the white moll-第13章
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crazy。 It's certain now that the White Moll's the one that's been
doing us； and what I really came down here for to…night was to tell
you that your job from now on was to get the White Moll。 You helped
her last night。 She doesn't know you are anybody but Gypsy Nan； and
so you're the one person in New York she'll dare try to communicate
with sooner or later。 Understand？ That's what I came for； not to
talk like a fool … but that fellow I found here started me off。
Who is he？ What did he want？〃
〃He wanted the White Moll； too；〃 said Rhoda Gray； with a short laugh。
〃Oh； he did； eh！〃 Danglar's lips twisted into a sudden； merciless
smile。 〃Well； go on！ Who is he？〃
〃I don't know who he is；〃 Rhoda Gray answered a little impatiently。
〃He said he was an adventurer … if you can make anything out of that。
He said he got the White Moll away from Rough Rorke last night； after
Rorke had arrested her； and then he doped the rest out the same as
you have … that he could find the White Moll again through Gypsy Nan。
I don't know what he wanted her for。〃
〃That's better！〃 snarled Danglar； the merciless smile still on his
lips。 〃I thought she must have had a pal； and we know now who her
pal is。 It's open and shut that she's sitting so tight she hasn't
been able to get into touch with him； and that's what's worrying
Mr。 Adventurer。〃
Rhoda Gray； save for a nod of her head； made no answer。
Danglar laughed suddenly； as though in relief； then； coming closer
to the bed； plunged his hand into his coat pocket； and tossed
handful of jewelry carelessly into Rhoda Gray's lap。
〃I feel better than I did！〃 he said； and laughed again。 〃It's a
cinch now that we'll get them both through you； and it s a cinch
that the White Moll won't cut in to…night。 Put those sparklers
away with the rest until we get ready to 'fence' them。〃
Rhoda Gray did not speak。 Mechanically； as though she were living
through some hideous nightmare； she began to scoop up the gems from
her lap and allow them to trickle back through her fingers。 They
flashed and scintillated brilliantly； even in the meager light。
They seemed alive with some premonitory； baleful fire。
〃Yes； there's some pretty slick stuff there；〃 said Danglar； with
an appraising chuckle； 〃but there'll be something to…night that'll
make all that bunch look like chicken…feed。 The boys are at work
now； and we'll have old Hayden…Bond's necklace in another hour。
Skeeny's got the Sparrow tied up in the old room behind Shluker's
place； and once we're sure there's no back…fire anywhere； the
Sparrow will chirp his last chirp。〃 He laughed out suddenly； and；
leaning forward； clapped Rhoda Gray exultantly on the shoulder。 〃It
was like taking candy from a kid！ The Sparrow and the old man fell
for the sick…mother…needing…her…son…all…night stuff without batting
a lid； but the Sparrow hasn't been holding the old lady's hand at
the bedside yet。 We took care of that。〃
Again Rhoda Gray made no comment。 She wondered； as she gripped at
the rings and brooches in hand； so fiercely that the settings
pricked into the flesh； if her face mirrored in any way the cold；
sick misery that had suddenly taken possession of her soul。 The
Sparrow！ She knew the Sparrow； she knew the Sparrow's sick mother。
That part of it was true。 The Sparrow did have an old mother who
was sick。 A fine old lady … finer than the son … Finch； her name
was。 Indirectly； she knew old Hayden…Bond； the millionaire； and
… Almost subconsciously she was aware that Danglar was speaking
again。
〃I guess luck's breaking our way again；〃 he grinned。 〃The old boy
paid a hundred thousand cold for that necklace。 You know how long
we've been waiting to get our hooks on it； and we've never had our
eyes off his house for two months。 Well； it pays to wait； and it
pays to do things right。 It broke our way at last to…night； all
right； all right！ To…day's Saturday … and the safety deposit vaults
aren't open on Sunday。 Mrs。 Hayden…Bond's been away all week
visiting； but she comes back to…morrow； and there's some swell
society fuss fixed for to…morrow night； and she wants her necklace
to make a splurge； so she writes Mr。 H…hyphen…B； and out it comes
from the safety deposit vault； and into the library safe。 The old
man isn't long on social stunts； and he's got pretty well set in
his habits； one of those must…have…nine…hours'…sleep bugs； and he's
always in bed by ten … when his wife'll let him。 She being away
to…night； the boys were able to get to work early。 They ought to
be able to crack that box without making any noise about it in an
hour and a half at the outside。〃 He pulled out his watch…and
whistled low under his breath。 〃It's a quarter after eleven now；〃
he said hurriedly； and moved abruptly toward the door。 〃I can't
stick around here any longer。 I've got to be on deck where they
can slip me the 'white ones；' and then there's Skeeny waiting for
the word to bump off the Sparrow。〃 He jerked his hand suddenly
toward the jewels in her lap。 〃Salt those away before any
more adventurers blow in！〃 he said； half sharply； half jocularly。
〃And don't let the White Moll slip you … at any cost。 Remember！
She's bound to come to you again。 Play her … and send out the
call。 You understand； don't you？ There's never been a yip out
of the police。 Our methods are too good for that。 Look at the
Sparrow to…night。 Where there's no chance taken of suspicion
going anywhere except where we lead it； there's no chance of any
trouble … for us！ But this cursed she…fiend's another story。
We're not planting plum trees for her to pick any more of the fruit。
Understand？〃
She answered him mechanically。
〃Yes；〃 she said。
〃All right； then； that end of it is up to you；〃 he said significantly。
〃You're clever； clever as the devil； Bertha。 Use your brains now
… we need 'em。 Good…night； old girl。 See you later。〃
〃Good…night；〃 said Rhoda Gray dully。
The door closed。 The short； ladder…like steps to the hallway below
creaked once； and then all was still。 Danglar did have on
rubber…soled shoes。 She sat upright； her hands； clenched now；
pressed hard against her throbbing temples。 It wasn't true！ None
of this was true … this hovel of a place； those jewels glinting
like evil eyes in her lap； her existence itself wasn't true； it was
only her brain now； sick like her soul； that conjured up these ugly
phantoms with horrible； plausible ingenuity。 And then an inner
voice seemed to answer her with a calmness that was hideous in its
finality。 It was true。 All of it was true。 Those words of Danglar；
and their bald meaning； were true。 Men did such things； men made in
the image of their Maker did such things。 They were going to kill
a man to…night … an innocent man whom they had made their pawn。
She swept the jewels from her lap to the blanket； and rising； seized
the candle； went to the door； looked out； and； holding the candle
high above her head； peered down the stairs。 Yes； he was gone。
There was no one there。
She locked the door again； returned to the bed； set the candle down
upon the chair； and stood there； her face white and drawn； staring
with wide； tormented eyes about her。 Murder。 Danglar had spoken
of it with inhuman callousness … and had laughed at it。 They were
going to take a man's life。 And there was only herself； already
driven to extremity； already with her own back against the wall in
an effort to save herself； only herself to carry the burden of the
responsibility of doing something…to save a man's life。
It seemed to plumb the depths of irony and mockery。 She could not
make a move as Gypsy Nan。 It would only result in their turning
upon her； of the discovery that she was not Gypsy Nan at all； of
the almost certainty that it would cost her her own life without
saving the Sparrow's。 That way was closed to her from the start。
As the White Moll； then？ Outside there in the great city； every
plain…clothes man； every policeman on every beat； was staring into
every woman's face he met … searching for the White Moll。
She wrung her hands in cruel desperation。 Even to her own problem
she had found no solution； though she had wr
