the white moll-第33章
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〃You； eh； Nan！〃 he grunted。 〃So you've come to see old Jake Shluker；
have you？ 'Tain't often you come！ And what's brought you； eh？〃
〃I can read； can't I？〃 Rhoda Gray glanced furtively around her；
then leaned toward the other。 〃Say； wot's de lay？ I been scared
stiff all day。 Is dat straight wot de papers said about
youse…know…who gettin' pinched？〃
A scowl settled over Shluker's features as he nodded。
〃Yes； it's straight enough；〃 he answered。 〃Damn 'em； one and all！
But they let him out again。〃
〃Dat's de stuff！〃 applauded Rhoda Gray earnestly。 〃Where is he； den？〃
Shluker shook his head。
〃He didn't say；〃 said Shluker。
〃He didn't say？〃 echoed Rhoda Gray； a little tartly。 〃Wot d'youse
mean； he didn't say？ Have youse seen him？〃
Shluker jerked his hand toward the telephone instrument on the desk。
〃He was talkin' to me a little while ago。〃
〃Well； den〃 … Rhoda Gray risked a more peremptory tone … 〃where is he？〃
Shluker shook his head again。
〃I dunno；〃 he said。 〃I'm tellin' you； he didn't say。〃
Rhoda Gray studied the wizened and repulsive old creature； that；
huddled in his chair in the dirty； boxed…in little office； made her
think of some crafty old spider lurking in its web for unwary prey。
Was the man lying to her？ Was he in any degree suspicious？ Why
should he be？ He had given not the slightest sign that her uncouth
language was either unexpected or unnecessary。 Perhaps to Shluker；
and perhaps to all the rest of the gang … except Danglar！ … Gypsy
Nan was accepted at face value as just Gypsy Nan； and； if that were
so； the idea of playing up a natural wifely anxiety on Danglar's
behalf could not be used unless Shluker gave her a lead in that
direction。 But； all that apart； she was getting nowhere。 She bit
her lips in disappointment。 She had counted a great deal on this
Shluker here； and Shluker was not proving the fount of information；
far from it； that she had hoped he would。
She tried again…even more peremptorily than before。
〃Aw； open up！〃 she snapped。 〃Wot's de use bein' a clam！ Youse
heard me； didn't youse？ Where is he？〃
Shluker leaned abruptly forward； and looked at her in a suddenly
perturbed way。
〃is there anything wrong？〃 he asked in a tense； lowered voice。
〃What makes you so anxious to know？〃
Rhoda Gray laughed shortly。
〃Nothin'！〃 she answered coolly。 〃I told youse once； didn't I？ I
got a scare readin' dem papers … an' I ain't over it yet。 Dat's
wot I want to know for； an' youse seem afraid to open up！〃
Shluker sank back again in his chair with an air of relief。
〃Oh！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Well； that's all right； then。 You were
beginning to give me a scare； too。 I ain't playin' the clam； and
I dunno where he is； but I can tell you there's nothing to worry
you any more about the rest of it。 He was after the White Moll last
night； and it didn't come off。 They pulled one on him instead； and
fastened him to the fire escape the way the papers said。 Skeeny
and the Cricket； who were in on the play with him； didn't have time
to get him loose before the bulls got there。 So Danglar told them
to beat it； and he handed the cops the story that was in the papers。
He got away with it； all right； and they let go him to…day； but he
phoned a little while ago that they were still stickin' around kind
of close to him； and that I was to pass the word that the lid was to
go down tight for the next few days； and …〃
Shluker stopped abruptly as the telephone rang； and reached for the
instrument。
Rhoda Gray fumbled unnecessarily with her shawl； as the other
answered the call。 Failure！ A curious bitterness came to her。 Her
plan then； for to…night it least； was a failure。 Shluker did not
know where Danglar was。 She was quite convinced of that。 Shluker
was … She glanced suddenly at the wizened little old man。 From an
ordinary tone； Shluker' s voice had risen sharply in protest about
something。 She listened now：
No； no； it does not matter what it is！
What？。。。No！ I tell you； no！ Nothing！ Not to…night！ Those are
the orders。。。。No； I don't know！ Nan is here now。。。。Eh？。。。。You'll
pay for it if you do！〃 Shluker was snarling threateningly now。
〃What？。。。。Well； then； wait！ I'll come over。。。。No； you can bet I
won't be long！ You wait！ Understand？〃
He banged the receiver on the hook； and got up from his chair
hurriedly。
〃Fools！〃 he muttered savagely。 〃No； I won't be long gettin' there！〃
He grabbed Rhoda Gray's arm。 〃Yes； and you come； too！ You will
help me put a little sense into their heads； if it is possible … eh？
The fools！〃
The man was violently excited。 He half pulled Rhoda Gray down the
length of the shop to the front door。 Puzzled； bewildered； a little
uneasy； she watched him lock the door； and then followed him across
the courtyard； while he continued to mutter constantly to himself。
〃Wot's de matter？〃 she asked him twice。
But it was not until they had reached the street； and Shluker was
hurrying along as fast as he could walk； that he answered her。
〃It's the Pug and Pinkie Bonn！〃 he jerked out angrily。 〃They're
in the Pug's room。 Pinkie went back there after telephonin'。
They've nosed out something they want to put through。 The fools！
And after last night nearly havin' finished everything！ I told 'em
… you heard me … that everybody's to keep under cover now。 But
they think they've got a soft thing； and they say they're goin' to
it。 I've got to put a crimp in it； and you've got to help me。
Y'understand； Nan？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said mechanically。
Her mind was working swiftly。 The night； after all； perhaps； was
not to be so much of a failure！ To get into intimate touch with
all the members of the clique was equally one of her objects； and；
failing Danglar himself to…night； here was an 〃open sesame〃 to the
re…treat of two of the others。 She would never have a better chance；
or one in which risk and danger； under the chaperonage； as it were；
of Shluker here； were； if not entirely eliminated； at least reduced
to an apparently negligible minimum。 Yes； she would go。 To refuse
was to turn her back on her own proposed line of action； and on the
decision which she had made herself。
XII。 CROOKS Vs。 CROOKS
It was not far。 Shluker； hastening along； still muttering to
himself； turned into a cross street some two blocks away； and from
there again into a lane； and； a moment later； led the way through
a small door in the fence that hung； battered and half open； on
sagging and broken hinges。 Rhoda Gray's eyes traveled sharply
around her in all directions。 It was still light enough to see
fairly well； and she might at some future time find the bearings
she took now to be of inestimable worth。 Not that there was much
to remark！ They crossed a diminutive and disgustingly dirty
backyard； whose sole reason for existence seemed to be that of a
receptacle for old tin cans； and were confronted by the rear of
what appeared to be a four…story tenement。 There was a back door
here； and； on the right of the door； fronting the yard； a single
window that was some four or five feet from the level of the ground。
Shluker； without hesitation； opened the back door； shut it behind
them； led the way along a black； unlighted hall； and halting before
a door well toward the front of the building； knocked softly upon
it … giving two raps； a single rap； and then two more in quick
succession。 There was no answer。 He knocked again in precisely
the same manner； and then a footstep sounded from within； and the
door was flung open。 〃Fools！〃 growled Shluker in greeting； as they
stepped inside and the door was closed again。 〃A pair of brainless
fools！〃
There were two men there。 They paid Shluker scant attention。 They
both grinned at Rhoda Gray through the murky light supplied by a
wheezy and wholly inadequate gas…jet。
〃Hello； Nan！〃 gibed the smaller of the two。 〃Who let you out？〃
〃Aw； forget it！〃 croaked Rhoda Gray。
Shluker took up the cudgels。
〃You close your face； Pinkie！〃 he snapped。 〃Get down to cases！ Do
you think I got nothing else to do but chase you two around like a
couple of puppy dogs that haven't got sense enough to take
