the white moll-第51章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
come near her？ Were they playing at cat…and…mouse； watching her
before they struck； so that she would lead them to those jewels
under the flooring here that were worth a king's ransom？ They
certainly believed that the White Moll had them。 The Adventurer's
note； so ironically true； that he had intended as an alibi for
himself； and which he had exchanged for the package in old Luertz's
place； would have left no doubt in their minds but that the stones
were in her possession。 Was that it？ Were they … She held her
breath。 It seemed as though suddenly her limbs were refusing to
support her weight。 In the soft earth outside she had heard no
step； but she saw now a shadow fall athwart the half…open door…way。
There was no time to move； even had she been capable of action。 It
seemed as though even her soul had turned to stone； and； with the
White Moll's clothes in her hands； she stood there staring at the
doorway； and something that was greater than fear； because it
mingled horror； ugly and forbidding； fell upon her。 It was still
just light enough to see。 The shadow moved forward and came inside。
She wanted to scream； to rush madly in retreat to the farthest
corner of the shed； but she could not move。 It was Danglar who was
standing there。 He seemed to sway a little on his feet； and the dark；
sinister face seemed blotched； and he seemed to smile as though
possessed of some unholy and perverted sense of humor。
She was helpless； at his mercy； unarmed； saved for her wits。 Her wits！
Were wits any longer of avail？ She could believe nothing else now
except that he had been watching her … before he struck。
〃What are you doing here； and what are those clothes you've got in
your hands？〃 he rasped out。
She could only fence for time in the meager hope that some loophole
would present itself。 She forced an assumed defiance into her tones
and manner； that was in keeping with the sort of armed truce； which；
from her first meeting with Danglar； she had inaugurated as a barrier
between them。
〃You have asked me two questions；〃 she said tartly。 〃Which one do
you want me to answer first？〃
〃Look here；〃 he snapped； 〃you cut that out！ There's one or two
things need explaining … see？ What are those clothes？〃
Her wits！ Perhaps he did not know as much as she was afraid he did！
She seemed to have become abnormally contained； her mind abnormally
acute and active。 It was not likely that the woman； his wife； whom
he believed she was； had worn her own clothes in his presence since
the day； some two years ago； when she had adopted the disguise of
Gypsy Nan； and she； Rhoda Gray； remembered that on the night Gypsy
Nan； re…assuming her true personality； had gone to the hospital； the
woman's clothes； like these she held now； had been of dark material。
It was not likely that a man would be able to differentiate between
those clothes and the clothes of the White Moll； especially as the
latter hung folded in her hands now； and even though he had seen
them on her at the Silver Sphinx last night。
〃What clothes do you suppose they are but my own？ … though I haven't
had a chance to wear them much lately！〃 she countered crisply。
He scowled at her speculatively。
〃What are you doing with them out here in this hole； then？〃 he
demanded。
〃I had to wear them last night； hadn't I？〃 she retorted。 〃I'd have
looked well coming out of Gypsy Nan's garret dressed as myself if any
one had seen me！ She scowled at him in turn。 She was beginning to
believe that he had not even an inkling of her identity。 Her safest
play was to stake everything on that belief。 〃Say； what's the matter
with you？〃 she inquired disdainfully。 〃I came out here and changed
last night； and I changed into these rags I'm wearing now when I got
back again； and I left my own clothes here because I was expecting to
get word that I could put them on again soon for keeps … though I
might have known from past experience that something would queer the
fine promises you made at Matty's last night！ And the reason I'm out
here now is because I left some things in the pocket； amongst them〃
… she stared at him mockingly …〃 my marriage certificate。〃
Danglar's face blackened。
〃Curse you！〃 he burst out angrily。 〃When you get your tantrums on；
you've got a tongue； haven't you！ You'd have been wearing your
clothes now； if you'd have done as you were told。 You're the one
that queered things last night。〃 His voice was rising； he was
rocking even more unsteadily upon his feet。 〃Why in hell weren't
you at the Silver Sphinx？〃
Rhoda Gray squinted at him through Gypsy Nan's spectacles。 She knew
an hysterical impulse to laugh outright in the sure consciousness of
supremacy over him now。 The man had been drinking。 He was by no
means drunk； but； on the other hand； he was by no means sober … and
she was certain now that； though she did not know how he had found
her here in the shed； not the slightest suspicion of her had entered
his mind。
〃I was at the Silver Sphinx；〃 she announced coolly。
〃You lie！〃 he said hoarsely。 〃You weren't！ I told you to be there
at eleven； and you weren't。 You lie！ What are you lying to me for
… eh？ I'll find out； you … you …〃
Rhoda Gray dashed the clothes down on the floor at her feet； and
faced the man as though suddenly overcome in turn herself with
passion； shaking both closed fists at him。
〃Don't you talk to me like that； Pierre Danglar！〃 she shrilled。 〃I
lie； do I？ Well； I'll prove to you I don't！ You said you were
going to have supper with Cloran at about eleven o'clock； and perhaps
I was a few minutes after that； but maybe you think it's easy to get
all this Gypsy Nan stuff off me face and all； and rig up in my own
clothes that I haven't seen for so long it's a wonder they hold
together at all。 I lie； do I？ Well； just as I got to the Silver
Sphinx； I saw a woman breaking her neck to get down the steps with
you after her。 She jumped into the automobile it was doped out I
was to take； and you jumped into the other one； and both beat it
down the street。 I thought you'd gone crazy。 I was afraid that
Cloran would come out and recognize me； so I turned and ran； too。
The safest thing I could do was to get back into the Gypsy Nan game
again； and that's what I did。 And I've been lying low ever since；
waiting to get word from some of you； and not a soul came near me。
You're a nice lot； you are！ And now you come sneaking here and call
me a liar！ How'd you get to this shed； anyway？〃
Danglar pushed his hand in a heavy； confused way across his eyes。
〃My God！〃 he said heavily。 〃So that's it； is it？〃 His voice became
suddenly conciliating in its tones。 〃Look here； Bertha； old girl；
don't get sore。 I didn't understand； see？ And there was a whole lot
that looked queer。 We even lost the jewels at old Luertz's last
night。 Do you know who that woman was？ It was the White Moll！ She
led us a chase all over Long Island； and …〃
〃The White Moll！〃 ejaculated Rhoda Gray。 And then her laugh； short
and jeering； rang out。 The tables were turned。 She had him on the
defensive now。 〃You needn't tell me I She got away again； of course！
Why don't you hire a detective to help you？ You make me weary！ So；
it was the White Moll； was it？ Well； I'm listening … only I'd like
to know first how you got here to this shed。〃
〃There's nothing in that！〃 he answered impatiently。 〃There's
something more important to talk about。 I was coming over to the
garret； and just as I reached the corner I saw you go into the lane。
I followed you； that's all there is to that。〃
〃Oh！〃 she sniffed。 She stared at him for a moment。 There was
something in which there was the uttermost of irony now； it seemed；
in this meeting between them。 Last night she had striven to meet him
alone； and she had meant to devote to…night to the same purpose； and
she was here with him now； and in a place than which； in her wildest
hopes； she could have imagined one no better suited to the reckoning
she would have demanded and forced。 And she was helpless； powerless
to make use of it。 She was unarmed。 Her revolver was gone。 Without
that to protect her； at an intimati
