第15章

Shewentonagain-throughaswingingpantrydoorwithextremecare，andintoasmallhall。“Ontheright，“theSparrowhadsaid。

Yes，hereitwas；adoorthatopenedontherearofthelibrary，evidently。Shelistenedagain。Therewasnosound-savethesilence，thatseemedtogrowloudnow，andpalpitate，andmakegreatnoises。Andnow，inspiteofherself，herbreathwascominginquick，hardlittlecatches，andtheflashlight’sray，thatshesentaroundher，waveredandwasnotsteady。Shebitherlips，assheswitchedoffthelight。Whyshouldshebeafraidofthis，wheninanotherfiveminutesshemeanttoinviteattention！

Shepushedthedoorinfrontofheropen，foundithungwithaheavyportiereinside，brushedtheportiereaside，steppedthroughintotheroom，stoodstillandmotionlesstolistenoncemore，andthentheflashlightcircledinquisitivelyabouther。

Itwasthelibrary。Hereyeswidenedalittle。Atherleft，overagainstthewall，themangleddoorofasafestoodwideopen，andthefloorforaradiusofyardsaroundwaslitteredwithpapersanddocuments。Theflashlight’sraylifted，andshefolloweditwithhereyesasitmadethecircuitofthewalls。Oppositethesafe，andquitenearthedoorwayinwhichshestood，wasawindowrecess，portiered；diagonallyacrossfromherwasanotherdoorthatled，presumably，intothemainhallofthehouse；thewallsweretapestried，andhunghereandtherewithclustersofancienttrophies，greatmetalshields，andswords，andcuriousarms，thatgaveasortofbarbaricsplendortotheluxuriousfurnishingsoftheapartment。

Sheworkedquicklynow。Inamomentshewasatthewindowportieres，and，drawingtheseaside，shequietlyraisedthewindow，andlookedout。Thewindowwasonthesideofthehouseawayfromthecrossstreet，andshenoddedherheadreassuringlytoherselfasshenotedthatitgaveonanarrowstripofgrass，itcouldnotbecalledlawn，thatseparatedtheHayden-Bondmansionfromthehousenextdoor；thatthewindowwaslittlemorethanshoulder-highfromtheground；andthattheAvenuewaswithineasyandinvitingreachalongthatlittlestripofgrassbetweenthetwohouses。

Sheleftthewindowopen，andretracedherstepsacrosstheroom，goingnowtothelitteredmassofpapersonthefloornearthesafe。

Shebegantosearchcarefullyamongstthem。Shesmiledalittlecuriouslyasshecameacrosstheplush-linedjeweler’scasethathadcontainedthenecklace，andwhichhadevidentlybeencontemptuouslydiscardedbytheCricketandhisconfederates；butittookherlongertofindthepaperforwhichshewassearching。

Andthenshecameuponit-agrease-smearedadvertisementforsomeautomobileappliances，awell-definedgreasyfinger-printatoneedge-andthrustthepaperintoherpocket。

Andnowsuddenlyherheartbeatbegantoquickenagainuntilitsthumpingbecametumultuous。Shewasreadynow。Shelookedaroundher，usingtheflashlight，andhereyesrestedappraisinglyononeofthegreatclustersofshieldsandarmsthathunglowdownonthewallbetweenthewindowandthedoorbywhichshehadentered。Yes，thatwoulddo。Herlipstightened。Itwouldhavebeensoeasyiftherehadnotbeenthatcashtoaccountfor！Shecouldreplacethenecklace，butshecouldnotreplacethecash-andone，asfarastheSparrowwasconcerned，wasasbadastheother。Buttherewasaway，anditwassimpleenough。Shewhisperedtoherselfthatitwasnot，afterall，verydangerous，thatthecardswereallinherownhands。Shehadonlytopulldownthoseshieldswithaclattertothefloor，whichwouldarousesomeoneofthehousehold，andasthatsomeonereachedthelibrarydoorandopenedit，shewouldbedisappearingthroughthewindow，andthenecklace，asthoughithadslippedfromherpocketorgraspinherwildefforttoescape，wouldbelyingbehindheronthefloor。TheywouldseethatitwasnottheSparrow；andtherewouldbenoquestionastowherethemoneywasgone，sincethemoneyhadnotbeendropped。

Therewastheinterval，ofcourse，thatmustelapsebetweentheaccidentthatknockedtheshieldsfromthewallandthetimeitwouldtakeanyoftheinmatestoreachthelibrary，anintervalinwhichathiefmightreasonablybeexpectedtohavehadtimeenoughtogetawaywithoutbeingseen；butthepossibilitythatshehadnotfullyaccomplishedherendswhentheaccidentoccurred，andthatshehadstayedtomakefranticanddesperateeffortstodosorightuptothelastmoment，wouldaccountforthat。

Shemovednowtoanelectric-lightswitch，andturnedonthelight。

TheymustbeabletoseebeyondanyquestionofdoubtthatthepersonescapingthroughthewindowwasnottheSparrow。Whatwassheafraidofnow，justatthelast！Therewasanactualphysicaldiscomfortinthefuriousthumpingofthatcowardlylittleheartofhers。Itwastheonlyway。Anditwasworthit。Anditwasnotsoverydangerous。People，arousedoutofbed，couldnotfollowherintheirnightclothes；andinamatterofbutafewminutes，beforethepolicenotifiedbytelephonecouldbecomeafactorintheaffair，shewouldhaveruntheblockdowntheAvenue，andthentheotherblockdownthecrossstreet，thenbacktothetaxi，andbewhirlingsafelydowntown。

Yes，shewasready！Shenoddedherheadsharply，asthoughinimperativeself-command，andrunningback，herfootfallssoundlessontherich，heavyrug，shepickeduptheplush-linednecklacecase。

Shedroppedthisagain，open，onthefloor，halfwaybetweenthesafeandthewindow。Withthecaseapparentlyburstopenasitfell，andthenecklacealsoonthefloor，thestagewouldbeset！

Shefeltinsideherbodice，drewoutthenecklace-andasshestoodthereholdingit，andasitcaughtthelightandflashedbackitsfireandlifefromathousandfacets，anumbnessseemedtocomestealingoverher，andahorror，andagreatfear，andadismaythatrobbedherofpowerofmovementuntilitseemedthatshewasrootedtothespot，andalow，gaspingcrycamefromherlips。Hereyes，widewiththeiralarm，werefixedonthewindow。Therewasaman’sfacethere，justabovethesill-andnowaman’sformswungthroughthewindow，anddroppedlightlytothefloorinsidetheroom。Andshestaredinhorrifiedfascination，andcouldnotmove。ItwastheAdventurer。

“It’sMissGray，isn’tit？TheWhiteMoll？“hemurmuredamiably。

“I’vebeentryingtofindyouallnight。Whatcorkingluck！Yourememberme，don’tyou？Lastnight，youknow。“

Shedidnotanswer。Hiseyeshadshiftedfromherfacetotheglitteringriverofgemsinherhand。

“Isee，“hesmiled，“thatyouareaheadofmeagain。Well，itisthefortuneofwar，MissGray。Idonotcomplain。“

Shefoundhervoiceatlast；and，quickasaflash，asheadvancedastep，shedroppedthenecklaceintoherpocket，andherrevolverwasinherhand。

“W-whatareyoudoinghere？“shewhispered。

Heshruggedhisshouldersexpressively。

“Itakeitthatwearebothinthesameboat，“hesaidpleasantly。

“Inthesameboat？“sheechoeddully。Sherememberedhisconversationwithherafewhoursago，whenhehadbelievedhewastalkingtoGypsyNan。Andnowhestoodbeforeherforthesecondtimeaself-confessedthief。Inthesameboat-fellow-thieves！

Acertaincoldcomposurecametoher。“Youmeanyoucametostealthisnecklace？Well，youshallnothaveit！And，furthermore，youhavenorighttoclassmewithyourselfasathief。“

Hehadawhimsicalandveryengagingsmile。Hiseyebrowslifted。

“MissGrayperhapsforgetslastnight，“hesuggested。

“No，Idonotforgetlastnight，“shesaidslowly，“AndIdonotforgetthatIoweyouverymuchforwhatyoudid。AndthatisonereasonwhyIwarnyouatoncethat，asfarasthenecklaceisconcerned，itwilldoyounogoodtobuildanyhopesonthesuppositionthatwearefellow-thieves，andthatIamlikelyeithertopartwithit，or，throughgratitude，shareit。Inspiteofappearanceslastnight，Iwasnotathief。“

“Andto-night，MissGray-inspiteofappearances？“hechallenged。

Hewasregardingherwitheyesthat，whiletheyappraisedshrewdly，heldalurkinghintofironyintheirdepths。Andsomehow，suddenly，self-proclaimedcrookthoughsheheldhimtobe，shefoundherselfseizedwithanabsurd，unreasonable，butneverthelesspassionate，desiretomakegoodherwords。

“Yes，andto-night，too！“sheasserted。“Ididnotstealthisnecklace。I-nevermindhow-I-Igotit。Itwasplannedtoputthetheftonaninnocentman’sshoulders。Iwastryingtothwartthatplan。Whetheryoubelievemeornot，Ididnotcomeheretostealthenecklace；Icameheretoreturnit。“

“Quiteso！Ofcourse！“acknowledgedtheAdventurersoftly。“I

amafraidIinterruptedyou，then，intheactofreturningit。

MightIsuggest，therefore，MissGray，thatasit’sabitdangeroustolingeraroundhereunnecessarily，youcarryoutyourintentionswithallpossiblehaste，andgetaway。“

“Andyou？“shequeriedevenly。

“Myself，ofcourse，aswell。“Heshruggedhisshouldersphilosophically。“Underthecircumstances，asagentleman-willyouletmesayIpreferthatwordtotheoneIknowyouaresubstitutingforit-whatelsecanIdo？“

Shebitherlips。Washemockingher？Thegrayeyeswereinscrutablenow。

“Thenpleasedonotletmedetainyou！“shesaidsharply。“Andinmyturn，letmeadviseyoutogoatonce。IintendtoknockoneofthoseshieldsdownfromthewallbeforeIgo，inordertoarousethehousehold。Iwill，however，inpartpaymentforlastnight，allowyouthreefullminutesfromthetimeyouclimboutofthatwindow，sothatyoumayhaveampletimetogetaway。

Hestaredatherinfrankbewilderment。

“GoodLord！“hegasped。“You-you’rejoking，MissGray。“