the white moll-第58章
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letter； or even telephoning the names and addresses of the whole
layout。 They're scared … he curs！ They say he knows where all our
coin is too； and they're for splitting it up to…night； and ducking
it out of New York for a while to get under cover。〃 He laughed out
suddenly； raucously。 〃They will … eh？ I'll show them … the
yellow…streaked pups！ They wouldn't listen to me … and it meant
that you and I were thrown down for fair。 If we're caught； it's
the chair。 I'll show them！ When I saw it wasn't any use trying to
get them to stick； I pretended to agree with them。 See？ I said
they could go around and dig up the rest of the gang； and if the
others felt the same way about it； they were all to come over to
the garret； and I'd be waiting for them； … and we'd split up the
swag； and everybody'd be on his own after that。〃 Again he laughed
out raucously。 〃It'll take them half an hour to get together … but
it won't take that long for us to grab all that's worth grabbing
out of that trap…door； and making our getaway。 See？ I'll teach
them to throw Pierre Danglar down！ Come on； hurry！〃
〃Sure！〃 she mumbled mechanically。
Her mind was sifting； sorting； weighing what he had said。 She was
not surprised。 She remembered Pinkie Bonn's outburst in the boat。
She walked on beside Danglar。 The man was muttering and cursing
under his breath。 Well； why shouldn't she appear to fall in with
his plans？ Under what choicer surroundings could she get him alone
than in the garret？ And half an hour would be ample time for her；
too！ Yes； yes； she began to see！ With Danglar； when she had got
what she wanted out of him herself； held up at the point of her
automatic； she could back to the door and lock him in there … and
notify the police … and the police would not only get Danglar and
the ill…gotten hoard hidden in the ceiling behind that trap…door；
but they would get all the rest of the gang as the latter in due
course appeared on the scene。 Yes； why not？ She experienced an
exhilaration creeping upon her； she even increased； unconsciously；
the rapid pace which Danglar had set。
〃That's the stuff！〃 he grunted in savage approval。 〃We need every
minute we've got。〃
They reached the house where once … so long ago now； it seemed！
… Rhoda Gray had first found the original Gypsy Nan； and； Danglar
leading； mounted the dark； narrow stairway to the hall above； and
from there up the short； ladder…like steps to the garret。 He
groped in the aperture under the partition for the key； opened the
door； and stepped inside。 Rhoda Gray； following； removed the key；
inserted it on the inside of the door； and； as she too entered；
locked the door behind her。 It was pitch…black here in the attic。
Her face was set now； her lips firm。 She had been waiting for this；
hadn't she？ It was near the end at last。 She had Danglar … alone。
But not in the darkness！ He was too tricky！ She crossed the garret
to where the candle…stub； stuck in the neck of the gin bottle； stood
on the rickety washstand。
〃Come over here and light the candle；〃 she said。 〃I can't find my
matches。〃
Her hand was in the pocket of her skirt now； her fingers
tight…closed on the stock of her automatic； as he shuffled his way
across the attic to her side。 A match spurted into flame； the
candle wick flickered； then steadied； dispersing little by little；
as it grew brighter； the nearer shadows … and there came a startled
cry from Danglar … and Rhoda Gray； the weapon in her pocket
forgotten； was staring as though stricken of her senses across the
garret。 The Adventurer was sitting on the edge of the cot； and a
revolver in his hand held a steady bead upon Danglar and herself。。
XXI 。 THE RECKONING
It was the Adventurer who spoke first。
〃Both of you！ What charming luck！〃 he murmured whimsically。 〃You'll
forgive the intrusion won't you？ A friend of mine； the Sparrow by
name … I think you are acquainted with him； Danglar … was good enough
to open the door for me； and lock it again on the outside。 You see；
I didn't wish to cause you any alarm through a premature suspicion
that you might have a guest！〃 His voice hardened suddenly as he rose
from the cot； and； though he limped badly； stepped quickly toward
them。 〃Don't move； Danglar … or you； Mrs。 Danglar！〃 he ordered
sharply … and with a lightning movement of his hand felt for； and
whipped Danglar's revolver from the latter's pocket。 〃Pardon me！〃
he said … and his hand was in and out of Rhoda Gray's pocket。 He
tossed the two weapons coolly over onto the cot。 〃Well； Danglar；〃
he smiled grimly； 〃there's quite a change in the last few hours；
isn't there？〃
Danglar made no answer。 His face was ashen； his little black eyes；
like those of a cornered rat； and as though searching for some
avenue of escape； were darting hunted glances all around the garret。
Rhoda Gray； the first shock of surprise gone； leaned back against
the washstand with an air of composure that she did not altogether
feel。 What was the Adventurer going to do？ True； she need have no
fear of personal violence … she had only to disclose herself。 But
… but there were other considerations。 She saw that reckoning of
her own with Danglar at an end； though … yes！ … perhaps the
Adventurer would become her ally in that matter。 But； then； there
was something else。 The Adventurer was a thief； and she could not
let him get away with those packages of banknotes up there behind
the trap…door in the ceiling； if she could help it。 That was
perhaps what he had come for； and … and … Her mind seemed to tumble
into chaos。 She did not know what to do。 She stared at the
Adventurer。 He was still dressed as the Pug； though the eye…patch
was gone； and there was no longer any sign of the artificial facial
disfigurements。
The Adventurer spoke again。
〃Won't you sit down … Mrs。 Danglar？〃 He pushed the single chair
the garret possessed toward her … and shrugged his shoulders as
she remained motionless。 〃You'll pardon me； then； if I sit down
myself。〃 He appropriated the chair； and faced them； his revolver
dangling with ominous carelessness in his hand。 〃I've had a
rather upsetting experience this evening； and I am afraid I am
still a little the worse for it … as perhaps you know； Danglar？〃
〃You damned traitor！〃 Danglar burst out wildly。 〃I … I …〃
〃Quite so！〃 said the Adventurer smoothly。 〃But we'll get to that
in a minute。 Do you mind if I inflict a little story on you？ I
promise you it won't take long。 It's a little personal history
which I think will be interesting to you both； but； in any case；
as my hosts； I am sure you will be polite enough to listen。 It
concerns the murder of a man named Deemer； but in order that you
may understand my interest in the matter； I must go back quite a
little further。 Perhaps I even ought to introduce myself。 My name；
my real name； you know； is David Holt。 My father was in the American
Consular service in India when I was about ten。 He eventually left
it and went into business there through the advice of a very warm
friend of his； a certain very rich and very powerful rajah in the
State of Chota Nagpur in the Province of Bengal； where we then
lived。 I became an equally intimate friend of the rajah's son；
and … do I bore you； Danglar？〃
Danglar was like a crouched animal； his head drawn into his
shoulders； his hands behind him with fingers twisting and gripping
at the edge of the washstand。
〃What's your proposition？〃 he snarled。 〃Curse you； name your price；
and have done with it！ You're as big a crook as I am！〃
〃You are impatient！〃 The Adventurer's shoulders went up again。 〃In
due time the rajah decided that a trip through Europe and back home
through America would round out his son's education； and broaden and
fit him for his future duties in a way that nothing else would。 It
was also decided； I need hardly say to my intense delight； that I
should accompany him。 We come now to our journey through the United
States … you see； Danglar； that I am omitting everything but the
essential details。 In a certain city in the Middle West … I think
you will remember it well； Danglar … the young rajah met w
