the white moll-第39章
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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 up to that wretched；
haunted garret above where in the shadows stark terror lurked。
Strange！ Most strange！ She feared the night … and yet she welcomed
it。 In a little while； when it grew a little darker； she would
steal out again and take up her work once more。 It was only during
the night； under the veil of darkness； that she could hope to make
any progress in reaching to the heart and core of this criminal
clique which surrounded her； whose members accepted her as Gypsy
Nan； and； therefore； as one of themselves； and who would accord to
her； if they but even suspected her to be the White Mall； less mercy
than would be shown to a mad dog。
She climbed the stairs。 Fear was upon her now； because fear was
always there； and with it was abhorrence and loathing at the
frightful existence fate had thrust upon her； but； somehow； to…night
she was not so depressed； not so hopeless； as she had been the night
before。 There had been a little success； she had come a little
farther along the way； she knew a little more than she had known
before of the inner workings of the gang who were at the bottom of
the crime of which she herself was accused。 She knew now the
Adventurer's secret； that the Pug and the Adventurer were one； and
she knew where the Adventurer lived； now in one character； now in
the other； in those two rooms almost opposite each other across
that tenement hall。
And so it seemed that she had the right to hope； even though there
were still so many things she did not know； that if she allowed her
mind to dwell upon that phase of it； it staggered her … where those
code messages came from； and how； why Rough Rorke of headquarters
had never made a sign since that first night； why the original
Gypsy Nan； who was dead now； had been forced into hiding with the
death penalty of the law hanging over her； why Danglar； though Gypsy
Nan's husband； was comparatively free。 These； and a myriad other
things！ But she counted now upon her knowledge of the Adventurer's
