the white moll-第52节

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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　with　an
accident。　　He　was　out　riding　in　the　outskirts　of　the　city。　　His
horse　took　fright　and　dashed　for　the　river…bank。　　He　was　an
excellent　horseman；　but；　pitched　from　his　seat；　his　foot　became
tangled　in　the　stirrup；　and　as　he　hung　there　head　down；　a　blow　from　
he　horse's　hoof　rendered　him　unconscious；　and　he　was　being　dragged
along；　when　a　man　by　the　name　of　Deemer；　at　the　risk　of　his　own
life；　saved　the　rajah's　son。　　The　horse　plunged　over　the　bank　and
into　the　water　with　both　of　them。　　They　were　both　nearly　drowned。
Deemer；　let　me　say　in　passing；　did　one　of　the　bravest　things　that
any　man　ever　did。　　Submerged；　half　drowned　himself；　he　stayed
with　the　maddened　animal　until　he　had　succeeded　in　freeing　the
unconscious　man。　　All　this　was　some　two　years　ago。〃

The　Adventurer　paused。

Rhoda　Gray；　hanging　on　his　words；　was　leaning　tensely　forward　…　it
seemed　as　though　some　great；　dawning　wonderment　was　lifting　her　out
of　herself；　making　her　even　unconscious　of　her　surroundings。

〃The　rajah's　son　remained　at　the　hotel　there　for　several　days　to
recuperate；〃　continued　the　Adventurer　deliberately；　〃and　during　that
time　he　saw　a　great　deal　of　Deemer；　and；　naturally；　so　did　I。　　And；
incidentally；　Danglar；　though　I　thought　nothing　much　of　it　then；
I　saw　something　of　you；　and　something　of　Mrs。　Danglar　there；　too；
though　…　if　she　will　permit　me　to　say　it　…　in　a　more　becoming
costume　than　she　is　now　wearing！〃　　Once　more　he　shrugged　his
shoulders　as　Danglar　snarled。　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　will　hurry。　　I　am　almost
through。　　While　it　was　not　made　public　throughout　the　country；
inasmuch　as　the　rajah's　son　was　more　or　less　an　official　guest　of
the　government；　the　details　of　the　accident　were　of　course　known
locally；　as　also　was　the　fact　that　the　young　rajah　in　token　of　his
gratitude　had　presented　Deemer　with　a　collection　of　jewels　of
almost　priceless　worth。　　We　resumed　our　journey；　Deemer；　who　was　a
man　in　very　moderate　circumstances；　and　who　had　probably　never　had
any　means　in　his　life　before；　went　to　New　York；　presumably　to　have
his　first　real　holiday；　and；　as　it　turned　out；　to　dispose　of　the
stones；　or　at　least　a　portion　of　them。　　When　we　reached　the　coast
we　received　two　advices　containing　very　ill　news。　　The　first　was
an　urgent　message　to　return　instantly　to　India　on　account　of　the
old　rajah's　serious　illness；　the　second　was　to　the　effect　that
Deemer　had　been　murdered　by　a　woman　in　New　York；　and　that　the　jewels
had　been　stolen。〃

Again　the　Adventurer　paused；　and；　eying　Danglar；　smiled　…　not
pleasantly。

〃I　will　not　attempt　to　explain　to　you；〃　he　went　on；　〃the　young
rajah's　feelings　when　he　heard　that　the　gift　he　had　given　Deemer
in　return　for　his　own　life　had　cost　Deemer　his。　　Nor　will　I　attempt
to　explain　the　racial　characteristics　of　the　people　of　whom　the
young　rajah　was　one；　and　who　do　not　lightly　forget　or　forgive。
But　an　eye　for　an　eye；　Danglar　…　you　will　understand　that。　　If　it
cost　all　he　had；　there　should　be　justice。　　He　could　not　stay
himself；　and　so　I　stayed…because　he　made　me　swear　I　would；　and
because　he　made　me　swear　that　I　would　never　allow　the　chase　to　lag
until　the　murderers　were　found。

〃And　so　I　came　East　again。　　I　remembered　you；　Danglar　…　that　on
several　occasions　when　I　had　come　upon　Deemer　unawares；　you；
sometimes　accompanied　by　a　woman；　and　sometimes　not；　had　been
lurking　in　the　background。　　I　went　to　Cloran；　the　house　detective
at　the　hotel　here　in　New　York　where　Deemer　was　murdered。　　He
described　the　woman。　　She　was　the　same　woman　that　had　been　with
you。　　I　went　to　the　authorities　and　showed　my　credentials；　with
which　the　young　rajah　had　seen　to　it　I　was　supplied　from　very
high　sources　indeed。　　I　did　not　wish　to　interfere　with　the
authorities　in　their　handling　of　the　case；　but；　on　the　other　hand；
I　had　no　wish　to　sit　down　idly　and　watch　them；　and　it　was　necessary
therefore　that　I　should　protect　myself　in　anything　I　did。　　I　also
made。　myself　known　to　one　of　New　York's　assistant　district　attorneys；
who　was　an　old　frie