the white moll-第51节
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time； the men； as though hopeless of success； and as though caution
were no longer of any service； began to talk louder。
The third man was Shluker。 She recognized his voice； too。
〃It's no use！〃 he snarled。 〃If she's a good swimmer； she could get
across the river easy。 She's got away； that's sure。 What the hell's
the good of this？ We're playing the fool。 Beat it back！ She was
nosing around the shed。 How do we know she didn't let the Pug loose
before we saw her？〃
Pinkie Bonn whined：
〃If he's gone too； we're crimped！ The whole works is bust up！ The
Pug knows everything； where our money is； an' everything。 They'll
have us cold！〃
〃Close your face； Pinkie！〃 It was Danglar speaking； his voice hoarse
with uncontrollable rage。 〃Go on back； then； Shluker。 Quick！〃
Rhoda Gray heard the hurried splashing of the oars now； and presently
she felt the bumping of the boat against the wharf； and its violent
rocking as the men climbed out of it again。 But she did not move
… save with her hand to push the folds of sailcloth a cautious inch
or two away from the opening。 It did not ease the agony she was
suffering from her cramped position； but it gave her fresher air；
and she could hear better … the ring of their boot…heels on the
wharf above； for instance。
The footsteps died away。 There was silence then for a moment； and
then； faintly； from the direction of the shed； there came a chorus
of baffled rage and execration。 She smiled a little wearily to
herself。 It was all right。 That was what she wanted to know。 The
Adventurer had got away。
Still she lay there。 She dared not leave the boat yet； but she
could change her position now。 She crawled half out from under the
docking； and lay with her head on the sailcloth。 It was exquisite
relief！ They could not come back along the wharf without her hearing
them； and she could retreat under the decking again in an instant；
if necessary。
Voices reached her now occasionally from the direction of the shed。
Finally a silence fell。 The minutes passed … ten … fifteen … twenty
of them。 And then Rhoda Gray climbed warily to the wharf； made her
way warily past the shed； and gained the road … and three…quarters
of an hour later； in another shed； in the lane behind the garret； she
was changing quickly into the rags of Gypsy Nan again。
It was almost the end now。 To…night； she would keep the appointment
Danglar had given her … and keep it ahead of time。 It was almost
the end。 Her lips set tightly。 The Adventurer had been warned。
There was nothing now to stand in the way of her going to the police；
save only the substantiation of that one point in her own story
which Danglar must supply。
Her transformation completed； she reached in under the flooring and
took out the package of jewels … they would help very materially
when she faced Danglar！ … and； though it was somewhat large； tucked
it inside her blouse。 It could not be noticed。 The black； greasy
shawl hid it effectively。
She stepped out into the lane； and from there to the street； and
began to make her way across town。 She did not have to search for
Danglar to…night。 She was to meet him at Matty's at midnight； and
it was not more than halfpast eleven now。 Three hours and a half！
Was that all since at eight o'clock； as nearly as she could place
it； he had left her in the lane？ It seemed as many years； but it
was only twenty minutes after eleven； she had noticed； when she had
left the subway on her return a few minutes ago。 Her hand clenched
suddenly。 She was to meet him at Matty's … and； thereafter； if it
took all night； she would not leave him until she had got him alone
somewhere and disclosed herself。 The man was a coward in soul。 She
could trust to the effect upon him of an automatic in the hands of
the White Mall to make him talk。
Rhoda Gray walked quickly。 It was not very far。 She turned the
corner into the street where Danglar's deformed brother； Matty；
cloaked the executive activities of the gang with his cheap little
notion store … and halted abruptly。 The store was just ahead of
her； and Danglar himself； coming out； had just closed the door。
He saw her； and stepping instantly to her side； grasped her arm
roughly and wheeled her about。
〃Come on！〃 he said … and a vicious oath broke from his lips。
The man was in a towering； ungovernable passion。 She cast a
furtive glance at his face。 She had seen him before in anger； but
now； with his lips drawn back and working； his whole face contorted；
he seemed utterly beside himself。
〃What's the matter？〃 she inquired innocently。 〃Wouldn't the Pug
talk； or is it a case of 'another hour or so；' and …〃
He swung on her furiously。
〃Hold your cursed tongue！〃 he flared。 〃You'll snicker on the
wrong side of your face this time！〃 He gulped； stared at her
threateningly； and quickened his step； forcing her to keep pace
with him。 But he spoke again after a minute； savagely； bitterly；
but more in control of himself。 〃The Pug got away。 The White
Moll queered us again。 But it's worse than that。 The game's up！
I told you to be here at midnight。 It's only half past eleven yet。
I figured you would still be over in the garret； and I was going
there for you。 That's where we're going now。 There's no chance at
those rajah's jewels now； there's no chance of fixing Cloran so's
you can swell it around in the open again … the only chance we've
got is to save what we can and beat it！〃
She did not need to simulate either excitement or disquiet。
〃What is it？ What's happened？〃 she asked tensely。
〃The gang's thrown us down！〃 he said between his teeth。 〃They're
scared； they've got cold feet … they're going to quit。 Shluker and
Pinkie were with me at the iron plant。 We went back to Matty's
from there。 Matty's with them； too。 They say the Pug knows every
one of us； and every game we've pulled； and that in revenge for our
trying to murder him he'll wise up the police … that he could do it
easily enough without getting nipped himself； by sending them a
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
