the white moll-第31节

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doctor　said　he　had　to　beat　it　out　of　here　to　a　more　salubrious
climate。　　Some　nut　filled　his　ear　full　'bout　gold　huntin'　up　in
Alaska；　an'　he　fell　for　it。　　He　chewed　it　over　with　his　wife；　an'
she　was　for　it　too；　'cause　the　doctor　'd　told　her　her　old　man　would
bump　off　if　he　stuck　around　here；　an'　they　hadn't　any　money　to　get
away　together。　　She　figured　she　could　get　along　workin'　out　by　the
day　till　he　came　back　a　millionaire；　an'　old　Dainey　started　off。

〃I　dunno　how　he　got　there。　　I'm　just　fillin'　in　what　I　hears　French
Pete　an'　Marny　talkin'　about。　　I　guess　mostly　he　beat　his　way　there
ridin'　the　rods；　but；　anyway；　he　got　there。　　See？　　An'　then　he　goes
down　sick　there　again；　an'　a　hospital；　or　some　outfit；　has　to　take
care　of　him　for　a　couple　of　years；　an'　back　here　the　old　woman　got
kind　of　feeble　an'　on　her　uppers；　an　there　was　hell　to　pay；　an'　…〃

〃Wot's　bitin'　youse；　Nan？〃　　The　Pug's　lisping　whisper　broke　sharply
in　upon　Pinkie　Bonn's　story。

Rhoda　Gray　started。　　She　was　conscious　now　that　she　had　been　leaning
forward；　staring　in　a　startled　way　at　Pinkie　as　he　talked；　conscious
now　that　for　a　moment　she　had　forgotten　…　that　she　was　Gypsy　Nan。
But　she　was　mistress　of　herself　on　the　instant；　and　she　scowled
blackly　at　the　Pug。

〃Mabbe　it's　me　soft　heart　dat's　touched！〃　she　flung　out　acidly。
〃Youse　close　yer　trap；　an'　let　Pinkie　talk！〃

〃Yes；　shut　up！〃　said　Pinkie。　　〃What　was　I　sayin'？　　Oh；　yes！　　An'
then　the　old　guy　makes　a　strike。　　Can　you　beat　it！　　I　dunno　nothing
about　the　way　they　pull　them　things；　but　he's　off　by　his　lonesome
out　somewhere；　an'　he　finds　gold；　an'　stakes　out　his　claim；　but
he　takes　sick　again　an'　can't　work　it；　an'　it's　all　he　can　do　to
get　back　alive　to　civilization。　　He　keeps　his　mouth　shut　for　a
while；　figurin'　he'll　get　strong　again；　but　it　ain't　no　good；　an'
he　gets　a　letter　from　the　old　woman　tellin'　how　bad　she　is；　an'
then　he　shows　some　of　the　stuff　he'd　found。　　After　that　there's
nothing　to　it！　　Everybody's　beatin'　it　for　the　place；　but；　at　that；
old　Dainey　comes　out　of　it　all　right；　an'　goes　crazy　with　joy
'cause　some　guy　offers　him　twenty…five　thousand　bucks　for　his　claim；
an'　throws　in　the　expenses　home　for　good　luck。　　He　gets　the　money
in　cash；　twenty…five　one…thousand…dollar　bills；　an'　the　chicken
feed　for　the　expenses；　an'　starts　for　back　here　an'　the　old　woman。
But　this　time　he　don't　keep　his　mouth　shut　about　it　when　he'd　have
been　better　off　if　he　had。　　See？　　He　was　tellin'　about　it　on　the
train。　　I　guess　he　was　tellin'　about　it　all　the　way　across。　　But；
anyway；　he　tells　about　it　comm'　from　Philly　this　afternoon；　an'
French　Pete　an'　Marny　Day　happens　to　be　on　the　train；　an'　they
hears　it；　an'　frames　it　up　to　annex　the　coin　before　morning；　'cause
he's　got　in　too　late　to　get　the　money　into　any　bank　to…day。〃

Pinkie　Bonn　paused；　and　stuck　his　tongue　significantly　in　his　cheek。

Shluker　was　rubbing　his　hands　together　now　in　a　sort　of　unctuous
way。

〃It　sounds　pretty　good；〃　he　murmured；　〃only　there's　Danglar　…〃

〃Youse　leave　Danglar　to　me！〃　broke　in　the　Pug。　　〃As　soon　as　we
hands　one　to　dem　two　boobs　an'　gets　de　cash；　Pinkie　can　beat　it
back　here　wid　de　coin　an　wait　fer　me　while　I　finds　Danglar　an'
squares　it　wid　him。　　He　ain't　goin'　to　put　up　no　holler　at　dat。　　We
ain't　runnin'　de　gang　into　nothin'。　　Dis　is　private　business　…　see？
So　youse　just　take　a　sneak　wid　yerself；　an'　fix　a　nice　little　alibi
fer　us　so's　we　won't　be　takin'　any　chances。〃

Shluker　frowned。

〃But　what's　the　good　of　that？〃　he　demurred。　　〃French　Pete　and
Marny　Day　'11　see　you　anyway。〃

〃Will　dey！〃　scoffed　the　Pug。　　〃Guess　once　more！　　A　coupla
handkerchiefs　over　our　mugs　is　good　enough　fer　dem；　if　youse　holds
yer　end　up。　　An'　dey　wouldn't　talk　fer　publication；　anyway；　would
dey？〃

Shluker　smiled　now…almost　ingratiatingly。

〃And　how　much　is　my　end　worth？〃　he　inquired　softly。

〃One　of　dem　thousand…dollar　engravin's；〃　stated　the　Pug　promptly。
〃An'　Pinkie'll　run　around　an'　slip　it　to　youse　before　mornin'〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Shluker；　after　a　moment。　　〃It's　half　past　eight
now。　　From　nine　o'clock　on；　you　can　beat　any　jury　in　New　York　to　it
that　you　were　both　at　the　same　old　place　…　as　long　as　you　keep
decently　under　cover。　　That'll　do；　won't　it？　　I'll　fix　it。　　But　I
don't　see　…〃

Rhoda　Gray；　as　Gypsy　Nan；　for　the　first　time　projected　herself　into
the　discussion。　　She　cackled　suddenly　in　jeering　mirth。

〃I　t'ought　something　was　wrong　wid　her！〃　whispered　the　Pug　with
mock　anxiety。　　〃Mabbe　she　ain't　well！　　Tell　us　about　it；　Nan！〃

〃When　I　do；〃　she　said　complacently；　〃mabbe　youse'll　smile　out　of　de
other　corner　of　dat　mouth　of　yers！〃　　She　turned　to　Shluker。　　〃Youse
needn't　lay　awake　waitin'　fer　dat　thousand；　Shluker；　'cause　youse'll
never　see　it。　　De　little　game's　all　off　…　'cause　it's　already　been
pulled。　　See？　　Dere　was　near　a　riot　as　I　passes　along　a　street　goin'
to　yer　place；　an'　I　gets　piped　off　to　wot's　up；　an'　it's　de　same
story　dat　Pinkie's　told；　an'　de　crib's　cracked；　an'　de　money's　gone
…　dat's　all。〃

Shluker's　face　fell。

〃I　said　you　were　fools　when　I　first　came　in　here！〃　he　burst　out
suddenly；　wheeling　on　Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Pug。　　〃I'm　sure　of　it　now。
I　was　wonderin　a　minute　ago　how　you　were　goin'　to　keep　your　lamps　on
Pete　and　Marny　from　here；　or　know　when　they　were　goin'　to　pull　their
stunt；　or　where　to　find　'em。〃

Pinkie　Bonn；　ignoring　Shluker；　leaned　toward　Rhoda　Gray。

〃Say；　Nan；　is　that　straight？〃　he　inquired　anxiously。　〃You　sure？〃

〃Sure；　I'm　sure！〃　Rhoda　Gray　asserted　tersely。　　The　one　thought　in
her　head　now　was　that　her　information　would　naturally　deprive　these
men　here　of　any　further　interest　in　the　matter；　and　that　she　would
get　away　as　quickly　as　possible；　and；　in　some　way　or　other；　see　that
the　police　were　tipped　off　to　the　fact　that　it　was　French　Pete　and
Marny　Day　who　had　taken　the　old　couple's　money。　　Those　two　old　faces
rose　before　her　again　now　…　blotting　out　most　curiously　the　face　of
Pinkie　Bonn　just　in　front　of　her。　　She　felt　strangely　glad　…　glad
that　she　had　heard　all　of　old　Dainey's　story；　because　she　could　see
now　an　ending　to　it　other　than　the　miserable；　hopeless　one　of
despair　that　she　had　read　in　the　Daineys'　faces　just　a　little　while
ago。　　〃Sure；　I'm　sure！〃　she　repeated　with　finality。

〃How　long　ago　was　it？〃　prodded　Pinkie。

〃I　dunno；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　just　went　to　Shluker's；　an'　den　we
comes　over　here。　　Youse　can　figure　it　fer　yerself。〃

And　then　Rhoda　Gray　stared　at　the　other　…　with　sudden　misgiving。
Pinkie　Bonn's　face　was　suddenly　wreathed　in　smiles。

〃I'll　answer　you　now；　Shluk；〃　he　grinned。　　〃What　do　you　think？　　That
we're　nuts；　me　an'　Pug？　　Well；　forget　it！　　We　didn't　have　to　stick
around　watchin'　Pete　an'　Marny；　we　just　had　to　wait　until　they　had
collected　the　dough。　　That　was　the　most　trouble　we　had　…　wonderin'
when　that　would　be。　　Well；　we　don't　have　to　wonder　any　more。　　We
know　now　that　the　cherries　are　ripe。　　See？　　An'　now　we'll　go　an'
pick　'em！　　Where？　　Where　d'ye　suppose？　　Down　to　Charlie's；　of　course！
I　hears　'em　talkin'　about　that；　too。　　They　ain't　so　foolish！　　They're
out　for　an　alibi　themselves。　　Get　the　idea？　　They　was　to　sneak　out
of　Charlie's　without　anybody　seem'　'em；　an'　if　everything　broke
right　for　'em；　they　was　to　sneak　back　again　an'　spend　the　night
there。　　No；　they　ain't　so　foolish　…　I　guess　they　ain't！　　There　ain't
no　place　in　New　York　you　can　get　in　an'　out　of　without　nobody　knowin'
it　like　Charlie's；　if　you　know　the　way；　an　…〃

〃Aw；　write　de　rest　of　it　down　in　yer　memoirs！〃　interposed　the　Pug
impatiently　…　and　moved　toward　the　door。　　〃It's　all　right；　Shluker
…　all　de　way。　　Now；　everybody　beat　it；　an'　get　on　de　job。　　Nan；
youse　sticks　wid　Pinkie　an'　me。〃

Rhoda　Gray；　her　mind　in　confusion；　found　herself　being　crowded
hurriedly　through　the　doorway　by　the　three　men。　　Still　in　a　mentally
confused　condition；　she　found　herself；　a　few　minutes　later　…　Shluker
having　parted　company　with　them　…　walking　along　the　street　between
Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Pug。　　She　was　fighting　desperately　to　obtain　a　
rip　upon　herself。　　The　information　she　had　volunteered　had　had　an
effect　diametrically　opposite　to　that　which　she　had　intended。　　She
seemed　terribly　impotent；　as　though　she　were　being　swept　from　her
feet　and　borne　onward　by　some　swift　and　remorseless　current；　whether
she　would　or　no。

The　Pug；　in　his　curious　whisper；　was　talking　to　her：　〃Pinkie　knows
de　way　in。　　We　don't　want　any　row　in　dere；　on　account　of　Charlie。
We　ain't　fer　puttin'　his　place　on　de　rough；　an'　gettin'　him　raided
by　de　bulls。　　Charlie's　all　to　de　good。　　See？　　Well；　dat's　wot　'd
likely　happen　if　me　an'　Pinkie　busts　in　on　Pete　an'　Marny　widout
sendin'　in　our　visitin'…cards　first；　polite…like。　　Dey　would　pull
deir　guns；　an'　though　we'd　get　de　coin　just　de　same；　dere'd　be　hell
to　pay　fer　Charlie；　an'　de　whole　place　'd　go　up　in　fireworks　right
off　de　bat。　　Well；　dis　is　where　youse　come　in。　　Youse　are　de
visitin'…card。　　Youse　gets　into　deir　bunk　room；　pretendin'　youse
have　made　a　mistake；　an'　youse　leaves　de　door　open　behind　youse。
Dey　don't　know　youse；　an'；　bein'　a　woman；　dey　won't　pull　no　gun　on
youse。　　An'　den　youse　breaks　it　gently　to　dem　dat　dere's　a