the white moll-第30部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


She　smiled　coldly。　　It　was　very　like　Nicky　Viner　…　it　was　a　habit
of　his　to　talk　to　himself；　she　remembered。　　And；　also；　she　had　never
heard　Nicky　Viner　do　anything　else　but　grumble　and　complain。

But　she　could　not　see　fully　into　the　other　room；　only　into　a　corner
of　it；　for　the　two　doors　were　located　diagonally　across　from　one
another；　and　her　hand；　in　a　startled　way；　went　suddenly　to　her　lips；
as　though　mechanically　to　help　choke　back　and　stifle　the　almost
overpowering　impulse　to　cry　out　that　arose　within　her。　　Nicky　Viner
was　not　alone　in　there！　　A　figure　had　come　into　her　line　of　vision
in　that　other　room；　not　Nicky　Viner；　not　any　of　the　gang　…　and　she
stared　now　in　incredulous　amazement；　scarcely　able　to　believe　her
eyes。　　And　then；　suddenly　cool　and　self…possessed　again；　relieved
in　a　curious　way　because　the　element　of　personal　danger　was　as　a
consequence　eliminated；　she　began　to　understand　why　she　had　been
forestalled　in　her　efforts　at　Perlmer's　office　when　she　had　been　so
sure　that　she　would　be　first　upon　the　scene。　　It　was　not　Danglar；
or　the　Cricket；　or　Skeeny；　or　any　of　the　band　who　had　forestalled
her　…　it　was　the　Adventurer。　　That　was　the　Adventurer　standing　in
there　now；　side　face　to　her；　in　Nicky　Viner's　inner　room！


X。　　ON　THE　BRINK

Rhoda　Gray　moved　quietly；　inch　by　inch；　along　the　side　of　the　wall
to　gain　a　point　of　vantage　more　nearly　opposite　the　lighted　doorway。
And　then　she　stopped　again。　　She　could　see　quite　clearly　now　…　that
is；　there　was　nothing　now　to　obstruct　her　view；　but　the　light　was
miserable　and　poor；　and　the　single　gas…jet　that　wheezed　and　flickered
did　little　more　than　disperse　the　shadows　from　its　immediate
neighborhood　in　that　inner　room。　　But　she　could　see　enough　…　she
could　see　the　bent　and　ill…clad　figure　of　Nicky　Viner；　as　she
remembered　him；　an　old；　gray…bearded　man；　wringing　his　hands　in
groveling　misery；　while　the　mumbling　voice；　now　whining　and　pleading；
now　servile；　now　plucking　up　courage　to　indulge　in　abuse；　kept　on
without　even；　it　seemed；　a　pause　for　breath。　　And　she　could　see　the
Adventurer；　quite　unmoved；　quite　debonair；　a　curiously　patient　smile
on　his　face；　standing　there；　much　nearer　to　her；　his　right　hand　in
the　side　pocket　of　his　coat；　a　somewhat　significant　habit　of　his；
his　left　hand　holding　a　sheaf　of　folded；　legal…looking　documents。

And　then　she　heard　the　Adventurer　speak。

〃What　a　flow　of　words！〃　said　the　Adventurer；　in　a　bored　voice。
〃You　will　forgive　me；　my　dear　Mr。　Viner；　if　I　appear　to　be　facetious；
which　I　am　not　…　but　money　talks。〃

〃You　are　a　thief；　a　robber！〃　　The　old　gray…bearded　figure　rocked　on
its　feet　and　kept　wringing　its　hands。　　〃Get　out　of　here！　　Get　out！
Do　you　hear？　　Get　out！　　You　come　to　steal　from　a　poor　old　man；　and　…〃

〃Must　we　go　all　over　that　again？〃　interrupted　the　Adventurer　wearily。
〃I　have　not　come　to　steal　anything；　I　have　simply　come　to　sell　you
these　papers；　which　I　am　quite　sure；　once　you　control　yourself　and
give　the　matter　a　little　calm　consideration；　you　are　really　most
anxious　to　buy　…　at　any　price。

〃It's　a　lie！〃　the　other　croaked　hoarsely。　　〃Those　papers　are　a　lie！
I　am　innocent。　　And　I　haven't　got　any　money。　　None！　　I　haven't　any。
I　am　poor　…　an　old　man　…　and　poor。〃

Rhoda　Gray　felt　the　blood　flush　hotly　to　her　cheeks。　　Somehow　she
could　feel　no　sympathy　for　that　cringing　figure　in　there；　but　she
felt　a　hot　resentment　toward　that　dapper；　immaculately　dressed　and
self…possessed　young　man；　who　stood　there；　silently　now；　tapping　the
papers　with　provoking　coolness　against　the　edge　of　the　plain　deal
table　in　front　of　him。　　And　somehow　the　resentment　seemed　to　take　a
most　peculiar　phase。　　She　resented　the　fact　that　she　should　feel
resentment；　no　matter　what　the　man　did　or　said。　　It　was　as　though；
instead　of　anger；　impersonal　anger；　at　this　low；　miserable　act　of
his；　she　felt　ashamed　of　him。　　Her　hand　clenched　fiercely　as　she
crouched　there　against　the　wall。　　It　wasn't　true！　　She　felt　nothing
of　the　sort！　　Why　should　she　be　ashamed　of　him？　　What　was　he　to　her？
He　was　frankly　a　thief；　wasn't　he？　　And　he　was　at　his　pitiful
calling　now　…　down　to　the　lowest　dregs　of　it。　　What　else　did　she
expect？　　Because　he　had　the　appearance　of　a　gentleman；　was　it　that
her　sense　of　gratitude　for　what　she　owed　him　had　made　her；　deep
down　in　her　soul；　actually　cherish　the　belief　that　he　really　was
one　…　made　her　hope　it；　and　nourish　that　hope　into　belief？　　Tighter
her　hand　clenched。　　Her　lips　parted；　and　her　breath　came　in　short；
hard　inhalations。　　Was　it　true？　　Was　it　all　only　an　added　misery；
where　it　had　seemed　there　could　be　none　to　add　to　her　life　in　these
last　few　days？　　Was　it　true　that　there　was　no　price　she　would　not
have　paid　to　have　found　him　in　any　role　but　this　abased　one　that
he　was　playing　now？

The　Adventurer　broke　the　silence。

〃Quite　so；　my　dear　Mr。　Viner！〃　he　agreed　smoothly。　　〃It　would　appear；
then；　from　what　you　say　that　I　have　been　mistaken　…　even　stupidly　so；
I　am　afraid。　　And　in　that　case；　I　can　only　apologize　for　my　intrusion；
and；　as　you　so　delicately　put　it；　get　out。〃　　He　slipped　the　papers；
with　a　philosophic　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　into　his　inside　coat
pocket；　and　took　a　backward　step　toward　the　door。　　〃I　bid　you
good…night；　then；　Mr。　Viner。　　The　papers；　as　you　state；　are　doubtless
of　no　value　to　you；　so　you　can；　of　course；　have　no　objection　to　my
handing　them　over　to　the　police；　who　…〃

〃No；　no！　　Wait！　　Wait！〃　the　other　whispered　wildly。　　〃Wait！〃

〃Ah！〃　murmured　the　Adventurer。

〃I　…　I'll〃　…　the　bent　old　figure　was　clawing　at　his　beard　…　〃I'll　…〃

〃Buy　them？〃　suggested　the　Adventurer　pleasantly。

〃Yes；　I'll　…　I'll　buy　them。　　I　…　I've　got　a　little　money；　only　a
little；　all　I've　been　able　to　save　in　years；　a　…　a　hundred　dollars。

〃How　much　did　you　say？〃　inquired　the　Adventurer　coldly。

〃Two　hundred。〃　　The　voice　was　a　maudlin　whine。

The　Adventurer　took　another　backward　step　toward　the　door。

〃Three　hundred！〃

Another　step。

〃Five　…　a　thousand！〃

The　Adventurer　laughed　suddenly。

〃That's　better！〃　he　said。　　〃Where　you　keep　a　thousand；　you　keep　the
rest。　　Where　is　the　thousand；　Mr。　Viner？〃

The　bent　figure　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then；　with　what　sounded　like
a　despairing　cry；　pointed　to　the　table。

〃It's　there；〃　he　whimpered。　　〃God's　curses　on　you；　for　the　thief
you　are。〃

Rhoda　Gray　found　her　eyes　fixed　in　sudden；　strained　fascination　on
the　table　…　as；　she　imagined；　the　Adventurer's　were　too。　　It　was
bare　of　any　covering；　nor　were　there　any　articles　on　its　surface；
nor；　as　far　as　she　could　see；　was　there　any　drawer。　　And　now　the
Adventurer；　his　right　hand　still　in　his　coat　pocket；　and　bulging
there　where　she　knew　quite　well　it　grasped　his　revolver；　stepped
abruptly　to　the　table；　facing　the　other　with　the　table　between　them。

The　bent　old　figure　still　hesitated；　and　then；　with　the　despairing
cry　again；　grasped　at　the　top　of　the　table；　and　jerked　it　toward
him。　　The　surface　seemed　to　slide　sideways　a　little　way；　a　matter
of　two　or　three　inches；　and　then　stick　there；　but　the　Adventurer；
in　an　instant；　had　thrust　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand　into　the
crevice。　　He　drew　out　a　number　of　loose　ba