the white moll-第51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！


risking　the　flashlight　only　when　it　was　imperative；　and　then；　the
metamorphosis　complete；　a　veiled　figure；　in　her　own　person；　as
Rhoda　Gray；　the　White　Moll；　she　was　out　on　the　street　again；　and
hastening　back　in　the　same　general　direction　from　which　she　had
just　come。

She　knew　old　Jake　Luertz's　place；　and　she　knew　the　man　himself　very
intimately　by　reputation。　　There　were　few　such　men　and　such　places
that　she　could　have　escaped　knowing　in　the　years　of　self…appointed
service　that　she　had　given　to　the　worst；　and　perhaps　therefore　the
most　needy；　element　in　New　York。　　The　man　ostensibly　conducted　a
little　secondhand　store；　in　reality　he　probably　〃shoved〃　more　stolen
goods　for　his　clientele；　which　at　one　time　or　another　undoubtedly
embraced　nearly　every　crook　in　the　underworld；　than　any　other　〃fence〃
in　New　York。　　She　knew　him　for　an　oily；　cunning　old　fox　who　lived
alone　in　the　two　rooms　over　his　miserable　store　…　unless；　of　late；
his　young　henchman；　the　Crab；　had　taken　to　living　with　him；　though；
as　far　as　that　was　concerned；　it　mattered　little　to…night；　since
the　Crab；　for　the　moment；　thanks　to　the　gang；　was　eliminated　from
consideration。

She　reached　the　secondhand　store　…　and　walked　on　past　it。　　There
was　a　light　upstairs　in　the　front　window。　　Old　Luertz　therefore　had
not　yet　gone　out　in　response　to　the　gang's　fake　message。　　She　knew
old　Luertz's　reputation　far　too　well　for　that；　the　man　would　never
go　out　and　leave　a　gas　jet　burning　…　which　he　would　have　to　pay　for！

There　was　nothing　to　do　but　wait。　　Rhoda　Gray　sought　the　shelter　of
a　doorway　across　the　street。　　She　was　nervously　impatient　now。　　The
minutes　dragged　along。　　Why　didn't　'the　man　hurry　and　go　out？
〃About　ten　o'clock；〃　Danglar　had　said　…　but　that　was　very　indefinite。
Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Pug　might　be　as　late　as　that；　but；　equally；　they
might　be　earlier！

It　seemed　an　interminable　time。　　And　then；　her　eyes　strained　across
the　street　upon　that　upper　window；　she　drew　still　farther　back　into
the　protecting　shadows　of　the　doorway。　　The　light　had　gone　out。

A　moment　more　passed。　　The　street　door　of　the　house　opposite　to　her
…　a　door　separate　from　that　of　the　secondhand　store…opened；　and　a
bent；　gray…bearded　man；　stepped　out；　peered　around；　locked　the　door
behind　him；　and　scuffled　down　the　street。

Rhoda　Gray　scanned　the　dingy　and　ill…lighted　little　street。　　It　was
virtually　deserted。　　She　crossed　the　road；　and　stepped　into　the
doorway　from　which　the　old　〃fence〃　had　just　emerged。　　It　was　dark
here；　well　out　of　the　direct　radius　of　the　nearest　street　lamp；
and；　with　luck；　there　was　no　reason　why　she　should　be　observed　…　if
she　did　not　take　too　long　in　opening　the　door！　　She　had　never
actually　used　a　skeleton　key　in　her　life　before；　and。。。

She　inserted　one　of　her　collection　of　keys　in　the　lock。　　It　would
not　work。　　She　tried　another；　and　still　another…with　mounting
anxiety　and　perplexity。　　Suppose　that　…　yes！　　The　door　was　open　now！
With　a　quick　glance　over　her　shoulder；　scanning　the　street　in　both
directions　to　make　sure　that　she　was　not　observed；　she　stepped
inside；　closed　the　door；　and　locked　it　again。

Her　flashlight　stabbed　through　the　darkness。　　Narrow　stairs
immediately　in　front　of　her　led　upward；　at　her　right　was　a
connecting　door　to　the　secondhand　shop。　　Without　an　instant's
hesitation　she　ran　up　the　stairs。　　There　was　no　need　to　observe
caution　since　the　place　was　temporarily　untenanted；　there　was　need
only　of　haste。　　She　opened　the　door　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　and；
with　a　quick；　eager　nod　of　satisfaction；　as　the　flashlight　swept
the　interior；　stepped　over　the　threshold。　　It　was　the　room　she
sought　…　old　Luertz's　bedroom。

And　now　the　flashlight　played　inquisitively　about　her。　　The　bed
occupied　a　position　by　the　window；　across　one　corner　of　the　room
was　a　cretonne　hanging；　that　evidently　did　service　as　a　wardrobe；
across　another　corner　was　a　large　and　dilapidated　washstand；　there
were　a　few　chairs；　and　a　threadbare　carpet；　and；　opposite　the　bed；
another　door；　closed；　which　obviously　led　into　the　front　room。

Rhoda　Gray　stepped　to　this　door；　opened　it；　and　peered　in。　　She
was　not　concerned　that　it　was　evidently　used　for　kitchen；
dining…room　and　the　stowage　of　everything　that　overflowed　from　the
bedroom；　she　was　concerned　only　with　the　fact　that　it　offered　no
avenue　through　which　any　added　risk　or　danger　might　reach　her。　　She
closed　the　door　as　she　had　found　it；　and　gave　her　attention　now　to
the　walls　of　old　Luertz's　bedroom。

She　smiled　a　little　whimsically。　　The　Crab　had　used　a　somewhat
dignified　term　when　he　had　referred　to　〃panels。〃　True；　the；　walls
were　of　stained　wood；　but　the　wood　was　of　the　cheapest　variety　of
matched　boards；　and　the　stain　was　of　but　a　single　coat；　and　a　very
meager　one　at　that！　　The　smile　faded。　　There　were　a　good　many　knots；
and　there　were　four　corners　to　the　room；　and　therefore　eight　boards；
each　one　of　which　would　answer　to　the　description　of　being　the
〃sixth　panel。〃

She　went　to　the　corner　nearest　her；　and　dropped　down　on　her　knees。
As　well　start　with　this　one！　　She　had　not　dared　press　Danglar；　or
Danglar's　deformed　brother；　for　more　definite　directions；　had　she？
She　counted　the　boards　quickly　from　the　corner　to　her　right；　and
then；　the　flashlight　playing　steadily；　she　began　to　press　first　one
knot　after　another；　in　the　board　before　her；　working　from　the　bottom
up。　　There　were　many　knots；　she　went　over　each　one　with　infinite
care。　　There　was　no　result。

She　turned　then　to　the　sixth　board　from　the　corner　to　her　left。　　The
result　was　the　same。　　She　stood　up；　her　brows　puckered；　a　sense　of
anxious　impatience　creeping　upon　her。　　She　had　been　quite　a　while
over　even　these　two　boards；　and　it　might　be　any　one　of　the　remaining
six！

Her　eyes　traversed　the　room；　following　the　ray　of　the　flashlight。
If　she　only　knew　which　one；　it　would　…　　Was　it　an　inspiration？　　Her
eyes　had　fixed　on　the　cretonne　hanging　across　one　of　the　far　corners
from　the　door；　and　she　moved　toward　it　now　quickly。　　The　hanging
might　very　well　serve　for　an　other　purpose　than　that　of　merely　a
wardrobe！　　It　seemed　suddenly　to　be　the　most　likely　of　the　four
corners　because　it　was　ingeniously　concealed。

She　parted　the　hanging。　　A　heterogeneous　collection　of　clothing
hung　from　pegs　and　nails。　　Eagerly；　hastily　now；　she　brushed　these
aside；　and；　close　to　the　wall；　dropped　down　on　her　knees　again。　　The
minutes　passed。　　Twice　she　went　over　the　sixth　board　from　the
corner　to　her　right。　　She　felt　so　sure　now　that　it　was　this　corner。
And　then；　still　eagerly；　she　turned　to　the　corresponding　board　at
her　left。

It　was　warm　and　close　here。　　The　clothing　hanging　from　the　pegs
and　nails　enveloped　her；　and；　with　the　cretonne　hanging　itself；
shut　out　the　air；　what　little　of　it　there　was；　that　circulated
through　the　room。

Over　the　board；　from　the　tiniest　knot　to　the　largest；　her　fingers
pressed　carefully。　　Had　she　missed　one　anywhere？　　She　must　have
missed　one！　　She　was　sure　the　panel　in　question　was　here　behind　this
hanging。　　Well；　she　would　try　again；　and。。。

What　was　that？

In　an　instant　the　flashlight　in　her　hand　was　out；　and　she　was
listening　tensely。