the white moll-第18章

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herself　of　the　guilt　attributed　to　her。　　For　she　could　see　no　other
way　but　one　…　that　of　exposing　and　proving　the　guilt　of　this　vile
clique　who　now　surrounded　her；　and　who　had　actually　instigated　and
planned　the　crime　of　which　she　was　accused。　　And　it　was　not　an　easy
task！

And　then　there　were　those　outside　this　unholy　circle　who　kept
forcing　their　existence　upon　her　consciousness；　because　they；　too；
played　an　intimate　part　in　the　sordid　drama　which　revolved　around
her；　and　whose　end　she　could　not　foresee。　　There　was；　for　instance
…　the　Adventurer。　　She　drew　in　her　breath　quickly。　　She　felt　the
color　creep　slowly　upward；　and　tinge　her　throat　and　cheeks　…　and
then　the　little　chin；　strong　and　firm；　was　lifted　in　a　sort　of
self…defiant　challenge。　　True；　the　man　had　been　a　great　deal　in
her　thoughts；　but　that　was　only　because　her　curiosity　was　piqued；
and　because　on　two　occasions　now　she　had　had　very　real　cause　for
gratitude　to　him。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　the　Adventurer；　she
would　even　now　be　behind　prison　bars。　　Why　shouldn't　she　think　of
him？　　She　was　not　an　ingrate！　　Why　shouldn't　she　be　interested？
There　was　something　piquantly　mysterious　about　the　man　…　who　called
himself　an　adventurer。　　She　would　even　have　given　a　good　deal　to
know　who　he　really　was；　and　how　he；　too；　came　to　be　so　conversant
with　Danglar's　plans　as　fast　as　they　were　matured；　and　why；　on
those　two　particular　occasions；　he　had　not　only　gone　out　of　his
way　to　be　of　service　to　her；　but　had　done　so　at　very　grave　risk　to
himself。　　Of　course；　she　was　interested　in　him　…　in　that　way。　　How
could　she　help　it？　　But　in　any　other　way　…　the　little　chin　was
still　tilted　defiantly　upward　…　even　the　suggestion　was　absurd。
The　man　might　be　chivalrous；　courageous；　yes；　outwardly；　even　a
gentleman　in　both　manner　and　appearance；　he　might　be　all　those
things；　and；　indeed；　was　…　but　he　was　a　thief；　a　professional
thief　and　crook。　　It　seemed　very　strange；　of　course；　but　she　was
judging　him；　not　alone　from　the　circumstances　under　which　they　had
met　and　been　together；　but　from　what　he　had　given　her　to　understand
about　himself。

The　defiance　went　suddenly　from　her　face；　and；　for　a　moment；　her
lips　quivered　a　little　helplessly。　　It　was　all　so　very　strange；　and
so　forbidding；　and　…　and；　perhaps　she　hadn't　the　stout　heart　that
a　man　would　have　…　but　she　did　not　understand；　and　she　could　not
see　her　way　through　the　darkness　that　was　like　a　pall　wrapped　about
her　…　and　it　was　hard　just　to　grope　out　amidst　surroundings　that
revolted　her　and　made　her　soul　sick。　　It　was　hard　to　do　this　and
…　and　still　keep　her　courage　and　her　faith。

She　shook　her　head　presently　as　she　went　along；　shook　it
reprovingly　at　herself；　and　the　little　shoulders　squared　resolutely
back。　　There　must　be；　and　there　would　be；　a　way　out　of　it　all；　and
meanwhile　her　position；　bad　as　it　was；　was　not　without；　at　least；
a　certain　compensation。　　There　had　been　the　Sparrow　the　other　night
whom　she　had　been　able　to　save；　and　to…night　there　was　Nicky　Viner。
She　could　not　be　blind　to　that。　　Who　knew！　　It　might　be　for　just
such　very　purposes　that　her　life　had　been　turned　into　these　new
channels！

She　looked　around　her　sharply　now。　　She　had　reached　the　lower
section　of　Sixth　Avenue。　　Perlmer's　office；　according　to　the　address
given；　was　still　a　little　farther　on。　　She　walked　briskly。　　It　was
very　different　to…night；　thanks　to　her　veil！　　It　had　been　horrible
that　other　night；　when　she　had　ventured　out　as　the　White　Moll　and
had　been　forced　to　keep　to　the　dark　alleyways　and　lanes；　and　the
unfrequented　streets！

And　now；　through　a　jeweler's　window；　she　noted　the　time；　and　knew
a　further　sense　of　relief。　　It　was　even　earlier　than　she　had
imagined。　　It　was　not　quite　ten　o'clock；　she　would；　at　least；　be
close　on　the　heels　of　Perlmer's　departure　from　his　office；　if　not
actually　ahead　of　time；　and　therefore　she　would　be　first　on　the
scene；　and　…　yes；　this　was　the　place；　here　was　Perlmer's　name
amongst　those　on　the　name…plate　at　the　street　entrance　of　a　small
three…story　building。

She　entered　the　hallway；　and　found　it　deserted。　　It　was　a　rather
dirty　and　unkempt　place；　and　very　poorly　lighted　…　a　single
incandescent　alone　burned　in　the　hall。　　Perlmer's　room；　so　the
name…plate　indicated；　was　Number　Eleven；　and　on　the　next　floor。

She　mounted　the　stairs；　and　paused　on　the　landing　to　look　around
her　again。　　Here；　too；　the　hallway　was　lighted　by　but　a　single
lamp；　and　here；　too；　an　air　of　desertion　was　in　evidence。　　The
office　tenants；　it　was　fairly　obvious；　were　not　habitual　night
workers；　for　not　a　ray　of　light　came　from　any　of　the　glass…paneled
doors　that　flanked　both　sides　of　the　passage。　　She　nodded　her　head
sharply　in　satisfaction。　　It　was　equally　obvious　that　Perlmer　had
already　gone。　　It　would　take　her　but　a　moment；　then；　unless　the
skeleton　keys　gave　her　trouble。　　She　had　never　used　a　key　of　that
sort；　but　…　She　moved　quietly　down　the　hallway；　and；　looking　quickly
about　her　to　assure　herself　again　that　she　was　not　observed；　stopped
before　the　door　of　Room　Number　Eleven。

A　moment　she　hung　there；　listening；　then　she　slipped　the　skeleton
keys　from　her　pocket；　and；　in　the　act　of　inserting　one　of　them
tentatively　into　the　keyhole；　she　tried　the　door　…　and　with　a　little
gasp　of　surprise　returned　the　keys　hurriedly　to　her　pocket。　　The
door　was　unlocked；　it　had　even　opened　an　inch　already　under　her　hand。

Again　she　looked　around　her；　a　little　startled　now；　and　instinctively
her　hand　in　her　pocket　exchanged　the　keys　for　her　revolver。　　But　she
saw　nothing；　heard　nothing；　and　it　was　certainly　dark　inside　there；
and　therefore　only　logical　to　conclude　that　the　room　was　unoccupied。

Reassured；　she　pushed　the　door　cautiously　and　noiselessly　open；　and
stepped　inside；　and　closed　the　door　behind　her。　　She　stood　still　for
an　instant；　and　then　the　round；　white　ray　of　her　flashlight　went
dancing　inquisitively　around　the　office。　　It　was　a　medium…sized　room；
far　from　ornate　in　its　appointments；　bare　floored；　the　furniture　of
the　cheapest　…　Perlmer's　clientele　did　not　insist　on　oriental　rugs
and　mahogany！

Her　appraisal　of　the　room；　however；　was　but　cursory。　　She　was
interested　only　in　the　flat…topped　desk　in　front　of　her。　　She
stepped　quickly　around　it　…　and　stopped…and　a　low　cry　of　dismay　came
from　her　as　she　stared　at　the　floor。　　The　lower　drawer　had　been
completely　removed；　and　now　lay　upturned　beside　the　swivel　chair；
its　contents　strewn　around　in　all　directions。

And　for　a　moment　she　stared　at　the　scene；　nonplused；　discomfited。
She　had　been　so　sure　that　she　would　be　first　…　and　she　had　not　been
first。　　There　was　no　need　to　search　amongst　those　papers　on　the
floor。　　They　told　their　own　story。　　The　ones　she　wanted　were　already
gone。

In　a　numbed　way；　mechanically；　she　retreated　to　the　door；　and；　with
the　flashlight　playing　upon　it；　she　noticed　for　the　first　time　that
the　lock　had　been　roughly　forced。　　It　was　but　corroborative　of　the
despoiled　drawer；　and；　at　the　same　time；　the　obvious　reason　why　the
door　had　not　been　relocked　when　whoever　had　come　here　had　gone　out
again。

Whoever　had　come　here！　　She　could　have　laughed　out　hysterically。
Was　there　any　doubt　as　to　who　it　was？　　One　of　Danglar's　emissaries；
the　Cricket；　perhaps…or　perhaps　even　Danglar　himself！　　They　had
seen　to　it　that　lack　of　prompt　action；　at　least；　would　not　be　the
cause　of　marring　their　plans。

A　little　dazed；　overwrought；　confused　at　the　ground　being　cut　from
under　her　where　she　had　been　so　confident　of　a　sure　footing；　she
made　her　way　out　of　the　building；　and　to　the　street　…　and　for　a
block　walked　almost　aimlessly　along。　　And　then　suddenly　she　turned
hurriedly　into　a　cross　street；　and　headed　over　toward　the　East　Side。
The　experience　had　not　been　a　pleasant　one；　and　it　had　upset　most
thoroughly　all　her　calculations；　but　it　was　very　far；　after　all；
from　being　disastrous。　　It　meant　simply　that　she　must　now　find
Nicky　Viner　himself　and　warn　the　man；　and　there　was　ample　time　in
which　to　do　that。　　The　code　message　specifically　stated　midnight
as　the　hour　at　which　they　proposed　to　favor　old　Viner　with　their
unhallowed　attentions；　and　as　it　was　but　a　little　after　ten　now；
she　had　nearly　a　full　two　hours　in　which　to　accomplish　what　should
not　take　her　more　than　a　few　minutes。

Rhoda　Gray's　lips　tightened　a　little；　as　she　hurried　along。　　Old
Nicky　Viner　still　lived　in　the　same　disreputable　tenement　in　which
he　had　lived　on　the　night　of　that　murder　two　years　ago；　and　she
could　not　ward　off　the　thought　that　it　had　been　…　yes；　and　was　…　an
ideal　place　for　a　murder；　from　the　murderer's　standpoint！　　The
neighborhood　was　one　of　the　toughest　in　New　York；　and　the　tenement
itself　was　frankly　nothing　more　than　a　den　of　crooks。　　True；　she
had　visited　there　more　than　once；　had　visited　Nicky　Viner　there；
but　she　had　gone　there　then　as　the　White　Moll；　to　whom　even　the
most　abandoned　would　have　touched　his　cap。　　To…night　it　was　very
different　…　she　went　there　as　a　woman。　　And　yet；　after　all　…　she
amended　her　own　thoughts；　smiling　a　little　seriously　…　surely　she
could　disclose　herself　as　the　White　Moll　there　again　to…night　if
the　actual　necessity　arose；　for　surely　crooks；　pokegetters；
shillabers　and　lags　though　they　were；　and　though　the　place　teemed
with　the　dregs　of　the　underworld；　no　one　of　them；　even　for　the
reward　that　might　be　offered；　would　inform　against　her　to　the　police！
And　yet　…　again　the　mental　pendulum　swung　the　other　way　…　she　was
not　so　confident　of　that　as　she　would　like　to　be。　　In　a　general　way
there　could　be　no　question　but　that　she　could　count　on　the　loyalty
of　those　who　lived　there；　but　there　were　always　those　upon　whom　one
could　never　count；　those　who　were　dead　to　all　sense　of　loyalty；　and
alive　only　to　selfish　gain　and　interest　…　a　human　trait　that；　all
too　unfortunately；　was　not　confined　to　those　alone　who　lived　in　that
shadowland　outside　the　law。　　Her　face；　beneath　the　thick　veil；
relaxed　a　little。　　Well；　she　certainly　did　not　intend　to　make　a　test
case　of　it　and　disclose　herself　there　as　the　White　Moll；　if　she
could　help　it！　　She　would　enter　the　tenement　unnoticed　if　she　could；
and　make　her　way　to　Nicky　Viner's　two　miserable　rooms　on　the　second
floor　as　secretively　as　she　could。　　And；　knowing　the　place　as　she
did；　she　was　quite　satisfied　that；　if　she　were　careful　enough　and
cautious　enough；　she　could　both　enter　and　leave　without　being
seen　by　any　one　except；　of　course；　Nicky　Viner。

She　walked　on　quickly。　　Five　minutes；　ten　minutes　passed；　and　now；
in　a　narrow　street；　lighted　mostly　by　the　dull；　yellow　glow　that
seeped　up　from　the　sidewalk　through　basement　entrances；　queer　and
forbidding　portals　to　sinister　interiors；　or　filtered　through　the
dirty　windows　of　uninviting　little　shops　that　ran　the　gamut　from
Chinese　laundries　to　oyster　dens；　she　halted；　drawn　back　in　the
shadows　of　a　doorway；　and　studied　a　tenement　building　that　was
just　ahead　of　her。　　That　was　where　old　Nicky　Viner　lived。　　A　smile
of　grim　whimsicality　touched　her　lips。　　Not　a　light　showed　in　the
place　from　top　to　bottom。　　From　its　exterior　it　might　have　been
uninhabited；　even　long　deserted。　　But　to　one　who　knew；　it　was　quite
the　normal　condition；　qu