第7章
Herbrainwasworkingwithlightningspeed。GypsyNan’shousewasjustaroundthecorner。Ifshecouldgetoutofsight-hide-itwould……
Sheglancedbehindheragain，asherearscaughtthepoundofracingfeet。Theyoungmanwassittinginthemiddleofthesidewalk，shakinghisfist；RoughRorke，perhapsabarefiftyyardsaway，waschasingherattopspeed。
Herfacesethard。Shecouldnotout-runaman！Therewasonlyonehopeforher-justone-togainGypsyNan’sdoorwaybeforeRorkegotaroundthecorner。
Ayard-another-stillanother！Sheswervedaroundthecorner。
And，assheturned，shecaughtaglimpseofthedetective。Themanwasnearer-muchnearer。Butitwasonlyalittleway，justalittleway，toGypsyNan’s-notsofarasthedistancebetweenherandRorke-and-andifthemandidn’tgaintoofast，then-then-Alittlecryofdismaycamewithanewandterrifyingthought。QuiteapartfromRorke，someoneelsemightseeherenterGypsyNan’s！Shestrainedhereyesinalldirectionsassheran。
Therewasn’tanyone-shedidn’tseeanyone-onlyRorke，aroundthecornerthere，wasbawlingoutatthetopofhisvoice，and-and……
SheflungherselfagainstGypsyNan’sdoor，stumbledin，and，closingit，heardRorkejustswingingaroundthecorner。Hadheseenher？Shedidn’tknow。Shewaspanting，gaspingforherbreath。Itseemedasthoughherlungswouldburst。Sheheldherhandtightlytoherbosomasshemadeforthestairs-shemustn’tmakeanynoise-theymustn’thearherbreathinglikethat-they-theymustn’thearhergoingupthestairs。
Howdarkitwas！Ifshecouldonlysee-sothatshewouldbesurenottostumble！Shecouldn’tgofastnow-shewouldmakeanoiseifshedid。Stairafterstairsheclimbedstealthily。Perhapsshewassafenow-ithadtakenheralongtimetogetupheretothesecondfloor，andtherewasn’tanysoundyetfromthestreetbelow。
Andnowshemountedtheshort，ladder-likestepstotheattic，and，feelingwithherhandforthecrackintheflooringunderthepartition，reachedinforthekey。Asherfingerscloseduponit，shechokedbackacry。Someonehadbeenhere！Apieceofpaperwaswrappedaroundthekey。Whatdiditmean？Whatdidallthesestrange，yes，sinister，thingsthathadhappenedto-nightmean？
HowhadRorkeknownthatarobberywastobecommittedatSkarbolov’s？
Whowasthatmanwhohadeffectedherescape，andwho，sheknewnow，wasnomoredrunkthanshewas？Fast，quick，pilingoneupontheother，thequestionsracedthroughhermind。
Shefoughtthemback。Therewasnotimeforspeculationnow！Therewasonlyonequestionthatmattered:Wasshesafe？
Shestoodup，thrustthepaperforsafe-keepingintoherbosom，andunlockedthedoor。If-ifRorkedidnotknowthatshehadenteredthishousehere，shecouldremainhiddenforafewhours；itwouldgivehertimetothink，and……
Itcamethistime，nostrengthofwillwouldholditback，alittlemoan。Thefrontdoorbelowhadopened，aheavyfootstepsoundedinthelowerhall。Shecouldn’tsee，ofcourse。Butsheknew。ItwasRorke！Sheheardhimcomingupthestairs。
Andthen，inaflash，itseemed，herbrainrespondedtoherdespairingcry。Therewasstillaway-adesperateone-butstillaway-iftherewastime！Shedartedinsidethegarret，lockedthedoor，foundthematchesandcandle，and，runningsilentlytotherearwall，pusheduptheboardintheceiling。Infrantichasteshetoreoffheroutergarments，herstockingsandshoes，pulledontheroughstockingsandcoarsebootsthatGypsyNanhadworn，slippedtheother’sgreasy，threadbareskirtoverherhead，andpinnedtheshawltightabouthershoulders。Therewasabig，voluminouspocketintheskirt，andintothisshedroppedGypsyNan’srevolver，andthepapershehadfoundwrappedaroundthekey。
Shecouldhearacommotionfrombelownow。Itwastheonethingshehadcountedupon。RoughRorkemightknowshehadenteredthehouse，buthecouldnotknowwhereaboutsinthehouseshewas，andhewouldnaturallysearcheachroomashecametoitonthewayup。Shefittedthegray-streakedwigoftangled，mattedhairuponherhead，plungedherhandintotheboxthatGypsyNanusedforhermake-upanddaubedsomeofthegrimeuponbothhandsandface，adjustedthespectaclesuponhernose，hidherownclothing，closedthenarrowtrap-doorintheceiling，andranback，carryingthecandle，tothewashstand。
Here，therewasasmallandbatteredmirror，andmorecoolly，moreleisurelynow，forthecommotionstillcontinuedfromthefloorbelow，shespreadandrubbedin，ascraftilyasshecould，thegrimestreaksonherfaceandhands。Itwasneitherartisticnorperfect，butinthemeager，flickeringlightnowthefaceofGypsyNanseemedtostarereassuringlybackather。Itmightnotdeceiveanyoneindaylight-shedidnotknow，anditdidnotmatternow-butwithonlythiscandletolightthegarret，sincethelampwasempty，shecouldfairlycountonheridentitynotbeingquestioned。
Sheblewoutthecandle，leftitonthewashstand，because，ifshecouldhelpit，shedidnotwanttoriskhavingitlightednearthebedordoor，and，tiptoeingnow，wenttothedoor，unlockedit，thenthrewherselfdownuponthebed。
Possiblyaminutewentby，possiblytwo，andthentherewasaquickstepontheladder-likestairs，thedoorhandlewasrattledviolently，andthedoorwasflungopenandslammedshutagain。
RhodaGraysatuprightonthebed。Itwasherwitsnow，herwitsagainstRoughRorke’s；nothingelsecouldsaveher。Shecouldnotevenmakeouttheman’sform，itwassodark；but，ashehadnotmoved，shewasquitewellawarethathewasstandingwithhisbacktothedoor，evidentlytryingtoplacehissurroundings。
ItwasGypsyNan，notRhodaGray，whospoke。
“Who’sdere？“shescreeched。“D’yehear，blastyouse，who’sdere？“
RoughRorkelaughedgratingly。
“Thatyou，Nan，mydear？“
“Whod’youset’inkitis-megran’mother？“demandedRhodaGraycaustically。“Whoareyouse？“
“Rorke，“saidRorkeshortly。“Iguessyouknow，don’tyou？“
“Isdatso？“snortedRhodaGray。“Wellden，yousecanbeatit-hopit-ondejump！Wott’hellrighthaveyousegotbustin’intomeroomatdistimeofnight-eh？Iain’tdonenothin’！“
RoughRorke，hisfeetscufflingtofeeltheway，cameforward。
“Cutitout！“hesnarled。“Iain’ttheonlyvisitoryou’vegot！
It’snotyouIwant；it’stheWhiteMoll。“
“Wot’sdatgottodowidme？“RhodaGrayflungbackhotly。“Sheain’there，isshe？“
“Yes，she’shere！“RoughRorke’svoiceheldanuglymenace。“Ilostheraroundthecorner，butawomanfromawindowacrossthestreet，whoheardtherow，sawherrunintothishouse。Sheain’tdownstairs-soyoucanfiguretherestoutthesamewayIdo。“
“Dewomanwaskiddin’youse！“RhodaGray，aliasGypsyNan，cackledderisively。“Dereain’tnobodyherebutme。“
“We’llseeaboutthat！“saidRoughRorkeshortly。“Strikealight！“
“Aw，strikeityerself！“retortedRhodaGray。“Iain’tyerservant！
Dere’sacandleoverdereondewashstandagainstdewall，ifyousewantsit。“
Amatchcrackledandspurtedintoflame；itslightfelluponthelampstandingonthechairbesidethebed。RoughRorkesteppedtowardit。
“Dereain’tanyoilindat，“croakedRhodaGray。“Didn’tItellyousedecandlewasoverdereondewashstand，an’-“
Thewordsseemedtofreezeinherthroat，thechair，thelamp，theshadowyfigureofthemaninthematchflametoswirlbeforehereyes，andasicknauseatocomeuponhersoulitself。Withashort，triumphantoath，RoughRorkehadstoppedsuddenlyandreachedinunderthechair。Andnowhewasdanglinganew，blackkidgloveinfrontofher。Caught！Yes，shewascaught！SherememberedGypsyNan’sattempttoputonhergloves-onemusthavefallentothefloorunnoticedbyeitherofthemwhenGypsyNanhadthoughttoputtheminherpocket！Theman’svoicecametoherasfromsomegreatdistance:
“So，sheain’there-ain’tshe！I’llteachyoutolietome！
I’ll-“Thematchwasdyingout。Rorkeraisedithigher，andwiththelastflickerlocatedthewashstand，andmadetowardit，obviouslyforthecandle。
HerwitsagainstRoughRorke’s！Nothingelsecouldsaveher！
Failingtofindanyoneherebutherself，certainnowthattheWhiteMollwashere，onlyafoolcouldhavefailedinhisdeduction-andRoughRorkewasnotafool。HerwitsagainstRoughRorke’s！Therewasthetimeleftherwhilethegarretwasstillindarkness，justthat，nomore！
Withaquickspringsheleapedfromthebed，seizedthechair，sendingthelamptothefloor，and，draggingthechairafterhertomakeasmuchnoiseandconfusionasshecould，sherushedforthedoor，screechingatthetopofhervoice:
“Run，dearie，run！Run！“Shewasscufflingwithherfeet，clatteringthechair，asshewrenchedthedooropen。Andthen，inherownvoice:“Nan，Iwon’t！Iwon’tletyoustandforthis，I-“
ThenasGypsyNanagain:“Run，dearie！Don’tyousemindoldNan！“
Shebangedthedoorshut，lockedit，andwhippedoutthekey。Ithadtakenscarcelyasecond。Shewasstillscreechingatthetopofhervoicetocovertheabsenceofflyingfootersonthestairs。“Run，dearie，run！Run！“
Andthen，inthedarkness，thecandlestillunlighted，RoughRorkewasonherlikeamadman。Withasweepofhisarmhesenthercrashingtothefloor，andwrenchedatthedoor。Thenextinstanthewasonheragain。
“Thekey！Givemethatkey！“heroared。