the white moll-第45章
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the protecting shadows of the doorway。 The light had gone out。
A moment more passed。 The street door of the house opposite to her
… a door separate from that of the secondhand store…opened； and a
bent； gray…bearded man； stepped out； peered around； locked the door
behind him； and scuffled down the street。
Rhoda Gray scanned the dingy and ill…lighted little street。 It was
virtually deserted。 She crossed the road； and stepped into the
doorway from which the old 〃fence〃 had just emerged。 It was dark
here； well out of the direct radius of the nearest street lamp；
and； with luck； there was no reason why she should be observed … if
she did not take too long in opening the door！ She had never
actually used a skeleton key in her life before； and。。。
She inserted one of her collection of keys in the lock。 It would
not work。 She tried another； and still another…with mounting
anxiety and perplexity。 Suppose that … yes！ The door was open now！
With a quick glance over her shoulder； scanning the street in both
directions to make sure that she was not observed； she stepped
inside； closed the door； and locked it again。
Her flashlight stabbed through the darkness。 Narrow stairs
immediately in front of her led upward； at her right was a
connecting door to the secondhand shop。 Without an instant's
hesitation she ran up the stairs。 There was no need to observe
caution since the place was temporarily untenanted； there was need
only of haste。 She opened the door at the head of the stairs； and；
with a quick； eager nod of satisfaction； as the flashlight swept
the interior； stepped over the threshold。 It was the room she
sought … old Luertz's bedroom。
And now the flashlight played inquisitively about her。 The bed
occupied a position by the window； across one corner of the room
was a cretonne hanging； that evidently did service as a wardrobe；
across another corner was a large and dilapidated washstand； there
were a few chairs； and a threadbare carpet； and； opposite the bed；
another door； closed； which obviously led into the front room。
Rhoda Gray stepped to this door； opened it； and peered in。 She
was not concerned that it was evidently used for kitchen；
dining…room and the stowage of everything that overflowed from the
bedroom； she was concerned only with the fact that it offered no
avenue through which any added risk or danger might reach her。 She
closed the door as she had found it； and gave her attention now to
the walls of old Luertz's bedroom。
She smiled a little whimsically。 The Crab had used a somewhat
dignified term when he had referred to 〃panels。〃 True； the； walls
were of stained wood； but the wood was of the cheapest variety of
matched boards； and the stain was of but a single coat； and a very
meager one at that！ The smile faded。 There were a good many knots；
and there were four corners to the room； and therefore eight boards；
each one of which would answer to the description of being the
〃sixth panel。〃
She went to the corner nearest her； and dropped down on her knees。
As well start with this one！ She had not dared press Danglar； or
Danglar's deformed brother； for more definite directions； had she？
She counted the boards quickly from the corner to her right； and
then； the flashlight playing steadily； she began to press first one
knot after another； in the board before her； working from the bottom
up。 There were many knots； she went over each one with infinite
care。 There was no result。
She turned then to the sixth board from the corner to her left。 The
result was the same。 She stood up； her brows puckered； a sense of
anxious impatience creeping upon her。 She had been quite a while
over even these two boards； and it might be any one of the remaining
six！
Her eyes traversed the room； following the ray of the flashlight。
If she only knew which one； it would … Was it an inspiration？ Her
eyes had fixed on the cretonne hanging across one of the far corners
from the door； and she moved toward it now quickly。 The hanging
might very well serve for an other purpose than that of merely a
wardrobe！ It seemed suddenly to be the most likely of the four
corners because it was ingeniously concealed。
She parted the hanging。 A heterogeneous collection of clothing
hung from pegs and nails。 Eagerly； hastily now； she brushed these
aside； and； close to the wall； dropped down on her knees again。 The
minutes passed。 Twice she went over the sixth board from the
corner to her right。 She felt so sure now that it was this corner。
And then； still eagerly； she turned to the corresponding board at
her left。
It was warm and close here。 The clothing hanging from the pegs
and nails enveloped her； and； with the cretonne hanging itself；
shut out the air； what little of it there was； that circulated
through the room。
Over the board； from the tiniest knot to the largest； her fingers
pressed carefully。 Had she missed one anywhere？ She must have
missed one！ She was sure the panel in question was here behind this
hanging。 Well； she would try again； and。。。
What was that？
In an instant the flashlight in her hand was out； and she was
listening tensely。 Yes； there was a footstep … two of them … not
only on the stairs； but already just outside the door。 It seemed
as though a deadly fear； cold and numbing； settled upon her and
robbed her of even the power of movement。 She was caught！ If it
was Pinkie Bonn and the Pug； and if this corner hid the secret
panel as she still believed it did； this was the first place to
which they would come； and they would find her here amongst the
clothing … which had evidently been the cause of deadening any
sound on those stairs out there until it was too late。
She held her breath； her hands tight upon her bosom。 There was
no time to reach the sanctuary of the other room … the footsteps
were already crossing the threshold from the head of the stairs。
And then a voice reached her … the Pug's。 It was the Pug and
Pinkie Bonn。
〃Strike a light； Pinkie！ Dere's no use messin' around wid a
flash。 De old geezer'11 be back on de hop de minute he finds out
he's been bunked； an' de quicker we work de better。〃
A match crackled into flame。 An air…choked gas jet； with a
protesting hiss； was lighted。 And then Rhoda Gray's drawn face
relaxed a little； and a strange； mirthless smile came hovering over
her lips。 What was she afraid of？ The Pug was the Adventurer；
wasn't he？ This was one of the occasions when he could not escape
the entanglements of the gang； and must work for the gang instead
of appropriating all the loot for his own personal and nefarious
ends； but he was the Adventurer。 The White Moll need not fear him；
even though he appeared； linked with Pinkie Bonn； in the role of
the Pug！ So there was only Pinkie Bonn to fear。
Rhoda Gray took her revolver from her pocket。 She was well armed
… and in more than a material sense。 The Adventurer did not know
that she was aware of the Pug's identity。 Her smile； still
mirthless； deepened。 She might even turn the tables upon them； and
still secure the stolen stones。 She had turned the tables upon
Pinkie Bonn last night； to…night； if she used her wits； she could
do it again！
And then； suddenly； she stifled an exclamation； as the Pug's voice
reached her again：
〃Wot are youse gapin' about？ Dere ain't anything else worth pinchin'
around here except wot's in de old gent's safety vault。 Get a move
on！ We ain't got all night！ It's de corner behind de washstand。
Give us a hand to move de furniture！〃
It wasn't here behind the cretonne hanging！ Rhoda Gray bit her lips
in a crestfallen little way。 Well； her supposition had been natural
enough； hadn't it？ And she would have tried every corner before she
was through if she had had the opportunity。
She moved now slightly； without a sound； parting the clothing away
from in front of her； and moving the cretonne hanging by the fraction
of an inch where it touched the side wall of the room。 And now she
could see the Pug； with his dirty and discolored celluloid eye…patch；
and his ingeniously contorted face； and she could see Pinkie Bonn's
pasty…white； drug…st
