　with　you；　Pinkie　…　don't　you　think　so？〃　She　smiled
coldly　at　the　man's　staring　eyes　and　dropped　jaw。　　〃Good…night；
Pinkie；　I　know　you　won't　make　any　noise；〃　she　said　softly　…　and
suddenly　opened　the　door；　and　in　a　flash　stepped　back　into　the　hall；
and　closed　and　locked　the　door；　and　whipped　out　the　key　from　the
lock。

And　inside　Pinkie　Bonn　made　no　sound。

It　was　done　now。　　Rhoda　Gray　drew　in　her　breath　in　a　great　choking
gasp　of　relief。　　She　found　herself　trembling　violently。　　She　found
her　limbs　were　bearing　her　none　too　steadily；　as　she　began　to　grope
her　way　now　along　the　black　hall　toward　the　back　door。　　But　it　was
done　now；　and　…　　No；　she　was　not　safe　away；　even　yet！　　Some　one　was
coming　in　through　that　back　door　just　ahead　of　her；　or；　at　least；
she　heard　voices　out　there。

She　was　just　at　the　end　of　the　hall　now。　　There　was　no　time　to　go
back　and　risk　the　front　entrance。　　She　darted　across　the　hall　to
the　opposite　side　from　that　of　the　Pug's　room；　because　on　that　side
the　opening　of　the　door　would　not　necessarily　expose　her；　and
crouched　down　in　the　corner。　　It　was　black　here；　perhaps　black
enough　to　escape　observation。　　She　listened；　her　heart　beating
wildly。　　The　voices　outside　continued。　　Why　were　they　lingering
there？　　Why　didn't　they　do　one　thing　or　the　other　…　either　go　away；
or　come　in？　　There　wasn't　any　too　much　time！　　The　Pug　might　be
back　at　any　minute　now。　　Perhaps　one　of　those　people　out　there　was
the　Pug！　　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　after　all　to　run　back　and　go
out　by　the　front　door；　risky　as　that　would　be。　　No；　her　escape　in
that　direction　now　was　cut　off；　too！

She　shrank　as　far　back　into　the　corner　as　she　could。　　The　door　of
the　end　room　on　this　side　of　the　hall　had　opened；　and　now　a　man
stepped　out　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　　Would　he　see　her？　　She
held　her　breath。　　No！　　It　…　it　was　all　right。　　He　was　walking　away
from　her　toward　the　front　of　the　hall。　　And　now　for　a　moment　it
seemed　as　though　she　had　lost　her　senses；　as　though　her　brain　were
playing　some　mad；　wild　trick　upon　her。　　Wasn't　that　the　Pug's　door
before　which　the　man　had　stopped？　　Yes；　yes！　　And　he　seemed　to　have
a　key　to　it；　for　he　did　not　knock；　and　the　door　was　opening；　and
now　for　an　instant；　just　an　instant；　the　light　fell　upon　the　man
as　he　stepped　with　a　quick；　lightning…like　movement　inside；　and　she
saw　his　face。　　It　was　the　Adventurer。

She　stifled　a　little　cry。　　Her　brain　was　in　turmoil。　　And　now　the
back　door　was　opening。　　They　…　they　might　see　her　here！　　And　…　yes
…　it　was　safer　…　safer　to　act　on　the　sudden　inspiration　that　had
come　to　her。　　The　door　of　the　room　from　which　the　Adventurer　had
emerged　was　almost　within　reach；　and　he　had　not　locked　it　as　he　had
gone　out　…　she　had　subconsciously　noted　that　fact。　　And　she
understood　why　he　had　not　now　…　that　he　had　safeguarded　himself
against　the　loss　of　even　the　second　or　two　it　would　have　taken
him　to　unlock　it　when　he　ran　back　for　cover　again　from　the　Pug's
room。　　Yes…that　room！　　It　was　the　safest　thing　she　could　do。　　She
could　even　get　out　that　way；　for　it　must　be　the　room　with　the　low
window；　which　she　remembered　gave　on　the　back　yard；　and　…　　She
darted　silently　forward；　and；　as　the　back　door　opened；　slipped　into
the　room　the　Adventurer　had　just　vacated。

It　was　pitch　black。　　She　must　not　make　a　sound；　but；　equally；　she
must　not　lose　a　second。　　What　was　taking　place　in　the　Pug's　room
between　Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Adventurer　she　did　not　know。　　But　the
Adventurer　was　obviously　on　one　of　his　marauding　expeditions；　and
he　might　stay　there　no　more　than　a　minute　or　two　once　he　found　out
that　he　had　been　forestalled。　　She　must　hurry　…　hurry！

She　felt　her　way　forward　in　what　she　believed　to　be　the　direction
of　the　window。　　She　ran　against　the　bed。　　But　this　afforded　her
something　by　which　to　guide　herself。　　She　kept　her　touch　upon　it；
her　hand　trailing　along　its　edge。　　And　then；　halfway　down　its
length；　what　seemed　to　be　a　piece　of　string　caught　in　her　extended；
groping　fingers。　　It　seemed　to　cling；　but　also　to　yield　most
curiously；　as　she　tried　to　shake　it　off；　and　then　something；
evidently　from　under　the　mattress；　came　away　with　a　little　jerk；
and　remained；　suspended；　in　her　hand。

It　didn't　matter；　did　it？　　Nothing　mattered　except　to　reach　the
window。　　Yes；　here　it　was　now！　　And　the　roller　shade　was　drawn　down；
that　was　why　the　room　was　so　dark。　　She　raised　the　shade　quickly
…　and　suddenly　stood　there　as　though　transfixed；　her　face　paling；
as　in　the　faint　light　by　the　window　she　gazed；　fascinated；　at　the
object　that　still　dangled　by　a　cord　from　her　hand。

And　it　seemed　as　if　an　inner　darkness　were　suddenly　riven　as　by　a
bolt　of　lightning　…　a　hundred　things；　once　obscure　and
incomprehensible；　were　clear　now；　terribly　clear。　　She　understood
now　how　the　Adventurer　was　privy　to　all　the　inner　workings　of　the
organization；　she　understood　now　how　it　was；　and　why；　the　Adventurer
had　a　room　so　close　to　that　other　room　across　the　hall。　　That
dangling　thing　on　an　elastic　cord　was　a　smeared　and　dirty　celluloid
eye…patch　that　had　once　been　flesh…colored！　　The　Adventurer　and　the
Pug　were　one！
　

Her　wits！　　Quick！　　He　must　not　know！　　In　a　frenzy　of　haste　she　ran
for　the　bed；　and　slipped　the　eye…patch　in　under　the　mattress　again；
and　then；　still　with　frenzied　speed；　she　climbed　to　the　window　sill；
drew　the　roller　shade　down　again　behind　her；　and　dropped　to　the
ground。

Through　the　back　yard　and　lane　she　gained　the　street；　and　sped　on
along　the　street　…　but　her　thoughts　outpaced　her　hurrying　footsteps。
How　minutely　every　detail　of　the　night　now　seemed　to　explain　itself
and　dovetail　with　every　other　one！　　At　the　time；　when　Shluker　had
been　present；　it　had　struck　her　as　a　little　forced　and　unnecessary
that　the　Pug　should　have　volunteered　to　seek　out　Danglar　with
explanations　after　the　money　had　been　secured。　　But　she　understood
now　the　craft　and　guile　that　lay　behind　his　apparently　innocent　plan。
The　Adventurer　needed　both　time　and　an　alibi；　and　also　he　required
an　excuse　for　making　Pinkie　Bonn　the　custodian　of　the　stolen　money；
and　of　getting　Pinkie　alone　with　that　money　in　the　Pug's　room。
Going　to　Danglar　supplied　all　this。　　He　had　hurried　back；　changed
in　that　room　from　the　Pug　to　the　Adventurer；　and　proposed　in　the
latter　character　to　relieve　Pinkie　of　the　money；　to　return　then
across　the　hall；　become　the　Pug　again；　and　then　go　back；　as　though
he　had　just　come　from　Danglar；　to　find　his　friend　and　ally；　Pinkie
Bonn；　robbed　by　their　mutual　arch…enemy　…　the　Adventurer！

The　Pug…the　Adventurer！　　She　did　not　quite　seem　to　grasp　its
significance　as　applied　to　her　in　a　personal　way。　　It　seemed　to
branch　out　into　endless　ramifications。　　She　could　not　somehow　think
logically；　coolly　enough　now；　to　decide　what　this　meant　in　a
concrete　way　to　her；　and　her　to…morrow；　and　the　days　after　the
to…morrow。

She　hurried　on。　　To…night；　as　she　would　lay　awake　through　the　hours
that　were　to　come；　for　sleep　was　a　thing　denied；　perhaps　a　clearer
vision　would　be　given　her。　　For　the　moment　there　…　there　was
something　else　…　wasn't　there？　　The　money　that　belonged　to　the　old
couple。

She　hurried　on。　　She　came　again　to　the　street　where　the　old　couple
lived。　　It　was　a　dirty　street；　and　from　the　curb　she　stooped　and
picked　up　a　dirty　piece　of　old　newspaper。　　She　wrapped　the　banknotes
in　the　paper。

There　were　not　many　people　on　the　street　as　she　neared　the　mean
little　frame　house；　but　she　loitered　until　for　the　moment　the
immediate　vicinity　was　deserted；　then　she　slipped　into　the　alleyway；
and　stole　close　to　the　side　window；　through　which；　she　had　noted
from　the　street；　there　shone　a　light。　　Yes；　they　were　there；　the
two　of　them　…　she　could　see　them　quite　distinctly　even　through
the　shutters。

She　went　back　to　the　front　door　then；　and　knocked。　　And　presently
the　old　woman　came　and　opened　the　door。

〃This　is　yours；〃　Rhoda　said；　and　thrust　the　package　into　the　woman's
hand。　　And　as　the　woman　looked　from　her　to　the　package
uncomprehendingly；　Rhoda　Gray　flung　a　quick　〃good…night〃　over　her
shoulder；　and　ran　down　the　steps　again。

But　a　few　moments　later　she　stole　back；　and　stood　for　an　instant
once　more　by　the　shuttered　window　in　the　alleyway。　　And　suddenly
her　eyes　grew　dim。　　She　saw　an　old　man；　white　and　haggard；　with
bandaged　head；　sitting　in　a　chair；　the　tears　streaming　down
his　face；　and　on　the　floor；　her　face　hidden　on　the　other's　knees；
a　woman　knelt　…　and　the　man's　hand　stroked　and　stroked　the　thin
gray　hair　on　the　woman'　s　head。

And　Rhoda　Gray　turned　away。　　And　out　in　the　street　her　face　was
lifted　and　she　looked　upward；　and　there　were　myriad　stars。　　And
there　seemed　a　beauty　in　them　that　she　had　never　seen　before；　and
a　great；　comforting　serenity。　　And　they　seemed　to　promise　something
…　that　through　the　window　of　that　stark　and　evil　garret　to　which
she　was　going　now；　they　would　keep　her　dreaded　vigil　with　her　until
morning　came　again。


XIV。　　THE　LAME　MAN

Another　night　…　another　day！　　And　the　night　again　had　been　without
rest；　lest　Danglar's　dreaded　footstep　come　upon　her　unawares；　and
the　day　again　had　been　one　of　restless；　abortive　activity；　now
prowling　the　streets　as　Gypsy　Nan；　now　returning　to　the　garret　to
fling　herself　upon　the　cot　in　the　hope　that　in　daylight；　when
she　might　risk　it；　sleep　would　come；　but　it　had　been　without　avail；
for；　in　spite　of　physical　weariness；　it　seemed　to　Rhoda　Gray　as
though　her　tortured　mind　would　never　let　her　sleep　again。　　Danglar's
wife！　　That　was　the　horror　that　was　in　her　brain；　yes；　and　in　her
soul；　and　that　would　not　leave　her。

And　now　night　was　coming　upon　her　once　more。　　It　had　even　begun　to
grow　dark　here　on　the　lower　stairway　that　led