the white moll-第62部分

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either　the　location　or　the　firm　name　of　the　iron　plant　to　which
Danglar；　assuming　naturally；　of　course；　that　she　was　conversant
with　it；　had　referred；　and　she　did　not　care　to　ask　to　be　directed
to　Jake　Malley's　saloon；　which　was　the　only　clew　she　had　to　guide
her。　　The　problem；　however；　did　not　appear　to　be　a　very　difficult
one。　　She　found　the　saloon's　address；　and；　asking　the　clerk　to
direct　her　to　the　street　indicated；　left　the　drug　store　again。

But；　after　all；　it　was　not　so　easy；　no　easier　than　for　one
unacquainted　with　any　locality　to　find　one's　way　about。　　Several
times　she　found　herself　at　fault；　and　several　times　she　was　obliged
to　ask　directions　again。　　She　had　begun　to　grow　panicky　with　fear
and　dread　at　the　time　she　had　lost；　before；　finally；　she　found　the
saloon。　　She　was　quite　sure　that　it　was　already　more　than　half　an
hour　since　she　had　left　the　drug　store；　and　that　half　an　hour　might
easily　mean　the　difference　between　safety　and　disaster；　not　only
for　the　Adventurer；　but　for　herself　as　well。　　Danglar　might　have
been　in　no　particular　hurry；　and　he　would　probably　have　gone　first
to　whatever　rendezvous　he　had　appointed　for　those　of　the　gang
selected　to　accompany　him；　but　even　to　have　done　so　in　a　leisurely
way　would　surely　not　have　taken　more　than　that　half　hour！

Yes；　that　was　Jake　Malley's　saloon　now；　across　the　road　from　her；
but　she　could　not　recall　the　time　that　was　already　lost！　　They
might　be　there　now　…　ahead　of　her。

She　quickened　her　steps　almost　to　a　run。　　There　should　be　no
difficulty　in　finding　the　iron　plant　now。　　〃Behind　Jake　Malley's
saloon；〃　Danglar　had　said。　　She　turned　down　the　cross　street；
passed　the　side　entrance　to　the　saloon；　and　hastened　along。　　The
locality　was　lonely；　deserted；　and　none　too　well　lighted。　　The　arc
lamps；　powerful　enough　in　themselves；　were　so　far　apart　that　they
left　great　areas　of　shadow；　almost　blackness；　between　them。　　And
the　street　too　was　very　narrow；　and　the　buildings；　such　as　they
were；　were　dark　and　unlighted　…　certainly　it　was　not　a　residential
district！

And　now　she　became　aware　that　she　was　close　to　the　river；　for　the
sound　of　a　passing　craft　caught　her　attention。　　Of　course！　　She
understood　now。　　The　iron　plant；　for　shipping　facilities；　was
undoubtedly　on　the　bank　of　the　river　itself；　and　…　yes；　this　was
it；　wasn't　it？　…　this　picket　fence　that　began　to　parallel　the
right…hand　side　of　the　street；　and　enclose；　seemingly；　a　very　large
area。　　She　halted　and　stared　at　it　…　and　suddenly　her　heart　sank
with　a　miserable　sense　of　impotence　and　dismay。　　Yes；　this　was　the
place　beyond　question。　　Through　the　picket　fence　she　could　make
out　the　looming　shadows　of　many　buildings；　and　spidery　iron
structures　that　seemed　to　cobweb　the　darkness；　and　…　and　…　　Her
face　mirrored　her　misery。　　She　had　thought　of　a　single　building。
Where；　inside　there；　amongst　all　those　rambling　structures；　with
little　time；　perhaps　none　at　all；　to　search；　was　she　to　find　the
Adventurer？

She　did　not　try　to　answer　her　own　question　…　she　was　afraid　that
her　dismay　would　get　the　better　of　her　if　she　hesitated　for　an
instant。　　She　crossed　the　street；　choosing　a　spot　between　two　of
the　arc　lamps　where　the　shadows　were　blackest。　　It　was　a　high　fence；
but　not　too　high　to　climb。　　She　reached　up；　preparatory　to　pulling
herself　to　the　top　…　and　drew　back　with　a　stifled　cry。　　She　was　too
late；　then　…　already　too　late！　　They　were　here　ahead　of　her　…　and
on　guard　after　all！　　A　man's　form；　appearing　suddenly　out　of　the
darkness　but　a　few　feet　away；　was　making　quickly　toward　her。　　She
wrenched　her　automatic　from　her　pocket。　　The　touch　of　the　weapon
in　her　hand　restored　her　self…control。

〃Don't　come　any　nearer！〃　she　cried　out　sharply。　　〃I　will　fire　if
you　do！〃

And　then　the　man　spoke。

〃It's　you；　ain't　it？〃　he　called　in　guarded　eagerness。　　〃It's　the
White　Moll；　ain't　it？　　Thank　God；　it's　you！〃

Her　extended　hand　with　the　automatic　fell　to　her　side。　　She　had
recognized　his　voice。　　It　wasn't　Danglar；　it　wasn't　one　of　the
gang；　or　the　watchman　who　was　no　better　than　an　accomplice；　it　was
Marty　Finch；　alias　the　Sparrow。

〃Marty！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You！　　What　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃I'm　here　to　keep　you　from　goin'　in　there！〃　he　answered　excitedly。
〃And　…　and；　say；　I　was　afraid　I　was　too　late。　　Don't　you　go　in
there！　　For　God's　sake；　don't　you　go！　　They're　layin'　a　trap　for
you！　　They're　goin'　to　bump　you　off！　　I　know　all　about　it！〃

〃You　know？　　What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　quickly。　　〃How　do　you
know？〃

〃I　quit　my　job　a　few　days　after　that　fellow　you　called　Danglar
tried　to　murder　me　that　night　you　saved　me；〃　said　the　Sparrow；　with
a　savage　laugh。　　〃I　knew　he　had　it　in　for　you；　and　I　guess　I　had
something　comm'　to　him　on　my　own　account　too；　hadn't　I？　　That's　the
job　I've　been　on　ever　since　…　tryin'　to　find　the　dirty　pup。　　And　I
found　him！　　But　it　wasn't　until　to…night；　though　you　can　believe　me
there　weren't　many　joints　in　the　old　town　where　I　didn't　look　for
him。　　My　luck　turned　to…night。　　I　spotted　him　comin'　out　of　Italian
Joe's　bar。　　See？　　I　followed　him。　　After　a　while　he　slips　into　a
lane；　and　from　the　street　I　saw　him　go　into　a　shed　there。　　I　worked
my　way　up　quiet；　and　got　as　near　as　I　dared　without　bein'　heard　and
seen；　and　I　listened。　　He　was　talkin'　to　a　woman。　　I　couldn't　hear
everything　they　said；　and　they　quarreled　a　lot；　but　I　heard　him　say
something　about　framin'　up　a　job　to　get　somebody　down　to　the　old
iron　plant　behind　Jake　Malley's　saloon　and　bump　'em　off；　and　I
heard　him　say　there　wouldn't　be　any　White　Moll　by　morning；　and　I
put　two　and　two　together　and　beat　it　for　here。〃

Rhoda　Gray　reached　out　and　caught　the　Sparrow's　hand。

〃Thank　you；　Marty！　　You　haven't　got　it　quite　right　…　though；　thank
Heaven；　you　got　it　the　way　you　did；　since　you　are　here　now！〃　she
said　fervently。　　〃It　wasn't　me；　it　wasn't　the　White　Moll；　they
expected　to　get　here；　it's　the　man　who　helped　me　that　night　to
clear　you　of　the　Hayden…Bond　robbery　that　Danglar　meant　to　make
you　shoulder。　　He　risked　his　life　to　do　it；　Marty。　　They've　got
him　a　prisoner　somewhere　in　there；　and　they're　coming　back　to　…　to
torture　him　into　telling　them　where　I　am；　and　…　and　afterwards　to
do　away　with　him。　　That's　why　I'm　here；　Marty　…　to　get　him　away；
if　I　can；　before　they　come　back。〃

The　Sparrow　whistled　low　under　his　breath。

〃Well；　then；　I　guess　it's　my　hunt　too；〃　he　said　coolly。　　〃And　I
guess　this　is　where　a　prison　bird　horns　in　with　the　goods。　　Ever
since　I've　been　looking　for　that　Danglar　guy；　I've　been　carryin'
a　full　kit　…　because　I　didn't　know　what　might　break；　or　what　kind
of　a　mess　I　might　want　to　get　out　of。　　Come　on！　　We　ain't　got　no
time。　　There's　a　couple　of　broken　pickets　down　there。　　We　might　be
seen　climbin'　the　fence。　　Come　on！〃

Bread　upon　the　waters！　　With　a　sense　of　warm　gratitude　upon　her；
Rhoda　Gray　followed　the　ex…convict。　　They　made　their　way　through
the　fence。　　A　long；　low　building；　a　storage　shed　evidently；　showed
a　few　yards　in　front　of　them。　　It　seemed　to　be　quite　close　to　the
river；　for　now　she　could　see　the　reflection　of　lights　from　here
and　there　playing　on　the　black；　mirror…like　surface　of　t