the white moll-第6章
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He shook his head。
She did not understand his technical explanation。 There was
something about a clot and blood stoppage。 But as she resumed her
seat； she understood very fully that the end was near。 The woman
was resting quietly now； the doctor had said； but if she； Rhoda Gray；
cared to wait； she could see the other before leaving the hospital。
And so she waited。 She had promised Gypsy Nan she would。
The minutes dragged along。 A quarter of an hour passed。 Still
another。 Midnight came。 Fifteen minutes more went by； and then a
nurse came out of the room； and； standing by the door； beckoned to
Rhoda Gray。
〃She is asking for you；〃 the nurse said。 〃Please do not stay more
than a few minutes。 I shall be outside here； and if you notice the
slightest change； call me instantly。〃
Rhoda Gray nodded。
〃I understand；〃 she said。
The door closed softly behind her。 She was smiling cheerily as she
crossed the room and bent over Gypsy Nan。
The woman stretched out her hand。
〃The White Moll！〃 she whispered。 〃He told the truth； that bull did
… straight as they make 'em； and
〃Don't try to talk；〃 Rhoda Gray interrupted gently。 〃Wait until you
are a little stronger。〃
〃Stronger！〃 Gypsy Nan shook her head。 〃Don't try to kid me！ I
know。 They told me。 I'd have known it anyway。 I'm going out。〃
Rhoda Gray found no answer for a moment。 A great lump had risen
in her throat。 Neither would she have needed to be told； she； too；
would have known it anyway … it was stamped in the gray pallor of
the woman's face。 She pressed Gypsy Nan's hand。
And then Gypsy Nan spoke again； a queer； yearning hesitancy in her
voice：
〃Do … do you believe in God？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Rhoda Gray simply。
Gypsy Nan closed her eyes。
〃Do … do you think there is a chance … even at the last … if … if；
without throwing down one's pals； one tries to make good？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Rhoda Gray again。
〃Is the door closed？〃 Gypsy Nan attempted to raise herself on her
elbow； as though to see for herself。
Rhoda Gray forced the other gently back upon the pillows。
〃It is closed；〃 she said。 〃You need not be afraid。〃
〃What time is it？〃 demanded Gypsy Nan。
Rhoda Gray looked at her watch。
〃Twenty…five minutes after twelve；〃 she answered。
〃There's time yet； then；〃 whispered Gypsy Nan。 〃There's time yet。〃
She lay silent for a moment； then her hand closed tightly around
Rhoda Gray's。 〃Listen！〃 she said。 〃There's more about … about
why I lived like that than I told you。 And … and I can't tell you
now … I can't go out like a yellow cur … I'm not going to snitch
on anybody else just because I'm through myself。 But … but there's
something on to…night that I'd … I'd like to stop。 Only the police；
or anybody else； aren't to know anything about it； because then
they'd nip my friends。 See？ But you can do it … easy。 You can
do it alone without anybody knowing。 There's time yet。 They
weren't going to pull it until halfpast one … and there won't be
any danger for you。 All you've got to do is get the money before
they do； and then see that it goes back where it belongs to…morrow。
Will you？ You don't want to see a crime committed to…night if … if
you can stop it； do you？〃
Rhoda Gray's face was grave。 She hesitated for a moment。
〃I'll have to know more than that before I can answer you； Nan；〃
she said。
〃It's the only way to stop it！〃 Gypsy Nan whispered feverishly。
〃I won't split on my pals … I won't … I won't！ But I trust you。
Will you promise not to snitch if I tell you how to stop it； even
if you don't go there yourself？ I'm offering you a chance to stop
a twenty…thousand…dollar haul。 If you don't promise it's got to
go through； because I've got to stand by the ones that were in it
with me。 I … I'd like to make good … just … once。 But I can't do
it any other way。 For God's sake； you see that； don't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Rhoda Gray in a low voice； 〃but the promise you ask for
is the same as though I promised to try to get the money you speak
of。 If I knew what was going on； and did nothing； I would be an
accomplice to the crime； and guilty myself。〃
〃But I can't do anything else！〃 Gypsy Nan was speaking with great
difficulty。 〃I won't get those that were with me in wrong … I won't！
You can prevent a crime to…night； if you will … you … you can help
me to … to make good。〃
Rhoda Gray's lips tightened； 〃Will you give me your word that I can
do what you suggest … that it is feasible； possible？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Gypsy Nan。 〃You can do it easily； and … and it's safe。
It … it only wants a little nerve； and … and you've got that。〃
〃I promise； then；〃 said Rhoda Gray。
〃Thank God！〃 Gypsy Nan pulled fiercely at Rhoda Gray's wrist。
〃Come nearer…nearer！ You know Skarbolov； old Skarbolov； who keeps
the antique store … on the street … around the corner from my place？〃
Rhoda Gray nodded。
〃He's rich！〃 whispered Gypsy Nan。 〃Think of it！ Him … rich！ But
he gets the best of the Fifth Avenue crowd just because he keeps
his joint in that rotten hole。 They think they're getting the real
thing in antiques！ He's a queer old fool。 Afraid people would know
he had money if he kept it in the bank … afraid of a bank； too。
Understand？ We found out that every once in a while he'd change a
lot of small bills for a big one … five…hundred…dollar bills
… thousand…dollar bills。 That put us wise。 We began to watch him。
It took months to find where he hid it。 We've spent night after
night searching through his shop。 You can get in easily。 There's
no one there … upstairs is just a storage place for his extra stock。
There's a big padlock on the back door； but there's a false link in
the chain … count three links to the right from the padlock … we
put it there； and …〃
Gypsy Nan's voice had become almost inaudible。 She pulled at Rhoda
Gray's wrist again； urging her closer。
〃Listen … quick！ I … my strength！ she panted。 〃An antique he
never sells … old escritoire against rear wall … secret drawer
… take out wide middle drawer … reach in and rub your hand along
the top … you'll feel the spring。 We waited to … to get … get
counterfeits … put counterfeits there … understand？ Then he'd
never know he'd been robbed … not for a long time anyway
… discovered perhaps when he was dead … old wife … suffer then
… I … got to make good … make good … I …〃 She came up suddenly
on both her elbows； the dark eyes staring wildly。 〃Yes； yes！〃
she whispered。 〃Seven…three…nine！ Look out！〃 Her voice rang
with sudden terror； rising almost to a scream。 〃Look out！ Can't
you understand； you fool！ I've told you！ Seven…three…nine！
Seven…three。。。
Rhoda Gray's arms had gone around the other's shoulders。 She heard
the door open…and then a quick； light step。 There wasn't any other
sound now。 She made way mechanically for the nurse。 And then；
after a moment； she rose from her knees。 The nurse answered her
unspoken question。
〃Yes； it's over。〃
III。 ALIAS GYPSY NAN
Rhoda Gray went slowly from the room。 In a curiously stunned sort
of way she reached the street； and for a few blocks walked along
scarcely conscious of the direction she was taking。 Her mind was
in turmoil。 The night seemed to have been one of harrowing
hallucination； it seemed as though it were utterly unreal； like one
dreaming that one is dreaming。 And then； suddenly； she looked at
her watch； and the straight little shoulders squared resolutely back。
The hallucination； if she chose to call it that； was not yet over！
It was twenty minutes of one； and there was still Skarbolov's … and
her promise。
She quickened her pace。 She did not like this promise that she had
made； but； on the other hand； she had not made it either lightly or
impulsively。 She had no regrets on that score。 She would make it
again under the same conditions。 How could she have done otherwise？
It would have been to stand aside and permit a crime to be committed
which she was assured was easily within her power to prevent。 What
excuse could she have had for that？ Fear wasn't an excuse。 She
did not like the thought of entering the back door of a store in
the middle of the night like a thief；
