第8章

Foranswersheflungitfromher。Itfellwithatinkleontheflooratthefarendofthegarret。Themanwasbesidehimselfwithrage。

“Damnyou，ifIhadtime，I’dwringyourneckforthis，youshe-devil！“hebawled-andracedback，evidentlyforthecandleonthewashstand。

RhodaGray，sprawledonthefloorwherehehadthrownher，didnotmove-excepttotaketherevolverfromthepocketofherdress。Shewascrooningqueerlytoherself，asshewatchedRoughRorkelightthecandleandgropearoundonthefloor:

“Shewasgoodtome，deWhiteMollwas。Jelliesan’t’ingsshebroughtme，shedid。An’GypsyNandon’tferret。GypsyNandon’t-“

Shesatupsuddenly，snarling。Rorkehadfoundthekey，leftthebottlewiththeshortstubofgutteringcandlestandingonthefloor，andwasbackagain。

“ByGod！“hegrittedthroughhisteeth，ashejabbedthekeywithfrantichasteintothelock。“I’llfixyouforthis！“Hemadeaclutchatherthroat，asheswungthedooropen。

Shejerkedherselfbackward，eludinghim，herrevolverleveled。

“Yousekeepyerdirtypawsoffme！“shescreamed。“Yah，wotcanyousedo！WotdoIcare！Shewasgoodtome，shewas，an-“

RoughRorkewasgone-takingthestairsthreeandfouratatime。

Thensheheardthestreetdoorslam。

Sheroseslowlytoherfeet-andsuddenlyreachedout，graspingatthedoortosteadyherself。Itseemedasthougheverymusclehadgonelimp，asthoughherlimbshadnotstrengthtosupporther。

Andforamomentshehungthere，thenshelockedthedoor，staggeredback，sankdownontheedgeofthebed，and，withherchininherhands，staredatthegutteringstubofcandle。Andpresently，inanalmostaimless，mechanicalway，shefeltinherpocketforthepieceofpaperthatshehadfoundwrappedaroundthekey，anddrewitout。Therewerethreefiguresscrawleduponit-nothingelse。

Shedroppedherchininherhandsagain，andstaredagainatthecandle。Andafterawhilethecandlewentout。

Twenty-Fourhourshadpassed。Twentyfourhours！Wasitnomorethanthatsince-RhodaGray，intheguiseofGypsyNan，asshesatontheedgeofthedisreputable，poverty-strickencot，grewsuddenlytense，holdingherbreathasshelistened。Thesoundreachedtheatticsofaintlythatitmightbebuttheproductsolelyoftheimagination。No-itcameagain！Anditevendefineditselfnow-astealthyfootsteponthelowerstairs。

Asmall，leather-boundnotebook，inwhichshehadbeenengrossed，wastuckedinstantlyawayunderthesoiledblanket，andsheglancedsharplyaroundthegarret。Anewcandle，whichshehadboughtinthesingleexcursionshehadventuredtomakefromthehouseduringtheday，wasstuckintheneckoftheginbottle，andburnednowonthechairbesideher。Shehadnotboughtanewlamp-itgavetoomuchlight！Theoldone，thepiecesofit，layoverthere，brushedintoaheapinthecorneronthefloor。

Thefootstepbecamemoreaudible。Herlipstightenedalittle。Thehourwaslate。Itmustbealreadyaftereleveno’clock。Hereyesgrewperturbed。Perhapsitwasonlyoneoftheunknowntenantsofthefloorbelowgoingtohisorherroom；but，ontheotherhand，noonehadcomenearthegarretsincelastnight，whenthatstrangeand，yes，sinistertrickoffatehadthrustuponherthepersonalityofGypsyNan，anditwashopingfortoomuchtoexpectsuchseclusiontoobtainmuchlonger。Thereweretoomanywhomustbeinterested，vitallyinterested，inGypsyNan！TherewasRoughRorke，ofheadquarters；hehadgivennosign，butthatdidnotmeanhehadlostinterestinGypsyNan。TherewasthedeathoftherealGypsyNan，whichwaspregnantwithpossibilities；andthoughthenewspapers，thatshe，RhodaGray，hadboughtandscannedwithsuchtragiceagerness，hadsaidnothingaboutthedeathofoneCharlotteGreeninthehospital，muchlesshadgivenanyhintthattheidentityGypsyNanhadriskedsomuchtohidehadbeendiscovered，itdidnotmeanthatthepolice，withtheirownendsinview，mightnotbefullyinformed，andwerebutkeepingtheirowncounselwhiletheybaitedatrap。

Also，andevenmoretobefeared，therewerethoseofthiscriminalorganizationtowhichGypsyNanhadbelonged，andtowhichshe，RhodaGray，throughasortofhideousproxy，nowbelongedherself！

Soonerorlater，theymustshowtheirhands，andthetestofheridentitywouldcome。Andhereherdangerwasthegreaterbecauseshedidnotknowwhoanyofthemwere，unlessthemanwhohadsteppedinbetweenRoughRorkeandherselflastnightwasoneofthem-whichwasaquestionthathadharassedherallday。Themanhadbeennomoredrunkthanshehadbeen，andhehadobviouslyonlyplayedtheparttogetheroutoftheclutchesofRoughRorke；but，againstthis，hehadseenhersimplyasherselfthen，theWhiteMoll，andwhatcouldthecriminalassociatesofGypsyNanhavecaredastowhatbecameoftheWhiteMoll？

Anewspaper，toprocurewhichhadbeentheprimemotivethathadluredheroutofherretreatthatafternoon，caughthereyenow，andsheshiveredalittleas，fromwhereitlayonthefloor，theheadlinesseemedtoleerupather，andmock，andmenaceher。

“TheWhiteMoll……TheSaintoftheEastSideExposed……ViciousHypocrisy……LowlyCharityforYearsCloaksaConsummateThief……“

Theyhadnotsparedher！

Herlipsfirmedsuddenly，asshelistened。Thestealthyfootfallhadnotpausedinthehallbelow。Itwasontheshort，ladder-likestepsnow，leadingupheretothegarret-andnowithadhaltedoutsideherdoor，andtherecamealow，insistentknockingonthepanels。

“Who’sdere？“demandedRhodaGray，aliasGypsyNan，inagrumblingtone，as，gettingupfromthebed，shemovedthechairnoiselesslyafewfeetfartheraway，sothatthebedwouldbebeyondtheimmediateradiusofthecandlelight。Thensheshuffledacrossthefloortothedoor。“Who’sdere？“shedemandedagain，andherhand，deepinthevoluminouspocketofGypsyNan’sgreasyskirt，closedtightlyaroundthestockofGypsyNan’srevolver。

Thevoicethatansweredherexpostulatedinaplaintivewhisper:

“Mydearlady！AndafterallthetroubleIhavetakentoreachherewithoutbeingeitherseenorheard！“

ForaninstantRhodaGrayhesitated-thereseemedsomethingfamiliaraboutthevoice-thensheunlockedthedoor，andretreatedtowardthebed。

Thedooropenedandclosedsoftly。RhodaGray，reachingtheedgeofthebed，satdown。Itwasthefashionably-attired，immaculateyoungman，whohadsavedherfromRoughRorkelastnight。Shestaredathiminthefaintlightwithoutaword。Hermindwasracinginamadturmoilofdoubt，uncertainty，fear。Washeoneofthegang，ornot？Wasshe，intheroleofGypsyNan，supposedtoknowhim，ornot？DidheknowthattherealGypsyNan，too，hadbutplayedapart，and，therefore，whenshespokemustitbeinthevernacularoftheEastSide-ornot？Andthensuddenenlightenment，withitsincidentrelief，cametoher。

“Mydearlady“-theyoungman’ssoftfelthatwasunderhisarm，andhewaspluckingdaintilyatthefingersofhisyellowglovesasheremovedthem-“Ibegyoutopardontheintrusionofaperfectstranger。Iofferyoumyverygenuineapologies。MyexcuseisthatIcomefroma-IhopeIamnotoversteppingtheboundsinusingtheterm-mutualfriend。“RhodaGraysnorteddisdainfully。

“Aw，cutoutdeboudoirtalk，an’getdowntocases！“shecroaked。

“Whoareyouse，anyway？“

Theyoungmanhadgrayeyes-andtheylightedupnowhumorously。

“Boudoir？Ah-yes！Ofcourse！Awfullyneat！“Hiseyes，fromthechairthatheldthecandle，strayedaroundthescantilyfurnished，murkygarretasthoughinsearchofaseat，andfinallyrestedinquiringlyonRhodaGray。

“Yousecanputdecandleondefloor，ifyouselike，“shesaidgrudgingly。“Dat’sdeonlychairdereis。“

“Thankyou！“hesaid。

RhodaGraywatchedhimwithpuckeredbrow，asheplacedtheginbottlewithitscandleonthefloor，andappropriatedthechair。

Hemight，fromhistone，havebeenthankingherforsomepricelessboon。Heworeaboutonniere。Hisclothesfittedhimlikegloves。

Heexudedacertainstudied，almostlanguidfastidiousness-thatwaswhollyoutofkeepingwiththequick，daring，agilewitthathehadexhibitedthenightbefore。Shefoundherhandtoyingunconsciouslywiththeweaponinherpocket。Shewasawarethatshewasfencingwithunbuttonedfoils。Howmuchdidheknow-aboutlastnight？

“Well，whydon’tyousespillit？“sheinvitedcurtly。“Whoareyouse？“

“WhoamI？“Heliftedthelapelofhiscoat，carryingtheboutonnieretohisnose。“Mydearlady，Iamanadventurer。“

“Yousedon’tsay！“observedRhodaGray，aliasGypsyNan。“An’wot’sdatw’enit’sathome？“

“Inmycase，firstofallagentleman，Itrust，“hesaidpleasantly；

“afterthat，Idonotquarrelwiththeaccepteddefinitionoftheterm-thoughitisnotaltogethercomplimentary。“

RhodaGrayscowled。AsRhodaGray，shemighthaveansweredhim；asGypsyNan，itwastoosubtle，andshewasbeyondherdepth。

“Youselooktomelikeaslickcrook！“shesaidbluntly。

“Iwilladmit，“hesaid，“thatIhaveattimes，perhaps，takenlibertieswiththelaw。“

“Well，den，“shesnapped，“cutoutdehigh-browstuff，an’comeacrosswidwotbroughtyousehere。Iain’tholdin’noreception。

Who’sdefriendyousewastalkin’about？“

TheAdventurerlookedaroundhim，andloweredhisvoice。

“TheWhiteMoll，“hesaid。

RhodaGrayeyedthemanforalongminute；thensheshookherhead。

“ItakebackwotIsaidaboutyousebein’aslickcrook，“sheannouncedcoolly。“Iguessyouse’readickfromheadquarters。

Well，yousehavegotdewrongnumber-see？Mefingersarecrossed。

Trynextdoor！“

TheAdventurer’seyeswerefixedonthenewspaperheadlinesonthefloor。Heraisedthemnowsignificantlytohers。