the white moll-第53节

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made。　myself　known　to　one　of　New　York's　assistant　district　attorneys；
who　was　an　old　friend　of　my　father's。　　And　then；　Danglar；　I　started
out　after　you。

〃I　discovered　you　after　about　a　month；　then　I　wormed　myself　into
your　gang　as　the　Pug。　　That　took　about　a　year。　　I　was　almost　another
year　with　you　as　an　accepted　member　of　the　gang。　　You　know　what
happened　during　that　period。　　A　little　while　ago　I　found　out　that
the　woman　we　wanted　…　with　you；　Danglar　…　was　your　wife；　living　in
hiding　in　this　garret　as　Gypsy　Nan。　　But　the　jewels　themselves　were
still　missing。　　To…night　they　are　not。　　A　…　a　friend　of　mine；　one
very　much　misjudged　publicly；　I　might　say；　has　them；　and　has　told
me　they　would　be　handed　to　the　police。

〃And　so；　Danglar；　after　coming　here　to…night；　I　sent　the　Sparrow
out　to　gather　together　a　few　of　the　authorities　who　are　interested
in　the　case　…　my　friend　the　assistant　district　attorney；　Cloran；　the
house　detective；　Rough　Rorke　of　headquarters；　who　on　one　occasion
was　very　much　interested　in　Gypsy　Nan；　and　enough　men　to　make　the
round　of　arrests。　　They　should　be　conveniently　hidden　across　the
road　now；　and　waiting　for　my　signal。　　My　idea；　you　see；　was　to　allow
Mrs。　Danglar　to　enter　here　without　having　her　suspicions　aroused；
and　to　see　that　she　did　not　get　away　again　if　she　arrived　before
those　who　are　duly　qualified　…　which　I　am　not　…　to　arrest　her　did；
also；　in　view　of　what　transpired　earlier　this　evening；　I　must
confess　I　was　a　little　anxious　about　those　several　years'
accumulation　of　stolen　funds　up　there　in　the　ceiling。　　As　I　said
at　the　beginning；　I　hardly　expected　the　luck　to　get　you　both　at　the
same　time；　though　we　should　have　got　you；　Danglar；　and　every　one　of
the　rest　of　the　gang　before　morning；　and　…〃

〃You；〃　Rhoda　Gray　whispered；　〃you　…　are　not　a　thief！〃　　Brain　and
soul　seemed　on　fire。　　It　seemed　as　though　she　had　striven　to　voice
those　words　a　dozen　times　since　he　had　been　speaking；　but　that　she
had　been　afraid　…　afraid　that　this　was　not　true；　this　great；
wonderful　thing；　that　it　could　not　be　true。　　〃You　…　you　are　not　a
…　a　thief！〃

The　Adventurer's　face　lost　its　immobility。　　He　half　rose　from　his
chair；　staring　at　her　in　a　startled　way　…　but　it　was　Danglar　now
who　spoke。

〃It's　a　lie！〃　he　screamed　out。　　〃It's　a　lie！〃　　The　man's　reason
appeared　to　be　almost　unhinged；　a　mad　terror　seemed　to　possess　him。
〃It's　all　a　lie！　　I　never　heard　of　this　rajah　bunk　before　in　my
life！　　I　never　heard　of　Deemer；　or　any　jewels　before。　　You　lie！　　I
tell　you；　you　lie！　　You　can't　prove　it；　you　can't　…〃

〃But　I　can；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　in　a　low　voice。　　The　shawl　fell　from
her　shoulders；　from　her　blouse　she　took　the　package　of　jewels　and
held　them　out　to　the　Adventurer。　　〃Here　are　the　stones。　　I　got　them
from　where　you　had　put　them　in　old　Luertz's　room。　　I　was　hidden
there　all　the　time　last　night。〃　　She　was　removing　her　spectacles
and　her　wig　of　tangled　gray　hair　as　she　spoke；　and　now　she　turned
her　face　full　upon　Danglar。　　〃I　heard　you　discuss　Deemer's　murder
with　your　brother　last　night；　and　plan　to　get　rid　of　Cloran；　who
you　thought　was　the　only　existing　witness　you　need　fear；　and　…〃

〃Great　God！〃　The　Adventurer　cried　out。　　〃You　…　Rhoda！　　The　White
Moll！　　I　…　I　don't　understand；　though　I　can　see　you　are　not　the
woman　who　originally　masqueraded　as　Gypsy　Nan；　for　I　knew　her；　as
I　said；　by　sight。〃

He　was　on　his　feet　now；　his　face　aflame　with　a　great　light。　　He　
took　a　step　toward　her。

〃Wait！〃　she　said　hurriedly。　　She　glanced　at　Danglar。　　The　man's
face　was　blanched；　his　body　seemed　　to　have　shriveled　up；　and
there　was　a　light　in　his　eyes　as　they　held　upon　her　that　was　near
to　the　borderland　of　insanity。　　〃That　night　at　Skarbolov's！〃　she
said；　　and　tried　to　hold　her　voice　in　control。　　〃Gypsy　Nan；　this
man's　wife；　died　that　night　in　the　hospital。　　I　had　found　her　here
sick；　and　I　had　promised　not　to　divulge　her　secret。　　I　helped　her
get　to　the　hospital。　　She　was　dying；　she　was　penitent　in　a　way；
she　wanted　to　prevent　a　crime　that　she　said　was　to　be　perpetrated
that　night；　but　she　would　not　inform　on　her　accomplices。　　She　begged
me　to　forestall　them；　and　return　the　money　anonymously　the　next　day。
That　was　the　choice　I　had　…　either　to　allow　the　crime　to　be　carried
out；　or　else　swear　to　act　alone　in　return　for　the　information　that
would　enable　me　to　keep　the　money　away　from　the　thieves　without
bringing　the　police　into　it。　　I　…　I　was　caught。　　You　…　you　saved　me
from　Rough　Rorke；　but　he　followed　me。　　I　put　on　Gypsy　Nan's　clothes；
and　managed　to　outwit　him。　　I　had　had　no　opportunity　to　return　the
money；　which　would　have　been　proof　of　my　innocence；　the　only　way　I
could　prove　it；　then；　was　to　try　and　find　the　authors　of　the　crime
myself。　　I　…　I　have　lived　since　then　as　Gypsy　Nan；　fighting　this
hideous　gang　of　Danglar's　here　to　try　and　save　myself；　and　…　and
to…night　I　thought　I　could　see　my　way　clear。　　I　…　I　knew　enough　at
last　about　this　man　to　make　him　give　me　a　written　statement　that　it
was　a　pre…arranged　plan　to　rob　Skarbolov。　　That　would　substantiate
my　story。　　And〃　…　she　looked　again　at　Danglar；　the　man　was　still
crouched　there；　eying　her　with　that　same　mad　light　in　his　eyes
…　〃and　he　must　be　made　to　…　to　do　it　now　for　…〃

〃But　why　didn't　you　ask　me？〃　cried　the　Adventurer。　　〃You　knew　me　as
the　Pug；　and　therefore　must　have　believed　that　I；　too；　know　all
about　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　and　turned　her　head　away　to　hide　the　color　she　felt
was　mounting　to　her　cheeks。　　〃I　…　I　thought　of　that。　　But　I　thought
you　were　a　thief；　and　…　and　your　testimony　wouldn't　have　been　much
good　unless；　with　it；　I　could　have　handed　you；　too；　over　to　the
police；　as　I　intended　to　do　with　Danglar；　and　…　and　…　I　…　I　couldn't
do　that；　and　…　Oh；　don't　you　see？〃　she　ended　desperately。

〃Rhoda！　　Rhoda！〃　There　was　a　glad；　buoyant　note　in　the　Adventurer's
voice。　　〃Yes；　I　see！　　Well；　I　can　prove　it　for　you　now　without　any
of　those　fears　on　my　behalf　to　worry　you！　　I　went　to　Skarbolov's
myself；　knowing　their　plans；　to　do　exactly　what　you　did。　　I　did　not
know　you　then；　and；　as　Rough　Rorke；　who　was　there　because；　as　I
heard　later；　his　suspicions　had　been　aroused　through　seeing　some　of
the　gang　lurking　around　the　back　door　in　the　lane　the　night　before；
had　taken　the　actual　money　from　you；　I　contrived　to　let　you　get
away；　because　I　was　afraid　that　you　were　some　new　factor　in　the
game；　some　member　of　the　gang　that　I　did　not　know　about；　and　that　I
must　watch；　too！　　Don't　you　understand？　　The　jewels　were　still
missing。　　I　had　not　got　the　general　warning　that　was　sent　out　to
the　gang　that　night　to　lay　low；　for　at　the　last　moment　it　seems　that
Danglar　here　found　out　that　Rough　Rorke　had　suspicions　about
Skarbolov's　place。〃　　He　came　close　to　her　…　and　with　the　muzzle
of　his　revolver　he　pushed　Danglar's　huddled　figure　back　a　little
further　against　the　washstand。　　〃Rhoda　…　you　are　clear。　　The
assistant　district　attorney　who　had　your　case　is　the　one　I　spoke
of　a　few　minutes　ago。　　That　night　at　Hayden…Bond's；　though　I　did
not　understand　fully；　I　knew　that　you　were　the　bravest；　truest
little　woman　into　whom　God　had　ever　breathed　the　breath　of　life。
I　told　him　the　next　day　there　was　some　mistake；　something　strange
behind　it　all。　　I　told　him　what　happened　at　Hayden…Bond's。　　He
agreed　with　me。　　You　have　never　been　indicted。　　Your　case　has
never　come　before　the　grand　jury。　　And　it　never　will　now！　　Rhoda！
Rhoda！　　Thank　God　for　you！　　Thank　God　it　has　all　come　out　right；
and　…〃

A　peal　of　laughter；　mad；　insane；　horrible　in　its　perverted　mirth；
rang　through　the　garret。　　Danglar's　hands　were　creeping　queerly
up　to　his　temples。　　And　then；　oblivious　evidently　in　his　frenzy
of　the　revolver　in　the　Adventurer's　hand；　and　his　eye　catching　the
weapons　that　lay　upon　the　cot；　he　made　a　sudden　dash　in　that
direction　…　and　Rhoda　Gray；　divining　his　intention；　sprang　for　the
cot；　too；　at　the　same　time。　　But　Danglar　never　reached　his　objective。
As　Rhoda　Gray　caught　up　the　weapons　and　thrust　them　into　her　pocket；
she　heard　Danglar's　furious　snarl；　and　whirling　around；　she　saw　the
two　men　locked　and　struggling　in　each　other's　embrace。

The　Adventurer's　voice　reached　her；　quick；　imperative：

〃Show　the　candle　at　the　window；　Rhoda！　　The　Sparrow　is　waiting　for
it　in　the　yard　below。　　Then　open　the　door　for　them。〃

A　sudden　terror　and　fear　seized　her。　　The　Adventurer　was　not　fit；
after　what　he　had　been　through　to…night　to　cope　with　Danglar。　　He
had　been　limping　badly　even　a　few　minutes　ago。　　It　seemed　to　her；
as　she　rushed　across　the　garret　and　snatched　up　the　candle；　that
Danglar　was　getting　the　best　of　it　even　now。　　And　the　Adventurer
could　have　shot　him　down；　and　been　warranted　in　doing　it！　　She
reached　the　window；　waved　the　candle　frantically　several　times
across　the　pane；　then　setting　the　candle　down　on　the　window　ledge；
she　ran　for　the　door。

She　looked　back　again；　as　she　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。　　With　a
crash；　pitching　over　the　chair；　both　men　went　to　the　floor　…　and　the
Adventurer　was　underneath。　　She　cried　out　in　alarm；　and　wrenched　the
door　open　…　and　stood　for　an　instant　there　on　the　threshold　in　a
startled　way。

They　couldn't　be　coming　already！