the white moll-第42章
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to…night？〃 He rose from his seat to come toward her。 〃And how's
the cold？〃
Rhoda Gray scowled at him。
〃Worse！〃 she said curtly…and hoarsely。 〃And a lot you care！ I
could have died in that hole； for all you knew！ She pushed him
irritably away； as he came near her。 〃Yes； that's what I said！
And you needn't start any cooing game now！ Get down to cases！〃
She jerked her hand toward the twisted figure that had slouched
into a chair beside the table。 〃He says you've got it doped out
to pull something that will let me out of this Gypsy Nan stunt。
Another bubble； I suppose！〃 She shrugged her shoulders； glanced
around her； and； locating a chair … not too near the table … seated
herself indifferently。 〃I'm getting sick of bubbles！〃 she announced
insolently。 〃What's this one？〃
He stood there for a moment biting at his lips； hesitant between
anger and tolerant amusement； and then； the latter evidently gaining
the ascendency； he too shrugged his shoulders； and with a laugh
returned to his chair。
〃You're a rare one； Bertha！〃 he said coolly。 〃I thought you'd be
wild with delight。 I guess you're sick； all right … because usually
you're pretty sensible。 I've tried to tell you that it wasn't my
fault I couldn't go near you； and that I had to keep away from …〃
〃What's the use of going over all that again？〃 she interrupted
tartly。 〃I guess I …〃
〃Oh； all right！〃 said Danglar hurriedly。 〃Don't start a row！ After
to…night I've an idea you'll be sweet enough to your husband； and
I'm willing to wait。 Matty maybe hasn't told you the whole of it。〃
Matty！ So that was the deformed creature's name。 She glanced at
him。 He was grinning broadly。 A family squabble seemed to afford
him amusement。 Her eyes shifted and made a circuit of the room。 It
was poverty…stricken in appearance； bare…floored； with the scantiest
and cheapest of furnishings； its one window tightly shuttered。
〃Maybe not；〃 she said carelessly。
〃Well； then； listen； Bertha！〃 Danglar's voice was lowered earnestly。
〃We've uncovered the Nabob's stuff！ Do you get me？ Every last one
of the sparklers！〃
Rhoda Gray's eyes went back to the deformed creature at Danglar's
side； as the man laughed out abruptly。
〃Yes；〃 grinned Matty Danglar； 〃and they weren't in the empty
money…belt that you beat it with like a scared cat after croaking
Deemer！〃
How queer and dim the light seemed to go suddenly … or was it a blur
before her own eyes？ She said nothing。 Her mind seemed to be
groping its way out of darkness toward some faint gleam of light
showing in the far distance。 She heard Danglar order his brother
savagely to hold his tongue。 That was curious； too； because she
was grateful for the man's gibe。 Gypsy Nan； in her proper person；
had murdered a man named Deemer in an effort to secure … Danglar's
voice came again：
〃Well； to…night we'll get that stuff； all of it … it's worth a cool
half million； and to…night we'll get Mr。 House…Detective Cloran for
keeps … bump him off。 That cleans everything up。 How does that
strike you； Bertha？〃
Rhoda Gray's hands under her shawl locked tightly together。 Her
premonition had not betrayed her。 She was face to face to…night with
the beginning of the end。
〃It sounds fine！〃 she said derisively。
Danglar's eyes narrowed for an instant； and then he laughed。
〃You're a rare one； Bertha！〃 he ejaculated again。 〃You don't seem
to put much stock in your husband lately。〃
〃Why should I？〃 she inquired imperturbably。 〃Things have been
breaking fine； haven't they？ … only not for us！〃 She cleared her
throat as though it were an effort to talk。 〃I'm not going crazy
with joy till I've been shown。〃
Danglar leaned suddenly over the table。
〃Well； come and look at the cards； then；〃 he said impressively。
〃Pull your chair up to the table； and I'll tell you。〃
Rhoda Gray tilted her chair； instead； nonchalantly back against the
wall … it was quite light enough where she was！
〃I can hear you from here；〃 she said coolly。 〃I'm not deaf； and I
guess Matty's suite is safe enough so that you won't have to whisper
all the time！〃
The deformed creature at the table chortled again。
Danglar scowled。
〃Damn you； Bertha！〃 he flung out savagely。 〃I could wring that neck
of yours sometimes； and …〃
〃I know you could； Pierre；〃 she interposed sweetly。 〃That's what I
like about you … you're so considerate of me！ But suppose you get
down to cases。 What's the story about those sparklers？ And what's
the game that's going to let me shed this Gypsy Nan stuff for keeps？〃
〃I'll tell her； Pierre；〃 grinned the deformed one。 〃It'll keep you
two from spitting at one another； and neither of you have got all
night to stick around here。〃 He swung his withered hand suddenly
across the table； and as suddenly all facetiousness was gone both
from his voice and manner。 〃Say； you listen hard； Bertha！ What
Pierre's telling you is straight。 You and him can kiss and make
up to…morrow or the next day； or whenever you damned please； but
to…night there ain't any more time for scrapping。 Now； listen！
I handed you a rap about beating it with the empty money…belt
the night you croaked Deemer with an overdose of knockout drops
in the private dining…room up at the Hotel Marwitz； but you forget
that！ I ain't for starting any argument about that。 None of us
blames you。 We thought the stuff was in the belt； too。 And none
of us blames you for making a mistake and going too strong with the
drops； either； anybody might do that。 And I'll say now that I take
my hat off to you for the way you locked Cloran into the room with
the dead man； and made your escape when Cloran had you dead to
rights for the murder； and I'll say； too； that the way you've played
Gypsy Nan and saved your skin； and ours too； is as slick a piece of
work as has ever been pulled in the underworld。 That puts us
straight； you and me； don't it； Bertha？〃
Rhoda Gray blinked at the man through her spectacles； her brain was
whirling in a mad turmoil。 〃I always liked you； Matty；〃 she
whispered softly。
Danglar was lolling back in his chair； blowing smoke rings into the
air。 She caught his eyes fixed quizzically upon her。
〃Go on； Matty！〃 he prompted。 〃You'll have her in a good humor； if
you're not careful！〃
〃We were playing more or less blind after that。〃 The withered hand
traced an aimless pattern on the table with its crooked and
half…closed fingers； and the man's face was puckered into a shrewd；
reminiscent scowl。 〃The papers couldn't get a lead on the motive
for the murder； and the police weren't talking for publication。 Not
a word about the Rajah's jewels。 Washington saw to that！ A young
potentate's son； practically the guest of the country； touring about
in a special for the sake of his education； and dashed near 'ending
it in the river out West if it hadn't been for the rescue you know
about； wouldn't look well in print； so there wasn't anything said
about the slather of gems that was the reward of heroism from a
grateful nabob； and we didn't get any help that way。 All we knew
was that Deemer came East with the jewels； presumably to cash in on
them； and it looked as though Deemer 〃were pretty clever； that he
wore the money…belt for a stall； and that he had the sparklers
safe somewhere else all the time。 And I guess we all got to
figuring it that way； because the fact that nothing was said about
any theft was strictly along the lines the police were working
anyway； and a was a toss…up that they hadn't found the stuff among
his effects。 Get me？〃
Get him！ This wasn't real； was it； this room here； those two
figures sitting there under that shaded lamp？ Something cold； an
icy grip； seemed to seize at her heart； as in a surge there swept
upon her the full appreciation of her peril through these confidences
to which she was listening。 A word； in act； some slightest thing；
might so easily betray her； and then … Her fingers under the shawl
and inside the wide pocket of her greasy skirt； clutched at her
revolver。 Thank God for that！ It would at least be merciful！ She
nodded her head mechanically。
〃But the police didn't find the jewels … becau
