the white moll-第53部分

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old　guy…〃　　He　stopped。　　He　had　thrust　in　his　hand；　and　drawn　it　out
again。　　His　fingers　gripped　a　sheet　of　notepaper　…　but　he　was
seemingly　unconscious　of　that　fact。　　He　was　leaning　forward；
staring　into　the　aperture。　　〃It's　empty！〃　he　choked。

〃Wot's　dat？〃　cried　the　Pug；　and　sprang　to　his　companion's　side。
〃Youse're　crazy；　Pinkie！　　He　thrust　his　head　toward　the　opening
…　and　then　turned　and　stared　for　a　moment　helplessly　at　Pinkie　Bonn。
〃So　help　me！〃　he　said　heavily。　　〃It's　…　it's　empty。〃　　He　shook　his
fist　suddenly。　　〃De　Crab's　handed　us　one；　dat's　wot！　　But　de　Crab'll
get　his　fer　…〃

〃It　wasn't　the　Crab！〃　Pinkie　Bonn　was　stuttering　his　words。　　He
stood；　jaws　dropped；　his　eyes　glued　now　on　the　paper　in　his　hand。

The　Pug；　his　face　working；　the　personification　of　baffled　rage　and
intolerance；　leered　at　Pinkie　Bonn。　　〃Well；　who　was　it；　den？〃　he
snarled。

Pinkie　Bonn　licked　his　lips。

〃The　White　Moll！〃　He　licked　his　lips　again。

〃De　White　Moll！〃　echoed　the　Pug　incredulously。

〃Yes；〃　said　Pinkie　Bonn。　　〃Listen　to　what's　on　this　paper　that　I
fished　out　of　there　I　Listen！　　She's　got　all　the　nerve　of　the　devil！
'With　thanks；　and　my　most　grateful　appreciation　…　the　White　Moll。'〃

The　Pug　snatched　the　paper　from　Pinkie　Bonn's　hand；　as　though　to
assure　himself　that　it　was　true。　　Rhoda　Gray　smiled　faintly。　　It
was　good　acting；　very　excellently　done　…　seeing　that　the　Pug　had
written　the　note　and　placed　it　in　the　hiding　place　himself！

〃My　God！〃　mumbled　Pinkie　Bonn　thickly。　　〃I　ain't　afraid　of　most
things；　but　I'm　gettin'　scared　of　her。　　She　ain't　human。　　Last
night　you　know　what　happened；　and　the　night　before；　and　…〃　　He
gulped　suddenly。　　〃Let's　get　out　of　here　！〃　he　said　hurriedly。
The　Pug　made　no　reply；　except　for　a　muttered　growl　of　assent　and
a　nod　of　his　head。

The　two　men　crossed　the　room。　　The　light　went　out。　　Their　footsteps
echoed　back　as　they　descended　the　stairs；　then　died　away。

And　then　Rhoda　Gray　moved　for　the　first　time。　　She　brushed　aside
the　cretonne　hanging；　ran　to　the　washstand；　possessed　herself　of
the　package　she　had　seen　the　Pug　place　there；　and　then　made　her　way；
cautious　now　of　the　s1ightest　sound；　downstairs。

She　tried　the　door　that　led　into　the　secondhand　shop　from　the　hall；
found　it　unlocked；　and　with　a　little　gasp　of　relief　slipped　through；
and　closed　it　gently　behind　her。　　She　did　not　dare　risk　the　front
entrance。　　Pinkie　Bonn　and　the　Pug　were　not　far　enough　away　yet；　and
she　did　not　dare　wait　until　they　were。　　Too　bulky　to　take　the　risk
of　attempting　to　conceal　it　about　his　person　while　with　Pinkie　Bonn；
the　Pug；　it　was　obvious；　would　come　back　alone　for　that　package；　and
it　was　equally　obvious　that　he　would　not　be　long　in　doing　so。　　There
was　old　Luertz's　return　that　he　would　have　to　anticipate。　　It　would
not　take　wits　nearly　so　sharp　as　those　possessed　by　the　Pug　to　find
an　excuse　for　separating　promptly　from　Pinkie　Bonn！

Rhoda　Gray　groped　her　way　down　the　shop；　groped　her　way　to　a　back
door；　unbolted　it；　working　by　the　sense　of　touch；　and　let　herself
out　into　a　back　yard。　　Five　minutes　later　she　was　blocks　away；　and
hurrying　rapidly　back　toward　the　deserted　shed　in　the　lane　behind
Gypsy　Nan's　garret。

Her　lips　formed　into　a　tight　little　curve　as　she　went　along。　　There
was　still　work　to　do　to…night　…　if　this　package　really　contained
the　stolen　legacy　of　gems　left　by　Angel　Jack。　　She　had　first　of　all
to　reach　a　place　where　she　could　examine　the　package　with　safety；
then　a　place　to　hide　it　where　it　would　be　secure；　and　then　…　Danglar！

She　gained　the　lane；　stole　along　it；　and　disappeared　into　the　shed
through　the　broken　door　that　hung；　partially　open；　on　sagging　hinges。
Here　she　sought　a　corner；　and　crouched　down　so　that　her　body　would
smother　any　reflection　from　her　flashlight。　　And　now；　eagerly；
feverishly；　she　began　to　undo　the　package；　and　then；　a　moment　later；
she　gazed；　stupefied　and　amazed；　at　what　lay　before　her。　　Precious
stones；　scores　of　them；　nestled　on　a　bed　of　cotton；　they　were　of　all
colors　and　of　all　sizes　…　but　each　one　of　them　seemed　to　pulsate　and
throb；　and　from　some　wondrous；　glorious　depth　of　its　own　to　fling
back　from　the　white　ray　upon　it　a　thousand　rays　in　return；　as　though
into　it　had　been　breathed　a　living　and　immortal　fire。

And　Rhoda　Gray；　crouched　there；　stared　…　until　suddenly　she　grew
afraid；　and　suddenly　with　a　shudder　she　wrapped　the　package　up　again。
These　were　the　stones　for　whose　fabulous　worth　the　woman　whose
personality　she；　Rhoda　Gray；　had　usurped；　had　murdered　a　man；　these
were　the　stones　which　were　indirectly　the　instrumentality　…　since
but　for　them　Gypsy　Nan　would　never　have　existed　…　that　made　her；
Rhoda　Gray；　to…night；　now；　at　this　very　moment；　a　hunted　thing；
homeless；　friendless；　fighting　for　her　very　life　against　police　and
underworld　alike！

She　rose　abruptly　to　her　feet。　　She　had　no　longer　any　need　of　a
flashlight。　　There　was　even　light　of　a　sort　in　the　place　…　she　could
see　the　stars　through　the　jagged　holes　in　the　roof；　and　through　one
of　these；　too；　the　moonlight　streamed　in。　　The　shed　was　all　but
crumbling　in　a　heap。　　Underfoot；　what　had　once　been　flooring；　was
now　but　rotting；　broken　boards。　　Under　one　of　these；　beside　the
clothing　of　Gypsy　Nan　which　she　had　discarded　but　a　little　while
before；　she　deposited　the　package；　then　stepped　out　into　the　lane；
and　from　there　to　the　street　again。

And　now　she　became　suddenly　conscious　of　a　great　and　almost
overpowering　physical　weariness。　　She　did　not　quite　understand　at
first；　unless　it　was　to　be　attributed　to　the　reaction　from　the　last
few　hours　…　and　then；　smiling　wanly　to　herself；　she　remembered。　　For
two　nights　she　had　not　slept。　　It　seemed　very　strange。　　That　was　it；
of　course；　though　she　was　not　in　the　least　sleepy　now　…　just　tired；
just　near　the　breaking　point。

But　she　must　go　on。　　To…night　was　the　end；　anyhow。　　To…night；　failing
to　keep　her　appointment　as　〃Bertha；〃　the　crash　must　come；　but　before
it　came；　as　the　White　Moll；　armed　with　the　knowledge　of　the　crime
that　had　driven　Danglar's　wife　into　hiding；　and　which　was　Danglar's
crime　too；　and　with　the　evidence　in　the　shape　of　those　jewels　in　her
possession；　she　and　Danglar　would　meet　somewhere　…　alone。　　Before　the
law　got　him；　when　he　would　be　close…mouthed　and　struggling　with　all
his　cunning　to　keep　the　evidence　of　other　crimes　from　piling　up
against　him　and　damning　whatever　meager　chances　he　might　have　to
escape　the　penalty　for　Deemer's　murder；　she　meant　…　yes；　even　if
she　pretended　to　compound　a　felony　with　him　…　to　force　or　to　inveigle
from　him；　it　mattered　little　which；　a　confession　of　the　authorship
and　details　of　the　scheme　to　rob　Skarbolov　that　night　when　she；
Rhoda　Gray；　in　answer　to　a　dying　woman's　pleading；　had　tried　to
forestall　the　plan；　and　had　been　caught；　apparently；　in　the　very　act
of　committing　the　robbery　herself！　　With　that　confession　in　her
possession；　with　the　identity　of　the　unknown　woman　who　had　died　in
the　hospital　that　night　established；　her　own　story　would　be　believed。

And　so；　if　she　were　weary；　what　did　it　matter？　　It　was　only　until
morning。　　Danglar　was　at　the　Silver　Sphinx　now　with　the　man　he