第13章
Itwasafacethatwascrownedwithverythinwhitehair，anditseyeswerethesaddestshehadeverseen，andyettheywerebrave，steadyoldeyesthathadnotlosttheirfaith；norhadtheold，care-linedfaceitself，inspiteofsuffering，lostitsgentlenessandsweetness。Andthensuddenlyitseemedtochange，thatface，andbecomewreathedinsmiles，andhappytearstoruncoursingdownthewrinkledcheeks。Yes，sheremembered！Ithadbroughtthetearstoherowneyes。ItwasthenightthatthewaywardSparrow，homefromthepenitentiary，onhisknees，hisheadburiedinhismother’slap，hadswornthathewouldgostraight。
Fear！Itseemedasthoughsheneverhadknown，nevercouldknowfear-thatonlyamerciless，tigerish，unbridledfuryhadherinitsthrall。Andshewentonup，stepafterstep，asDanglarspokeagain:
“There’snothingtoit！TheSparrowtherefellforthetelephonewhenStevieplayedthedoctor。AndoldHayden-Bondofcoursegrantshisprison-birdchauffeur’srequesttospendthenightwithhismother，whothedoctorsaysistakenworse，becausetheoldguyknowsthereisamotherwhoreallyissick。OnlyMr。Hayden-Bond，andthepolicewithhim，willmaybefigureitalittledifferentlyinthemorningwhentheyfindthesafelooted，andthattheSparrow，insteadofevergoingnearthepoorolddame，hasflownthecoopandcan’tbefound。Andincasethere’sanylingeringdoubtintheirminds，thatpieceofpaperwiththegrease-smudgesandtheSparrow’sgreasyfinger-printsonit，thatyourememberwecoppedafewdaysagointhegarage，willsetthemstraight。TheCricketslippeditinamongthepapershepulledoutofthesafeandtossedaroundonthefloor。Itlooksasthoughatoolhadbeenwipedwithitwhilethesafewasbeingcracked，andthatitgotcoveredoverbythestuffthatwasemptiedout，andhadbeenforgotten。Iguesstheywon’tbelongincomparingthefinger-printswiththeonestheSparrowkindlyleftwiththemwhentheymeasuredhimforhisstripedsuitthetimetheysenthimuptheriver-eh？“
RhodaGraycouldseenow。Hereyeswereonalevelwiththelanding，anddiagonallyacrossfromtheheadofthestairswastheopendoorwayofalightedroom。Shecouldnotseealloftheinterior，butshecouldseequiteenough。Twomensat，sidefacetoher，oneateachendofarough，dealtable-Danglar，andanugly，pock-marked，unshavenman，inapeakedcapthatwasdrawndownoverhiseyes，whowhittledatastickwithahugejack-knife。ThelatterwasSkeeny，obviously；andthejack-knifeandthestick，quiteasobviously，explainedDanglar’sfacetiousreferencetowood-carving。Andthenhereyesshifted，andwidenedastheyrestedonahuddledformthatshecouldseebylookingunderandbeyondthetable，andthatlaysprawledoutagainstthefarwalloftheroom。
Skeenypushedthepeakofhiscapbackwiththepointofhisknife-blade。
“What’sthehaulsizeupat？“hedemanded。“Anythinginthesafebesidestheshiners？“
“Afewhundreddollars，“Danglarreplied。“Idon’tknowexactlyhowmuch。ItoldtheCrickettodivideitupamongtheboyswhodidtheroughwork。That’sgoodenough，isn’tit，Skeeny？Itgivesyoualittleextra。You’llgetyours。“
Skeenygruntedcompliance。
“Well，let’shavealookatthewhiteones，then，“hesaid。
RhodaGraywasstandinguprightinthelittlehallwaynow，andnow，pressedcloseagainstthewall，sheedgedtowardthedoor-jamb。
Andaqueer，grimlittlesmilecameandtwistedthesensitivelips，asshedrewherrevolverfromherpocket。Themerciless，pitilesswayinwhichthenewspapershadflayedtheWhiteMollwasnot，afterall，tobewhollyregretted！Thecool，cleverresourcefulness，theyearsofrecklessdaringattributedtotheWhiteMoll，wouldstandheringoodsteadnow。EverybodyontheEastSideknewherbysight。
Thesemenknewher。Itwasnotmerelyawomanambitiouslyattemptingtobeardtwomenwho，perhaps，holdinghersexincontemptinanadventureofthiskind，mightthrowdiscretiontothewindsandgivescantrespecttoherrevolver，forbehindthemuzzleofthatrevolverwasthereputationoftheWhiteMoll。Theywouldtakeheratfacevalue-asonewhonotonlyknewhowtousethatrevolver，butasonewhowouldnothesitateaninstanttodoso。
FromtheroomsheheardSkeenywhistlelowunderhisbreath，asthoughinsuddenandamazeddelight-andthenshewasstandingfullintheopendoorway，andherrevolverinheroutflung，glovedhandcoveredthetwomenatthetable。
TherewasastartledcryfromSkeeny，ascintillatingflashoflightasamagnificentstringofdiamondsfellfromhishandtothetable。
ButDanglardidnotmoveorspeak；onlyhislipstwitched，andaqueerwhitenesscameandspreaditselfoverhisface。
“Putupyourhands-bothofyou！“sheordered，inalow，tensevoice。
ItwasSkeenywhospoke，asbothmenobeyedher。“TheWhiteMoll，sohelpme！“hemumbled，andswallowedhard。
Danglar’seyesneverseemedtoleaveherface，andtheynarrowednow，fullofhatredandafurythatliemadenoattempttoconceal。
Shesmiledathimcoldly。Shequiteunderstood！HehadalreadycomplainedthateveningthattheWhiteMollforthelastfewweekshadbeenrobbingthemofthefruitsoftheirlaboriouslyplannedschemes。Andnow-again！Well，shewouldnotdispelhisillusion！
HehadgiventheWhiteMollthatrole-anditwasthesafestroletoplay。
Shesteppedforwardnow，andwithherfreehandsuddenlypulledthetabletowardheroutoftheirreach；andthen，asshepickedupthenecklace，sheappearedforthefirsttimetobecomeawareofthepresenceofthehuddledformonthefloornearthewall。ShecouldseethattheSparrowwasboundandgagged，andashesquirmednowheturnedhisfacetowardher。
“Why，it’stheSparrow，isn’tit？“sheexclaimedsharply；then，evenly，tothetwomen:“Ihadnoideayouweresohospitable！
Pushyourchairsclosertogether-withyourfeet，notyourhands！
Youareeasiertowatchifyouarenottoofarapart。“
Danglercompliedsullenly。Skeeny，overthescrapingofhischairlegs，cursedinasortofunnervedabandon，asheobeyedher。
“Thankyou！“saidRhodaGraypleasantly-andcalmlytuckedthenecklaceintoherbodice。
TheactseemedtorouseDanglartothelastpitchoffury。Thebloodrushedinanangrytidetohisface，and，suffusing，purpledhischeeks。
“Thisisn’tthefirstcrackyou’vemade！“heflungouthoarsely。
“You’vebeengettingwisetoawholelotlatelysomehow，youandthatdudepalofyours，butyou’llpayforit，youfemaledevil！
Understand？ByGod，you’llpayforit！Ipromiseyouthatyou’llprayyetonyourbendedkneesforthechancetotakeyourownlife！
Doyouhear？“
“Ihear，“saidRhodaGraycoldly。
Shepickedupthejack-knifefromthetable，andkeepingbothmencovered，steppedbackwardtothewall。Here，kneeling，shereachedbehindherwithherlefthand，andfeltfor，andcuttheheavycordthatboundtheSparrow’sarms；then，pushingtheknifeintotheSparrow’shandsthathemightfreehimselffromtherestofhisbonds，shestoodupagain。
Amomentmore，andtheSparrow，rubbingthecirculationbackintohiswrists，stoodbesideher。Therewasalookontheyoung，whitefacethatwasnotgoodtosee。Hecircleddrylipswiththetipofhistongueandthenhisthumbbegantofeeloverthebladeofthebigjack-knifeinasortofhorriblysupercriticalappraisalofitsedge。Hespokethicklyforthegagthathadbeeninhismouth。
“Youdirtyskates！“hewhispered。“Youweregoingtobumpmeoff，wereyou？Youplantedmecold，didyou？Oh，hell！“Hislaugh，likethelaughofoneinsane，jangling，discordant，rangthroughtheroom。“Well，it’smyturnnow，and“-hisbodywascoilingitselfinaslow，curious，almostsnake-likefashion-“andyou’ll-“
RhodaGraylaidherhandontheSparrow’sarm。
“Notthatway，Marty，“shesaidquietly。ShesmiledthinlyatDanglar，who，withgenuinelyfrightenedeyesnow，seemedfascinatedbytheSparrow’smovements。“Iwouldn’tcaretohaveanythinghappentoMr。Danglar-yet。Hehasbeeninvaluabletome，andI
amsurehewillbeagain。“
TheSparrowbrushedhishandsacrosshiseyes，andstaredather。
Helickedhislipsagain。Heappearedtobeobsessedwiththeknife-bladeinhishand-dazedinastrangewaytoallelse。
“There’senoughcordthereforbothofthem，“saidRhodaGraycrisply。“Tiethemintheirchairs，Marty。“
ForamomenttheSparrowhesitated；andthen，withasortofqueerreluctancy，hedroppedtheknifeonthetable，andwentandpickedupthestrandsofcordfromthefloor。
Noonespoke。TheSparrow，withtwitchinglipsasheworked，andworkednotgently，boundfirstDanglarandthenSkeenytotheirrespectivechairs。Skeenyforthemostpartkepthiseyesonthefloor，castingonlyfurtiveglancesatRhodaGray’srevolvermuzzle。
ButDanglarwassmilingnow。Hehadverywhiteteeth。Therewassomethingofprimal，insensatefuryinthehard-drawn，partedlips。
SomehowheseemedtoremindRhodaGrayofabeast，stungtomadness，butimpotentbehindthebarsofitscage，asitshoweditsfangs。
“We’llgonow，Marty，“shesaidsoftly，astheSparrowfinished。
ShemotionedtheSparrowwithanimperiouslittlenodofherheadtothedoor。Andthen，followingtheother，shebackedtothedoorherself，andhaltedaninstantonthethreshold。
“Ithasbeenaveryprofitableevening，Mr。Danglar，“shesaidcoolly。“Ihaveyoutothankforit。Whenyourfriendscome，whichIthinkIheardyousaywouldbeinanotherhourorso，Ihopeyouwillnotfailtoconveytothemmy-“