第4章
Itwasslowwork，desperatelyslow，bothbecausetheydarednotmaketheslightestnoise，andbecause，too，asfarasstrengthwasconcerned，GypsyNanwasclosetotheendofherendurance。Downoneflight，andthentheother，theywent，restingateveryfewsteps，leaningbackagainstthewall，blackshadowsthatmergedwiththeblacknessaroundthem，theflashlightusedonlywhennecessitycompelledit，lestitsgleammightattracttheattentionofsomeotheroccupantofthehouse。AndattimesGypsyNan’sheadlaycheektoRhodaGray’s，andtheother’sbodygrewlimpandbecameagreatweight，soheavythatitseemedshecouldnolongersupportit。
Theygainedthestreetdoor，hungtheretenselyforamomenttomakesuretheywerenotobservedbyanychancepasser-by，thensteppedoutonthesidewalk。GypsyNanspokethen:
“I-Ican’tgomuchfarther，“shefaltered。“But-butitdoesn’tmatternowwe’reoutofthehouse-itdoesn’tmatterwhereyoufindme-onlylet’stryafewstepsmore。“
RhodaGrayhadslippedtheflashlightinsideherblouse。
“Yes，“shesaid。Herbreathwascomingheavily。“It’sallright，Nan。Iunderstand。“
Theywalkedonalittlewayuptheblock，andthenGypsyNan’sgraspsuddenlytightenedonRhodaGray’sarm。
“Playthegame！“GypsyNan’svoicewasscarcelyaudible。“You’llplaythegame，won’tyou？You’ll-you’llseemethrough。That’sagoodname-asgoodasany-CharlotteGreen-that’sallyouknow-but-butdon’tleavemealonewiththem-you-you’llcometothehospitalwithme，won’tyou-I-“
GypsyNanhadcollapsedinaheaponthesidewalk。
RhodaGrayglancedswiftlyaroundher。Inthesqualidtenementbeforewhichshestoodtherewouldbenohelpofthekindthatwasneeded。Therewouldbenotelephoneintherebymeansofwhichshecouldsummonanambulance。Andthenherglancerestedonafigurefaruptheblockunderastreetlamp-apoliceman。Shebenthurriedlyovertheprostratewoman，whisperedawordofencouragement，andranintheofficer’sdirection。
Asshedrewclosertothepoliceman，shecalledouttohim。Heturnedandcamerunningtoward，and，ashereachedher，afterasharpglanceintoherface，touchedhishelmetrespectfully。
“What’swrongwiththeWhiteMollto-night？“heaskedpleasantly。
“There’s-there’sawomandownthere“-RhodaGraywasbreathlessfromherrun-“onthesidewalk。Sheneedshelpatonce。“
“Drunk？“inquiredtheofficerlaconically。
“No，I’msureit’sanythingbutthat，“RhodaGrayansweredquickly。
“Sheappearstobeverysick。Ithinkyouhadbettersummonanambulancewithoutdelay。“
“Allright！“agreedtheofficer。“There’sapatrolboxdownthereinthedirectionyoucamefrom。We’llhavealookatherontheway。“HestartedbrisklyforwardwithRhodaGraybesidehim。“Whoisshed’yeknow？“heasked。
“ShesaidhernamewasCharlotteGreen，“RhodaGrayreplied。
“That’sallshecould，orwould，sayaboutherself。“
“Thensheain’taregulararoundhere，orIguessyou’dknowher！“
gruntedthepoliceman。
RhodaGraymadenoanswer。
TheyreachedGypsyNan。Theofficerbentoverher，thenpickedherupandcarriedhertothetenementdoorway。
“Iguessyou’reright，allright！She’sbad！I’llsendinacall，“
hesaid，andstartedontherundownthestreet。
GypsyNanhadlostconsciousness。RhodaGraysettledherselfonthedoorstep，supportingthewoman’sheadinherlap。Herfacehadsetagainingrim，hard，perplexedlines。Thereseemedsomethingunnatural，somethingmenacinglyweird，somethingevenuncannyaboutitall。Perhapsitwasbecauseitseemedasthoughshecouldsosurelyforeseetheend。GypsyNanwouldnotlivethroughthenight。
Somethingtoldherthat。Thewoman’smasquerade，forwhateverpurposeithadbeenassumed，wasover。“You’llplaythegame，won’tyou？You’llseemethrough？“Thereseemedsomethingpitifullyfutileinthosewordsnow！
Theofficerreturned。
“It’sallright，“hesaid。“How’ssheseem？“
RhodaGrayshookherhead。
Apasser-bystopped，askedwhatwasthematter-andlingeredcuriously。Another，andanother，didthesame。Alittlecrowdcollected。Theofficerkeptthemback。Camethenthestridentclangofagongandtherapidbeatofhorses’hoofs。A
white-coatedfigurejumpedfromtheambulance，pushedhiswayforward，andbentovertheforminRhodaGray’slap。Amomentmore，andtheywerecarryingGypsyNantotheambulance。
RhodaGrayspoketotheofficer:
“IthinkperhapsIhadbettergowithher。“
“Sure！“saidtheofficer。
Shecaughtsnatchesoftheofficer’swords，ashemadeareporttothedoctor:
Foundherhereinthestreet……CharlotteGreen……nothingelse……theWhiteMoll，straightasGodmakes’em……she’llseethewomanthrough。“
HeturnedtoRhodaGray。“Youcangetintherewiththem，miss。“
Ittookpossiblytenminutestoreachthehospital，but，beforethattime，GypsyNan，respondinginameasuretostimulants，hadregainedconsciousness。SheinsistedonclingingtoRhodaGray’shandastheycarriedinthestretcher。
“Don’tleaveme！“shepleaded。Andthen，forthefirsttime，GypsyNan’snerveseemedtofailher。“I-oh，myGod-I-Idon’twanttodie！“shecriedout。
Butamomentlater，insidethehospital，astheadmittingofficerbegantoaskquestionsofRhodaGray，GypsyNanhadapparentlyrecoveredhergripuponherself。
“Ah，letheralone！“shebrokein。“Shedoesn’tknowmeanymorethanyoudo。Shefoundmeonthestreet。Butshewasgoodtome，Godblessher！“
“Yourname’sCharlotteGreen？Yes？“Themannodded。“Wheredoyoulive？“
“WhereverIlike！“GypsyNanwassnarlingtruculentlynow。“What’sitmatterwhereIlive？Don’tyoueverhaveanyonecomeherewithoutaletterfromthepastorofherchurch！“Shepulledoutthepackageofbanknotes。“Youaren’tgoingtogetstuck。This’llseeyouthroughwhateverhappens。Givemea-aprivateroom，and“-hervoicewasweakeningrapidly-“and“-therecameabitter，facetiouslaugh-“thebestyou’vegot。“Hervoicewasweakeningrapidly。
Theycarriedherupstairs。ShestillinsistedonclingingtoRhodaGray’shand。
“Don’tleaveme！“shepleadedagain，astheyreachedthedoorofaprivateroom，andRhodaGraydisengagedherhandgently。
“I’llstayoutsidehere，“RhodaGraypromised。“Iwon’tgoawaywithoutseeingyouagain。
RhodaGraysatdownonasetteeinthehall。Sheglancedatherwristwatch。Itwasfiveminutesofeleven。Doctorsandnursescameandwentfromtheroom。Thenagreatquietseemedtosettledownaroundher。Ahalfhourpassed。Adoctorwentintotheroom，andpresentlycameoutagain。Sheinterceptedhimashecamealongthecorridor。
Heshookhishead。
Shedidnotunderstandhistechnicalexplanation。Therewassomethingaboutaclotandbloodstoppage。Butassheresumedherseat，sheunderstoodveryfullythattheendwasnear。Thewomanwasrestingquietlynow，thedoctorhadsaid，butifshe，RhodaGray，caredtowait，shecouldseetheotherbeforeleavingthehospital。
Andsoshewaited。ShehadpromisedGypsyNanshewould。
Theminutesdraggedalong。Aquarterofanhourpassed。Stillanother。Midnightcame。Fifteenminutesmorewentby，andthenanursecameoutoftheroom，and，standingbythedoor，beckonedtoRhodaGray。
“Sheisaskingforyou，“thenursesaid。“Pleasedonotstaymorethanafewminutes。Ishallbeoutsidehere，andifyounoticetheslightestchange，callmeinstantly。“
RhodaGraynodded。
“Iunderstand，“shesaid。
Thedoorclosedsoftlybehindher。ShewassmilingcheerilyasshecrossedtheroomandbentoverGypsyNan。
Thewomanstretchedoutherhand。
“TheWhiteMoll！“shewhispered。“Hetoldthetruth，thatbulldid-straightastheymake’em，and“Don’ttrytotalk，“RhodaGrayinterruptedgently。“Waituntilyouarealittlestronger。“
“Stronger！“GypsyNanshookherhead。“Don’ttrytokidme！I
know。Theytoldme。I’dhaveknownitanyway。I’mgoingout。“
RhodaGrayfoundnoanswerforamoment。Agreatlumphadriseninherthroat。Neitherwouldshehaveneededtobetold；she，too，wouldhaveknownitanyway-itwasstampedinthegraypallorofthewoman’sface。ShepressedGypsyNan’shand。