the white moll-第52章
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to make use of it。 She was unarmed。 Her revolver was gone。 Without
that to protect her； at an intimation that she was the White Moll she
would never leave the shed alive。 The spot would be quite as ideal
under those circumstances for him； as it would have been under other
circumstances for her。 She shrugged her shoulders。 Danglar's
continued silence evidently invited further comment on her part。 〃Oh！〃
she sniffed again。 〃And I suppose； then； that you have been chasing
the White Moll ever since last night at eleven； and that's why you
didn't get around sooner to allay my fears； even though you knew I
must be half mad with anxiety at the way things broke last night。
She'll have us down and out for keeps if you haven't got brains enough
to beat her。 How much longer is this thing going on？〃
Danglar's little black eyes narrowed。 She caught a sudden glint of
triumph in them。 It was Danglar now who laughed。
〃Not much longer！〃 His voice was arrogant with malicious
satisfaction。 〃The luck had to turn； hadn't it？ Well； it's turned！
I've got the White Moll at last！〃
She felt the color leave her face。 It seemed as though something
had closed with an icy clutch upon her heart。 She had heard aright；
hadn't she？ … that he had said he had got the White Moll at last。
And there was no mistaking the mans s sinister delight in making
that announcement。 Had she been premature； terribly premature； in
assuring herself that her identity was still safe as far as he was
concerned？ Did it mean that； after all； he had been playing at
cat…and…mouse with her； as she had at first feared？
〃You … you've got the White Moll？〃 She forced the words from her
lips； striving to keep her voice steady and in control； and to
infuse into it an ironical incredulity。
〃Sure！〃 he said complacently。 〃The showdown comes to…night。 In
another hour or so we'll have her where we want her； and …〃
〃Oh！〃 She laughed almost hysterically in relief。 〃I thought so！
You haven't got her yet。 You're only going to get her … in another
hour or so！ You make me tired！ It's always in 'another hour or so'
with you … and it never comes off！〃
Danglar scowled at her under the taunt。
〃It'll come off this time！〃 he snarled in savage menace。 〃You hold
that tongue of yours！ Yes； it'll come off！ And when it does〃 … a
sweep of fury sent the red into his working face … 〃I'll keep the
promise I made her once … that she'd wish she had never been born！
D'ye hear； Bertha？〃
〃I hear；〃 she said indifferently。 〃But would you mind telling me
how you are going to do it？ I might believe you then … perhaps！〃
〃Damn you； Bertha！〃 he exploded。 〃Sometimes I'd like to wring that
pretty neck of yours； and sometimes！〃 … he moved suddenly toward her
… 〃I would sell my soul for you； and …〃
She retreated from him coolly。
〃Never mind about that！ This isn't a love scene！〃 she purred
caustically。 〃And as for the other； save it for the White Moll。
What makes you think you've got her at last？〃
〃I don't think … I know。〃 He stood gnawing at his lips； eying her
uncertainly； half angrily； half hungrily。 And then he shrugged his
shoulders。 〃Listen！〃 he said。 〃I've got some one else； too！ And
I know now where the leak that's queered every one of our games and
put the White Moll wise to every one of our plans beforehand has
come from。 I guess you'll believe me now； won't you？ We've got that
dude pal of hers fastened up tighter than the night he fastened me
with his cursed handcuffs！ Do you know who that same dude pal is？〃
He laughed in an ugly； immoderate way。 〃You don't； of course； so
I'll tell you。 It's the Pug！〃 Rhoda Gray did not answer。 It was
growing dark here in the shed now … perhaps that was why the man's
form blended suddenly into the doorway and wall； and blurred before
her。 She tried to think； but there seemed to have fallen upon her
a numbed and agonized stupefaction。 There was no confusing this
issue。 Danglar had found out that the Adventurer was the Pug。 And
it meant … oh； what did it mean？ They would kill him。 Of course；
they would kill him！ The Adventurer； discovered； would be safer at
the mercy of a pack of starved pumas； and。。。
〃I thought that would hold you！〃 said Danglar with brutal serenity。
〃That's why I didn't get around till now。 I didn't get back from
that chase until daylight … the she…fiend stole our car … and then
I went to bed to get a little sleep。 About three o'clock this
afternoon Pinkie Bonn woke me up。 He was half batty with excitement。
He said he was over in the tenement in the Pug's room。 The Pug
wasn't in； and Pinkie was waiting for him； and then all of a sudden
he heard a woman screaming like mad from somewhere。 He went to the
door and looked out； and saw a man dash out of a room across the
hall； and burst in the door of the next room。 There was a woman in
there with her clothes on fire。 She'd upset a coal…oil stove； or
something。 The man Pinkie had seen beats the fire out； and
everybody in the tenement begins to collect around the door。 And
then Pinkie goes pop…eyed。 The man's face was the face of the White
Moll's dude pal … but he had on the Pug's clothes。 Pinkie's a wise
guy。 He slips away to me without getting himself in the limelight
or spilling any beans。 And I didn't ask him if he'd been punching
the needle again overtime； either。 It fitted like a glove with what
happened at old Luertz's last night。 You don't know about that。
Pinkie and this double…crossing snitch went there … and only found
a note from the White Moll。 He'd tipped her off before； of course；
and the note made a nice little play so's he'd be safe himself with
us。 Well； that's about all。 We had to get him … where we wanted
him … and we got him。 We waited until he showed up again as the
Pug； and then we put over a frame…up deal on him that got him to go
over to that old iron plant in Harlem； you know； behind Jake Malley's
saloon； where we had it fixed to hand Cloran his last night … and the
Pug's there now。 He's nicely gagged； and tied； and quite safe。 The
plant's been shut down for the last two months； and there's only the
watchman there； and he's 'squared。' We gave the Pug two hours of
solitary confinement to think it over and come across。 We just asked
him for the White Moll's address； so's we could get her and the
sparklers she swiped at Old Luertz's place last night。〃
Still Rhoda Gray did not speak for a moment。 She seemed to be held
in thrall by both terror and a sickening dismay。 It did not seem
real； her surroundings here； this man； and the voice that was
gloatingly pronouncing the death sentence upon the man who had
come unbidden into her life； and into her heart； the man she loved。
Yes； she understood！ Danglar's words had been plain enough。 The
Adventurer had been trapped … not through Danglar's cunning； or
lack of cunning on the Adventurer's own part； but through force of
circumstances that had caused him to fling all thought of
self…consideration to the winds in an effort to save another's life。
Her hands； hidden in the folds of her skirt； clenched until they
hurt。 And it was another self； it seemed； subconsciously enacting
the role of Gypsy Nan； alias Danglar's wife； who spoke at last。
〃You are a fool！ You are all fools！〃 she cried tempestuously。
〃What do you expect to gain by that？ Do you imagine you can make
the Pug come across with any information by a threat to kill him
if he doesn't？ You tried that once。 You had him cold； or at least
you thought you had； and so did he； that night in old Nicky Viner's
room； and he laughed at you even when he expected you to fire the
next second。 He's not likely to have changed any since then； is he？〃
〃No；〃 said Danglar； with a vicious chuckle； 〃and that's why I'm not
trying the same game twice。 That's why we've got him over in the
old iron plant now。〃
There was something she did not like in Danglar's voice； something
of ominous assurance； something that startled her。
〃What do you mean？〃 she demanded sharply。
〃It's a lonely place；〃 said Danglar complacently。 〃There's no one
around but the watchman； and he's an old friend of Shluker's； and
