the white moll-第17章
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evenly； to the two men： 〃I had no idea you were so hospitable！
Push your chairs closer together … with your feet； not your hands！
You are easier to watch if you are not too far apart。〃
Dangler complied sullenly。 Skeeny； over the scraping of his chair
legs； cursed in a sort of unnerved abandon； as he obeyed her。
〃Thank you！〃 said Rhoda Gray pleasantly … and calmly tucked the
necklace into her bodice。
The act seemed to rouse Danglar to the last pitch of fury。 The
blood rushed in an angry tide to his face； and； suffusing； purpled
his cheeks。
〃This isn't the first crack you've made！〃 he flung out hoarsely。
〃You've been getting wise to a whole lot lately somehow； you and
that dude pal of yours； but you'll pay for it； you female devil！
Understand？ By God； you'll pay for it！ I promise you that you'll
pray yet on your bended knees for the chance to take your own life！
Do you hear？〃
〃I hear；〃 said Rhoda Gray coldly。
She picked up the jack…knife from the table； and keeping both men
covered； stepped backward to the wall。 Here； kneeling； she reached
behind her with her left hand； and felt for； and cut the heavy cord
that bound the Sparrow's arms； then； pushing the knife into the
Sparrow's hands that he might free himself from the rest of his
bonds； she stood up again。
A moment more； and the Sparrow； rubbing the circulation back into
his wrists； stood beside her。 There was a look on the young； white
face that was not good to see。 He circled dry lips with the tip of
his tongue and then his thumb began to feel over the blade of the
big jack…knife in a sort of horribly supercritical appraisal of its
edge。 He spoke thickly for the gag that had been in his mouth。
〃You dirty skates！〃 he whispered。 〃You were going to bump me off；
were you？ You planted me cold； did you？ Oh； hell！〃 His laugh；
like the laugh of one insane； jangling； discordant； rang through
the room。 〃Well； it's my turn now； and〃 … his body was coiling
itself in a slow； curious； almost snake…like fashion … 〃and you'll …〃
Rhoda Gray laid her hand on the Sparrow's arm。
〃Not that way； Marty；〃 she said quietly。 She smiled thinly at
Danglar； who； with genuinely frightened eyes now； seemed fascinated
by the Sparrow's movements。 〃I wouldn't care to have anything
happen to Mr。 Danglar … yet。 He has been invaluable to me； and I
am sure he will be again。〃
The Sparrow brushed his hands across his eyes； and stared at her。
He licked his lips again。 He appeared to be obsessed with the
knife…blade in his hand … dazed in a strange way to all else。
〃There's enough cord there for both of them；〃 said Rhoda Gray
crisply。 〃Tie them in their chairs； Marty。〃
For a moment the Sparrow hesitated； and then； with a sort of queer
reluctancy； he dropped the knife on the table； and went and picked
up the strands of cord from the floor。
No one spoke。 The Sparrow； with twitching lips as he worked； and
worked not gently； bound first Danglar and then Skeeny to their
respective chairs。 Skeeny for the most part kept his eyes on the
floor； casting only furtive glances at Rhoda Gray's revolver muzzle。
But Danglar was smiling now。 He had very white teeth。 There was
something of primal； insensate fury in the hard…drawn； parted lips。
Somehow he seemed to remind Rhoda Gray of a beast； stung to madness；
but impotent behind the bars of its cage； as it showed its fangs。
〃We'll go now； Marty；〃 she said softly； as the Sparrow finished。
She motioned the Sparrow with an imperious little nod of her head
to the door。 And then； following the other； she backed to the door
herself； and halted an instant on the threshold。
〃It has been a very profitable evening； Mr。 Danglar；〃 she said
coolly。 〃I have you to thank for it。 When your friends come； which
I think I heard you say would be in another hour or so； I hope you
will not fail to convey to them my …〃
〃You she…fiend！〃 Danglar had found his voice again。 You'll crawl
for this！ Do you understand？ and I'll show you inside of
twenty…four hours what you're up against； you … you …〃 His voice
broke in its fury。 The veins were standing out on the side of his
neck like whipcords。 He could just move his forearms a little； and
his hands reached out toward her； curved like claws。 〃I'll …〃
But Rhoda Gray had closed the door behind her； and； with the Sparrow；
was retreating down the stairs。
VII。 FELLOW THIEVES
Reaching the courtyard； Rhoda Gray led the way without a word
through the driveway； and finding the street clear； hurried on
rapidly。 Her mind； strangely stimulated； was working in quick；
incisive flashes。 Her work was not yet done。 The Sparrow was safe；
as far as his life was concerned； but her possession of even the
necklace would not save the Sparrow from the law。 There was the
money that was gone from the safe。 She could not recover that； but
… yes； dimly； she began to see a way。 She swerved suddenly from
the sidewalk as she came to an alleyway … which had been her
objective … and drew the Sparrow in with her out of sight of the
street。
The Sparrow gripped at her hand。
〃The White Moll！〃 he whispered brokenly。 〃God bless the White
Moll！ I ain't had a chance to say it before。 You saved my life；
and I … I …〃
In the semi…darkness she leaned forward and laid her fingers gently
over the Sparrow's lips。
〃And there's no time to say it now； Marty；〃 she said quickly。 〃You
are not out of this yet。〃
He swept his hand across his eyes。
〃I know it；〃 he said。 〃I got to get those shiners back up there
somehow； and I got to get that paper they planted on me。〃
She shook her head。
〃Even that wouldn't clear you；〃 she said。 〃The safe has been looted
of money； as well； and you can't replace that。 Even with only the
money gone； who would they first naturally suspect？ You are known as
a safe…breaker； you have served a term for it。 You asked for a night
off to stay with your mother who is sick。 You left Mr。 Hayden…Bond's；
we'll say； at seven or eight o'clock。 It's after midnight now。 How
long would it take them to find out that between eight and midnight
you had not only never been near your mother； but could not prove an
alibi of any sort？ If you told the truth it would sound absurd。 No
one in their sober senses would believe you。〃
The Sparrow looked at her miserably。
〃My God！〃 he faltered。 He wet his lips。 〃That's true。〃
〃Marty；〃 she said quietly； 〃did you read in the papers that I had
been arrested last night for theft； caught with the goods on me；
but had escaped？〃
The Sparrow hesitated。
〃Yes； I did；〃 he said。 And then； earnestly： 〃But I don't believe
it！〃
〃It was true； though； Marty … all except that I wasn't a thief；〃
she said as quietly as before。 〃What I want to know is； in spite
of that； would you trust me with what is left to be done to…night；
if I tell you that I believe I can get you out of this？〃
〃Sure； I would！〃 he said simply。 〃I don't know how you got wise
about all this； or how you got to know about that necklace； but
any of our crowd would trust you to the limit。 Sure； I'd trust
you！ You bet your life！〃
〃Thank you； Marty；〃 she said。 〃Well； then； how do you get into Mr。
Hayden…Bond's house when； for instance； you are out late at night？〃
〃I've got a key to the garage；〃 he answered。 〃The garage is
attached to the house； though it opens on the side street。〃
She held Out her hand。
The Sparrow fished in his pocket； and extended the key without
hesitation。
〃It's for the small door； of course；〃 he explained。
〃You haven't got a flashlight； I suppose？〃 she smiled。
〃Sure！ There's plenty of 'em！ Each car's got one with its tools
under the back seat。〃
She nodded。
〃And now； the library；〃 she said。 〃What part of the house is it
in？ How is it situated？〃
〃It's on the ground floor at the back；〃 he told her。 〃The little
short passage from the garage opens on the kitchen； then the pantry；
and then there's a little cross hallway； and the dining…room is on
the left； and the library on the right。 But ain't I going with you？〃
She shook her head again。
〃You're going home； Marty … after you've sent me a taxicab。 If you
were seen
