the white moll-第34节

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door　of　a　deserted　shed；　presently　a　slim；　neat　little　figure；
heavily　veiled；　emerged。　　Again　the　minutes　passed。　　And　now　the
veiled　figure　let　herself　in　through　the　back　door　of　the　Pug's
lodging　house；　and　stole　softly　down　the　dark　hall；　and　halted
before　the　Pug's　door。　　It　was　the　White　Moll　now。

From　under　the　door；　at　the　ill…fitting　threshold；　there　showed　a
thin　line　of　light。　　Rhoda　Gray；　with　her　ear　against　the　door　panel；
listened。　　There　was　no　sound　of　voices　from　within。　　Pinkie　Bonn；
then；　was　still　alone；　and　still　waiting　for　the　Pug。　　She　glanced
sharply　around　her。　　There　was　only　darkness。　　Her　gloved　right　hand
was　hidden　in　the　folds　of　her　skirt；　she　raised　her　left　hand　and
knocked　softly　upon　the　door…two　raps；　one　rap；　two　raps。　　She
repeated　it。　　And　as　it　had　been　with　Shluker；　so　it　was　now　with
her。　　A　footstep　crossed　the　floor　within；　the　key　turned　in　the
lock；　and　the　door　was　flung　open。

〃All　right；　Pug；〃　said　Pinkie　Bonn；　〃I　…〃

The　man's　words　ended　in　a　gasp　of　surprised　amazement。　　With　a
quick　step　forward；　Rhoda　Gray　was　in　the　room。　　Her　revolver；
suddenly　outflung；　covered　the　other；　and　her　free　hand；　reaching
behind　her；　closed　and　locked　the　door　again。

There　was　an　almost　stupid　look　of　bewilderment　on　Pinkie　Bonn's
face。

Rhoda　Gray　threw　back　her　veil。

〃My　Gawd！〃　mumbled　Pinkie　Bonn　…　and　licked　his　lips。　　〃The　White
Moll！〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　tersely。　　〃Put　your　hands　up　over　your　head
and　go　over　there　and　stand　against　the　wall　…　with　your　face　to　it！〃

Pinkie　Bonn；　like　an　automaton　moved　purely　by　mechanical　means；
obeyed。

Rhoda　Gray　followed　him；　and　with　the　muzzle　of　her　revolver
pressed　into　the　small　of　the　man's　back；　felt　rapidly　over　his
clothes　with　her　left　hand　for　the　bulge　of　his　revolver。　　She
found　and　possessed　herself　of　the　weapon；　and；　stepping　back；
ordered　him　to　turn　around　again。

〃I　haven't　much　time；〃　she　said　icily。　　〃I'll　trouble　you　now　for
the　cash　you　took　from　Marny　Day　and　French　Pete。〃

〃My　Gawd！〃　he　mumbled　again。　　〃You　know　about　that！〃

〃Quick！〃　she　said　imperatively。　　〃Put　it　on　the　table　there；　and
then　go　back　again　to　the　wall！〃

Pinkie　Bonn　fumbled　in　his　pocket。　　His　face　was　white；　almost
chalky　white；　and　it　held　fear；　but　its　dominant　expression　was　one
of　helpless　stupefaction。　　He　placed　the　sheaf　of　banknotes　on　the
table；　and　shuffled　back　again　to　the　wall。

Rhoda　Gray　picked　up　the　money；　and　retreated　to　the　door。　　Still
facing　the　man；　working　with　her　left　hand　behind　her　back；　she
unlocked　the　door　again；　and　this　time　removed　the　key　from　the　lock。

〃You　are　quite　safe　here；〃　she　observed　evenly；　〃since　there　appears
to　be　no　window　through　which　you　could　get　out；　but　you　might　make
it　a　little　unpleasant　for　me　if　you　gave　the　alarm　and　aroused　the
other　occupants　of　the　house　before　I　had　got　well　away。　　I　dare　say
that　was　in　your　mind；　but　…　she　opened　the　door　slightly；　and
inserted　the　key　on　the　outer　side　…　〃I　am　quite　sure　you　will
reconsider　any　such　intentions　…　Pinkie。　　It　would　be　a　very
disastrous　thing　for　you　if　I　were　caught。　　Somebody　is　'wanted'　for
the　murder　of　Marny　Day　at　Charlie's　a　little　while　ago；　and　a　jury
would　undoubtedly　decide　that　the　guilty　man　was　the　one　who　broke
in　the　door　there　and　stole　the　money。　　And　if　I　were　caught　and
were　obliged　to　confess　that　I　got　it　from　you；　and　French　Pete
swore　that　it　was　whoever　broke　into　the　room　that　shot　his　pal；　it
might　go　hard　with　you；　Pinkie　…　don't　you　think　so？〃　She　smiled
coldly　at　the　man's　staring　eyes　and　dropped　jaw。　　〃Good…night；
Pinkie；　I　know　you　won't　make　any　noise；〃　she　said　softly　…　and
suddenly　opened　the　door；　and　in　a　flash　stepped　back　into　the　hall；
and　closed　and　locked　the　door；　and　whipped　out　the　key　from　the
lock。

And　inside　Pinkie　Bonn　made　no　sound。

It　was　done　now。　　Rhoda　Gray　drew　in　her　breath　in　a　great　choking
gasp　of　relief。　　She　found　herself　trembling　violently。　　She　found
her　limbs　were　bearing　her　none　too　steadily；　as　she　began　to　grope
her　way　now　along　the　black　hall　toward　the　back　door。　　But　it　was
done　now；　and　…　　No；　she　was　not　safe　away；　even　yet！　　Some　one　was
coming　in　through　that　back　door　just　ahead　of　her；　or；　at　least；
she　heard　voices　out　there。

She　was　just　at　the　end　of　the　hall　now。　　There　was　no　time　to　go
back　and　risk　the　front　entrance。　　She　darted　across　the　hall　to
the　opposite　side　from　that　of　the　Pug's　room；　because　on　that　side
the　opening　of　the　door　would　not　necessarily　expose　her；　and
crouched　down　in　the　corner。　　It　was　black　here；　perhaps　black
enough　to　escape　observation。　　She　listened；　her　heart　beating
wildly。　　The　voices　outside　continued。　　Why　were　they　lingering
there？　　Why　didn't　they　do　one　thing　or　the　other　…　either　go　away；
or　come　in？　　There　wasn't　any　too　much　time！　　The　Pug　might　be
back　at　any　minute　now。　　Perhaps　one　of　those　people　out　there　was
the　Pug！　　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　after　all　to　run　back　and　go
out　by　the　front　door；　risky　as　that　would　be。　　No；　her　escape　in
that　direction　now　was　cut　off；　too！

She　shrank　as　far　back　into　the　corner　as　she　could。　　The　door　of
the　end　room　on　this　side　of　the　hall　had　opened；　and　now　a　man
stepped　out　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　　Would　he　see　her？　　She
held　her　breath。　　No！　　It　…　it　was　all　right。　　He　was　walking　away
from　her　toward　the　front　of　the　hall。　　And　now　for　a　moment　it
seemed　as　though　she　had　lost　her　senses；　as　though　her　brain　were
playing　some　mad；　wild　trick　upon　her。　　Wasn't　that　the　Pug's　door
before　which　the　man　had　stopped？　　Yes；　yes！　　And　he　seemed　to　have
a　key　to　it；　for　he　did　not　knock；　and　the　door　was　opening；　and
now　for　an　instant；　just　an　instant；　the　light　fell　upon　the　man
as　he　stepped　with　a　quick；　lightning…like　movement　inside；　and　she
saw　his　face。　　It　was　the　Adventurer。

She　stifled　a　little　cry。　　Her　brain　was　in　turmoil。　　And　now　the
back　door　was　opening。　　They　…　they　might　see　her　here！　　And　…　yes
…　it　was　safer　…　safer　to　act　on　the　sudden　inspiration　that　had
come　to　her。　　The　door　of　the　room　from　which　the　Adventurer　had
emerged　was　almost　within　reach；　and　he　had　not　locked　it　as　he　had
gone　out　…　she　had　subconsciously　noted　that　fact。　　And　she
understood　why　he　had　not　now　…　that　he　had　safeguarded　himself
against　the　loss　of　even　the　second　or　two　it　would　have　taken
him　to　unlock　it　when　he　ran　back　for　cover　again　from　the　Pug's
room。　　Yes…that　room！　　It　was　the　safest　thing　she　could　do。　　She
could　even　get　out　that　way；　for　it　must　be　the　room　with　the　low
window；　which　she　remembered　gave　on　the　back　yard；　and　…　　She
darted　silently　forward；　and；　as　the　back　door　opened；　slipped　into
the　room　the　Adventurer　had　just　vacated。

It　was　pitch　black。　　She　must　not　make　a　sound；　but；　equally；　she
must　not　lose　a　second。　　What　was　taking　place　in　the　Pug's　room
between　Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Adventurer　she　did　not　know。　　But　the
Adventurer　was　obviously　on　one　of　his　marauding　expeditions；　and
he　might　stay　there　no　more　than　a　minute　or　two　once　he　found　out
that　he　had　been　forestalled。　　She　must　hurry　…　hurry！

She　felt　her　way　forward　in　what　she　believed　to　be　the　direction
of　the　window。　　She　ran　against　the　bed。　　But　this　afforded　her
something　by　which　to　guide　herself。　　She　kept　her　touch　upon　it；
her　hand　trailing　along　its　edge。　　And　then；　halfway　down　its
length；　what　seemed　to　be　a　piece　of　string　caught　in　her　extended；
groping　fingers。　　It　seemed　to　cling；　but　also　to　yield　most
curiously；　as　she　tried　to　shake　it　off；　and　then　something；
evidently　from　under　the　mattress；　came　away　with　a　little　jerk；
and　remained；　suspended；　in　her　hand。

It　didn't　matter；　did　it？　　Nothing　mattered　except　to　reach　the
window。　　Yes；　here　it　was　now！　　And　the　roller　shade　was　drawn　down；
that　was　why　the　room　was　so　dark。　　She　raised　the　shade　quickly
…　and　suddenly　stood　there　as　though　transfixed；　her　face　paling；
as　in　the　faint　light　by　the　window　she　gazed；　fascinated；　at　the
object　that　still　dangled　by　a　cord　from　her　hand。

And　it　seemed　as　if　an　inner　darkness　were　suddenly　riven　as　by　a
bolt　of　lightning　…　a　hundred　things；　once　obscure　and
incomprehensible；　were　clear　now；　terribly　clear。　　She　understood
now　how　the　Adventurer　was　privy　to　all　the　inner　workings　of　the
organization；　she　understood　now　how　it　was；　and　why；　the　Adventurer
had　a　room　so　close　to　that　other　room　across　the　hall。　　That
dangling　thing　on　an　elastic　cord　was　a　smeared　and　dirty　celluloid
eye…patch　that　had　once　been　flesh…colored！　　The　Adventurer　and　the
Pug　were　one！
　

Her　wits！　　Quick！　　He　must　not　know！　　In　a　frenzy　of　haste　she　ran
for　the　bed；　and　slipped　the　eye…patch　in　under　the　mattress　again；
and　then；　still　with　frenzied　speed；　she　climbed　to　the　window　sill；
drew　the　roller　shade　down　again　behind　her；　and　dropped　to　the
ground。

Through　the　back　yard　and　lane　she　gained　the　street；　and　sped　on
along　the　street　…　but　her　thoughts　outpaced　her　hurrying　footsteps。
How　minutely　every　detail　of　the　night　now　seemed　to　explain　itself
and　dovetail　with　every　other　one！　　At　th