the white moll-第21部分

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ones　where　the　cars　went　in　and　out；　opened　it；　closed　it　behind
her；　and　locked　it。

For　a　moment；　her　eyes　unaccustomed　to　the　darkness；　she　could　see
nothing；　and　then　a　car；　taking　the　form　of　a　grotesque；　looming
shadow；　showed　in　front　of　her。　　She　moved　toward　it；　felt　her　way
into　the　tonneau；　lifted　up　the　back　seat；　and；　groping　around；
found　a　flashlight。　　She　meant　to　hurry　now。　　She　did　not　mean　to
let　that　nervous　dread；　that　fear；　that　was　quickening　her　pulse
now；　have　time　to　get　the　better　of　her。　　She　located　the　door　that
led　to　the　house；　and　in　another　moment；　the　short　passage　behind
her；　she　was　in　the　kitchen；　the　flashlight　winking　cautiously
around　her。　　She　paused　to　listen　here。　　There　was　not　a　sound。

She　went　on　again　…　through　a　swinging　pantry　door　with　extreme
care；　and　into　a　small　hall。　　〃On　the　right；〃　the　Sparrow　had　said。
Yes；　here　it　was；　a　door　that　opened　on　the　rear　of　the　library；
evidently。　　She　listened　again。　　There　was　no　sound　…　save　the
silence；　that　seemed　to　grow　loud　now；　and　palpitate；　and　make　great
noises。　　And　now；　in　spite　of　herself；　her　breath　was　coming　in
quick；　hard　little　catches；　and　the　flashlight's　ray；　that　she　sent
around　her；　wavered　and　was　not　steady。　　She　bit　her　lips；　as　she
switched　off　the　light。　　Why　should　she　be　afraid　of　this；　when　in
another　five　minutes　she　meant　to　invite　attention！

She　pushed　the　door　in　front　of　her　open；　found　it　hung　with　a　heavy
portiere　inside；　brushed　the　portiere　aside；　stepped　through　into
the　room；　stood　still　and　motionless　to　listen　once　more；　and　then
the　flashlight　circled　inquisitively　about　her。

It　was　the　library。　　Her　eyes　widened　a　little。　　At　her　left；　over
against　the　wall；　the　mangled　door　of　a　safe　stood　wide　open；　and
the　floor　for　a　radius　of　yards　around　was　littered　with　papers　and
documents。　　The　flashlight's　ray　lifted；　and　she　followed　it　with
her　eyes　as　it　made　the　circuit　of　the　walls。　　Opposite　the　safe；
and　quite　near　the　doorway　in　which　she　stood；　was　a　window　recess；
portiered；　diagonally　across　from　her　was　another　door　that　led；
presumably；　into　the　main　hall　of　the　house；　the　walls　were
tapestried；　and　hung　here　and　there　with　clusters　of　ancient
trophies；　great　metal　shields；　and　swords；　and　curious　arms；　that
gave　a　sort　of　barbaric　splendor　to　the　luxurious　furnishings　of
the　apartment。

She　worked　quickly　now。　　In　a　moment　she　was　at　the　window　portieres；
and；　drawing　these　aside；　she　quietly　raised　the　window；　and　looked
out。　　The　window　was　on　the　side　of　the　house　away　from　the　cross
street；　and　she　nodded　her　head　reassuringly　to　herself　as　she　noted
that　it　gave　on　a　narrow　strip　of　grass；　it　could　not　be　called　lawn；
that　separated　the　Hayden…Bond　mansion　from　the　house　next　door；　that
the　window　was　little　more　than　shoulder…high　from　the　ground；　and
that　the　Avenue　was　within　easy　and　inviting　reach　along　that　little
strip　of　grass　between　the　two　houses。

She　left　the　window　open；　and　retraced　her　steps　across　the　room；
going　now　to　the　littered　mass　of　papers　on　the　floor　near　the　safe。
She　began　to　search　carefully　amongst　them。　　She　smiled　a　little
curiously　as　she　came　across　the　plush…lined　jeweler's　case　that
had　contained　the　necklace；　and　which　had　evidently　been
contemptuously　discarded　by　the　Cricket　and　his　confederates；　but
it　took　her　longer　to　find　the　paper　for　which　she　was　searching。
And　then　she　came　upon　it　…　a　grease…smeared　advertisement　for　some
automobile　appliances；　a　well…defined　greasy　finger…print　at　one
edge　…　and　thrust　the　paper　into　her　pocket。

And　now　suddenly　her　heartbeat　began　to　quicken　again　until　its
thumping　became　tumultuous。　　She　was　ready　now。　　She　looked　around
her；　using　the　flashlight；　and　her　eyes　rested　appraisingly　on　one
of　the　great　clusters　of　shields　and　arms　that　hung　low　down　on　the
wall　between　the　window　and　the　door　by　which　she　had　entered。　　Yes；
that　would　do。　　Her　lips　tightened。　　It　would　have　been　so　easy　if
there　had　not　been　that　cash　to　account　for！　　She　could　replace
the　necklace；　but　she　could　not　replace　the　cash　…　and　one；　as　far
as　the　Sparrow　was　concerned；　was　as　bad　as　the　other。　　But　there
was　a　way；　and　it　was　simple　enough。　　She　whispered　to　herself　that
it　was　not；　after　all；　very　dangerous；　that　the　cards　were　all　in
her　own　hands。　　She　had　only　to　pull　down　those　shields　with　a
clatter　to　the　floor；　which　would　arouse　some　one　of　the　household；
and　as　that　some　one　reached　the　library　door　and　opened　it；　she
would　be　disappearing　through　the　window；　and　the　necklace；　as
though　it　had　slipped　from　her　pocket　or　grasp　in　her　wild　effort
to　escape；　would　be　lying　behind　her　on　the　floor。　　They　would　see
that　it　was　not　the　Sparrow；　and　there　would　be　no　question　as　to
where　the　money　was　gone；　since　the　money　had　not　been　dropped。
There　was　the　interval；　of　course；　that　must　elapse　between　the
accident　that　knocked　the　shields　from　the　wall　and　the　time　it
would　take　any　of　the　inmates　to　reach　the　library；　an　interval
in　which　a　thief　might　reasonably　be　expected　to　have　had　time
enough　to　get　away　without　being　seen；　but　the　possibility　that
she　had　not　fully　accomplished　her　ends　when　the　accident　occurred；
and　that　she　had　stayed　to　make　frantic　and　desperate　efforts　to
do　so　right　up　to　the　last　moment；　would　account　for　that。

She　moved　now　to　an　electric…light　switch；　and　turned　on　the　light。
They　must　be　able　to　see　beyond　any　question　of　doubt　that　the
person　escaping　through　the　window　was　not　the　Sparrow。　　What　was
she　afraid　of　now；　just　at　the　last！　　There　was　an　actual　physical
discomfort　in　the　furious　thumping　of　that　cowardly　little　heart　of
hers。　　It　was　the　only　way。　　And　it　was　worth　it。　　And　it　was　not
so　very　dangerous。　　People；　aroused　out　of　bed；　could　not　follow
her　in　their　night　clothes；　and　in　a　matter　of　but　a　few　minutes；
before　the　police　notified　by　telephone　could　become　a　factor　in
the　affair；　she　would　have　run　the　block　down　the　Avenue；　and　then
the　other　block　down　the　cross　street；　then　back　to　the　taxi；　and
be　whirling　safely　downtown。

Yes；　she　was　ready！　　She　nodded　her　head　sharply；　as　though　in
imperative　self…command；　and　running　back；　her　footfalls　soundless
on　the　rich；　heavy　rug；　she　picked　up　the　plush…lined　necklace　case。
She　dropped　this　again；　open；　on　the　floor；　halfway　between　the
safe　and　the　window。　　With　the　case　apparently　burst　open　as　it
fell；　and　the　necklace　also　on　the　floor；　the　stage　would　be　set！
She　felt　inside　her　bodice；　drew　out　the　necklace　…　and　as　she　stood
there　holding　it；　and　as　it　caught　the　light　and　flashed　back　its
fire　and　life　from　a　thousand　facets；　a　numbness　seemed　to　come
stealing　over　her；　and　a　horror；　and　a　great　fear；　and　a　dismay
that　robbed　her　of　power　of　movement　until　it　seemed　that　she　was
rooted　to　the　spot；　and　a　low；　gasping　cry　came　from　her　lips。　　Her
eyes；　wide　with　their　alarm；　were　fixed　on　the　window。　　There　was
a　man's　face　there；　just　above　the　sill　…　and　now　a　man's　form
swung　through　the　window；　and　dropped　lightly　to　the　floor　inside
the　room。　　And　she　stared　in　horrified　fasc