the white moll-第52部分

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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。　　Yes；　there　was　a　footstep　…　two　of　them　…　not
only　on　the　stairs；　but　already　just　outside　the　door。　　It　seemed
as　though　a　deadly　fear；　cold　and　numbing；　settled　upon　her　and
robbed　her　of　even　the　power　of　movement。　　She　was　caught！　　If　it
was　Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Pug；　and　if　this　corner　hid　the　secret
panel　as　she　still　believed　it　did；　this　was　the　first　place　to
which　they　would　come；　and　they　would　find　her　here　amongst　the
clothing　…　which　had　evidently　been　the　cause　of　deadening　any
sound　on　those　stairs　out　there　until　it　was　too　late。

She　held　her　breath；　her　hands　tight　upon　her　bosom。　　There　was
no　time　to　reach　the　sanctuary　of　the　other　room　…　the　footsteps
were　already　crossing　the　threshold　from　the　head　of　the　stairs。
And　then　a　voice　reached　her　…　the　Pug's。　　It　was　the　Pug　and
Pinkie　Bonn。

〃Strike　a　light；　Pinkie！　　Dere's　no　use　messin'　around　wid　a
flash。　　De　old　geezer'11　be　back　on　de　hop　de　minute　he　finds　out
he's　been　bunked；　an'　de　quicker　we　work　de　better。〃

A　match　crackled　into　flame。　　An　air…choked　gas　jet；　with　a
protesting　hiss；　was　lighted。　　And　then　Rhoda　Gray's　drawn　face
relaxed　a　little；　and　a　strange；　mirthless　smile　came　hovering　over
her　lips。　　What　was　she　afraid　of？　　The　Pug　was　the　Adventurer；
wasn't　he？　　This　was　one　of　the　occasions　when　he　could　not　escape
the　entanglements　of　the　gang；　and　must　work　for　the　gang　instead
of　appropriating　all　the　loot　for　his　own　personal　and　nefarious
ends；　but　he　was　the　Adventurer。　　The　White　Moll　need　not　fear　him；
even　though　he　appeared；　linked　with　Pinkie　Bonn；　in　the　role　of
the　Pug！　　So　there　was　only　Pinkie　Bonn　to　fear。

Rhoda　Gray　took　her　revolver　from　her　pocket。　　She　was　well　armed
…　and　in　more　than　a　material　sense。　　The　Adventurer　did　not　know
that　she　was　aware　of　the　Pug's　identity。　　Her　smile；　still
mirthless；　deepened。　　She　might　even　turn　the　tables　upon　them；　and
still　secure　the　stolen　stones。　　She　had　turned　the　tables　upon
Pinkie　Bonn　last　night；　to…night；　if　she　used　her　wits；　she　could
do　it　again！

And　then；　suddenly；　she　stifled　an　exclamation；　as　the　Pug's　voice
reached　her　again：

〃Wot　are　youse　gapin'　about？　　Dere　ain't　anything　else　worth　pinchin'
around　here　except　wot's　in　de　old　gent's　safety　vault。　　Get　a　move
on！　　We　ain't　got　all　night！　　It's　de　corner　behind　de　washstand。
Give　us　a　hand　to　move　de　furniture！〃

It　wasn't　here　behind　the　cretonne　hanging！　　Rhoda　Gray　bit　her　lips
in　a　crestfallen　little　way。　　Well；　her　supposition　had　been　natural
enough；　hadn't　it？　　And　she　would　have　tried　every　corner　before　she
was　through　if　she　had　had　the　opportunity。

She　moved　now　slightly；　without　a　sound；　parting　the　clothing　away
from　in　front　of　her；　and　moving　the　cretonne　hanging　by　the　fraction
of　an　inch　where　it　touched　the　side　wall　of　the　room。　　And　now　she
could　see　the　Pug；　with　his　dirty　and　discolored　celluloid　eye…patch；
and　his　ingeniously　contorted　face；　and　she　could　see　Pinkie　Bonn's
pasty…white；　drug…stamped　countenance

It　was　not　a　large　room。　　The　two　men　in　the　opposite　corner　along
the　wall　from　her　were　scarcely　more　than　ten　feet　away。　　They　swung
the　washstand　out　from　the　wall；　and　the　Pug；　going　in　behind　it；
began　to　work　on　one　of　the　wall　boards。　　Pinkie　Bonn；　an　unlighted
cigarette　dangling　from　his　lip；　leaned　over　the　washstand　watching
his　companion。

A　minute　passed　…　another。　　It　was　still　in　the　room；　except　only
for　the　distant　sounds　of　the　world　outside　…　a　clatter　of　wheels
upon　the　pavement；　the　muffled　roar　of　the　elevated；　the　clang　of　a
trolley　bell。　　And　then　the　Pug　began　to　mutter　to　himself。　　Rhoda
Gray　smiled　a　little　grimly。　　She　was　not　the　only　one；　it　would
appear；　who　experienced　difficulty　with　old　Jake　Luertz's　crafty
hiding　place！

〃Say；　dis　is　de　limit！〃　the　Pug　growled　out　suddenly。　　〃Dere's　more
damned　knots　in　dis　board　dan　I　ever　save　in　any　piece　of　wood　in　me
life　before；　an'　…〃　　He　drew　back　abruptly　from　the　wall；　twisting
his　head　sharply　around。　　〃D'ye　hear　dat；　Pinkie！〃　he　whispered
tensely。　　〃Quick！　　Put　out　de　light！　　Quick！　　Dere's　some　one　down
at　de　front　door！〃

Rhoda　Gray　felt　the　blood　ebb　from　her　face。　　She　had　heard　nothing
save　the　rattle　and　bump　of　a　wagon　along　the　street　below；　but　she
had　had　reason　to　appreciate　on　a　certain　occasion　before　that　the
Pug；　alias　the　Adventurer；　was　possessed　of　a　sense　of　hearing　that
was　abnormally　acute。　　If　it　was　some　one　else　…　who　was　it？　　What
would　it　mean　to　her？　　What　complication　here　in　this　room　would
result？　　What。。。

The　light　was　out。　　Pinkie　Bonn　had　stepped　silently　across　the
room　to　the　gas　jet　near　the　door。　　Her　eyes；　strained；　she　could
just　make　out　the　Adventurer's　form　kneeling　by　the　wall；　and　then
…　was　she　mad！　　Was　the　faint　night…light　of　the　city　filtering　in
through　the　window　mocking　her？　　The　Adventurer；　hidden　from　his
companion　by　the　washstand；　was　working　swiftly　and　without　a
sound　…　or　else　it　was　a　phantasm　of　shadows　that　tricked　her！
A　door　in　the　wall　opened；　the　Adventurer　thrust　in　his　hand；　drew
out　a　package；　and；　leaning　around；　slipped　it　quickly　into　the
bottom　of　the　washstand；　where；　with　its　little　doors；　there　was
a　most　convenient　and　very　commodious　apartment。　　He　turned　again
then；　seemed　to　take　something　from　his　pocket　and　place　it　in　the
opening　in　the　wall；　and　then　the　panel　closed。

It　had　taken　scarcely　more　than　a　second。

Rhoda　Gray　brushed　her　hand　across　her　eyes。　　No；　it　wasn't　a
phantasm！　　She　had　misjudged　the　Adventurer　…　quite　misjudged　him！
The　Adventurer；　even　with　one　of　the　gang　present　…　to　furnish　an
unimpeachable　alibi　for　him！　…　was　plucking　the　gang's　fruit　again
for　his　own　and　undivided　enrichment！

Pinkie　Bonn's　voice　came　in　a　guarded　whisper　from　the　doorway。

〃I　don't　hear　nothin'！〃　said　Pinkie　Bonn　anxiously。

The　Pug　tiptoed　across　the　room；　and　joined　his　companion。　　She
could　not　see　them　now；　but　apparently　they　stood　together　by　the
door　listening。　　They　stood　there　for　a　long　time。　　Occasionally
she　heard　them　whisper　to　each　other；　and　then　finally　the　Pug
spoke　in　a　less　guarded　voice。

〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　〃I　guess　me　nerves　are　gettin'　de　creeps。
Shoot　de　light　on　again；　an'　let's　get　back　on　de　job。　　An'　youse
can　take　a　turn　dis　time　pushin'　de　knots；　Pinkie；　mabbe　youse'll
have　better　luck。〃

The　light　went　on　again。　　Both　men　came　back　across　the　room；　and
now　Pinkie　Bonn　knelt　at　the　wall　while　the　Pug　leaned　over　the
washstand　watching　him。　　Pinkie　Bonn　was　not　immediately　successful；
the　Pug's　nerves；　of　which　he　had　complained；　appeared　shortly　to
get　the　better　of　him。

〃Fer　Gawd's　sake；　hurry　up！〃　he　urged　irritably。　　〃Or　else　lemme
take　another　crack　at　it；　Pinkie；　an'。。。

A　low；　triumphant　exclamation　came　from　Pinkie　Bonn；　as　the　small
door　in　the　wall　swung　suddenly　open。

〃There　she　is；　my　bucko！〃　he　grinned。　　〃Some　nifty　vault；　eh？　　The
old　guy…〃　　He　stopped。　　He　had　thrust　in　his　hand；　and　drawn　i