the white moll-第22章

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thief　with　his　pockets　crammed　even　now　with　the　money　that　had
lured　him　almost　to　his　death；　but；　too；　she　was　not　altogether　sure
that　she　distrusted　him。　　But　all　that　was　secondary。　　She　must；　as
soon　as　she　could；　get　back　to　Gypsy　Nan's　garret。　　Like　that　other
night；　she　dared　not　take　the　risk　that　Danglar；　by　any　chance；　might
return　there　…　and　find　her　gone　after　what　had　just　happened。　　The
man　would　be　beside　himself　with　fury；　suspicious　of　everything
…and　suspicion　would　be　fatal　in　its　consequences　for　her。　　And　so
she　must　go。　　And　she　could　not　become　Gypsy　Nan　again　with　the
Adventurer　looking　on！

〃We　part　here；〃　she　said　a　little　unsteadily。　　〃Good…night！〃

〃Oh；　I　say；　Miss　Gray！〃　he　protested　quickly。　　〃You　don't　mean　that！
Why；　look　here；　I　haven't　had　a　chance　to　tell　you　what　I　think；　or
what　I　feel；　about　what　you've　done　to…night　…　for　me。〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃There　is　nothing　you　need　say；〃　she　answered　quietly。　　〃We　are　only
quits。　　You　have　done　quite　as　much　for　me。〃

〃But；　see　here；　Miss　Gray！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃Can't　we　come　to　some
understanding？　　We　seem　to　have　a　jolly　lot　in　common。　　Is　it　quite
necessary；　really　necessary；　that　you　should　keep　me　off　at
arm's…length？　　Couldn't　you　let　down　the　bars　just　a　little？
Couldn't　you　tell　me；　for　instance；　where　I　could　find　you　in　case
of　…　real　necessity？〃

She　shook　her　head　again。

〃No；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　impossible。〃

He　drew　a　little　closer。　　A　sudden　earnestness　deepened　his　voice；
made　it　rasp　a　little；　as　though　it　were　not　wholly　within　control。

〃And　suppose；　Miss　Gray；　that　I　refuse　to　leave　you；　or　to　let　you
go；　now　that　I　have　you　here；　unless　you　give　me　more　of　your
confidence？　　What　then？〃

〃The　other　night；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃you　informed　me；　among　other
things；　that　you　were　a　gentleman。　　I　believed　the　other　things。〃

He　did　not　answer　for　a　moment　…　and　then　he　smiled　whimsically。

〃You　score；　Miss　Gray；〃　he　murmured。

〃Good　night；　then！〃　she　said　again。　　〃I　will　go　by　the　alley　here；
you　by　the　street。〃

〃No！　　Wait！〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃If　nothing　will　change　your　mind
…　and　I　shall　not　be　importunate；　for；　as　we　have　met　three　times
now　through　the　same　peculiar　chain　of　circumstances；　I　know　we
shall　meet　again　…　I　have　something　to　tell　you；　before　you　go。
As　you　already　know；　I　went　to　Gypsy　Nan's　the　night　after　I　first
saw　you；　because　I　felt　you　needed　help。　　I　went　there　in　the　hope
that　she　would　know　where　to　find　you；　and；　failing　in　that；　I　left
a　message　for　you　in　the　hope　that；　since　she　had　tricked　Rorke　in
your　behalf；　you　would　find　means　of　communicating　with　her　again。
But　all　that　is　entirely　changed　now。　　Your　participation　in　that
Hayden…Bond　affair　the　other　night　makes　Gypsy　Nan's　place　the　last
in　all　New　York　to　which　you　should　go。〃

Rhoda　Gray　stared　through　the　semi…darkness；　suddenly　startled；
searching　the　Adventurer's　face。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　demanded　quickly。

〃Just　this；〃　he　answered。　　〃That　where　before　I　hoped　you　would　go
there；　I　have　spent　nearly　all　the　time　since　then　in　haunting　the　
vicinity　of　Gypsy　Nan's　house　to　warn　you　away　in　case　you　should
try　to　reach　her。〃

〃I　…　I　don't　understand；〃　she　said　a　little　uncertainly。

〃It　is　simple　enough；〃　he　said。　　〃Gypsy　Nan　is　now　one　of　those　you
have　most　to　fear。　　Gypsy　Nan　is　merely　a　disguise。　　She　is　no　more
Gypsy　Nan　than　you　are。〃

Rhoda　Gray　caught　her　breath。

〃Not　Gypsy　Nan！〃　she　repeated　…　and　fought　to　keep　her　voice　in
control。　　〃Who　is　she；　then？〃

The　Adventurer　laughed　shortly。

〃She　is　quite　closely　connected　with　that　gentleman　we　left　airing
himself　on　the　fire　escape；〃　he　said　grimly。　　〃Gypsy　Nan　is　Danglar's
wife。〃

It　was　very　strange；　very　curious　…　the　alleyway　seemed　suddenly　to
be　revolving　around　and　around；　and　it　seemed　to　bring　her　a　
giddiness　and　a　faintness。　　The　Adventurer　was　standing　there　before
her；　but　she　did　not　see　him　any　more；　she　could　only　see；　as　from
a　brink　upon　which　she　tottered；　a　gulf；　abysmal　in　its　horror；　that
yawned　before　her。

〃Thank　you　…　thank　you　for　the　warning。〃　　Was　that　her　voice
speaking　so　calmly　and　dispassionately？　　〃I　will　remember　it。　　But
I　must　go　now。　　Good…night　again！〃

He　said　something。　　She　did　not　know　what。　　She　only　knew　that　she
was　hurrying　along　the　alleyway　now；　and　that　he　had　made　no　effort
to　stop　her；　and　that　she　was　grateful　to　him　for　that；　and　that　her
composure；　strained　to　the　breaking　point；　would　have　given　away　if
she　had　remained　with　him　another　instant。　　Danglar's　wife！　　It　was
dark　here　in　the　alley…way；　and　she　did　not　know　where　it　led　to。
But　did　it　matter？　　And　she　stumbled　as　she　went　along。　　But　it　was
not　the　physical　inability　to　see　that　made　her　stumble　…　it　was　a
brain…blindness　that　fogged　her　soul　itself。　　His　wife！　　Gypsy　Nan
was　Danglar's　wife。


XI。　　SOME　OF　THE　LESSER　BREED

Danglar's　wife！　　It　had　been　a　night　of　horror；　a　night　without
sleep；　a　night；　after　the　guttering　candle　had　gone　out；　when　the
blackness　of　the　garret　possessed　added　terrors　created　by　an
imagination　which　ran　riot；　and　which　she　could　not　control。　　She
could　have　fled　from　it；　screaming　in　panic…stricken　hysteria　…　but
there　had　been　no　other　place　as　safe　as　that　was。　　Safe！　　The
word　seemed　to　reach　the　uttermost　depths　of　irony。　　Safe！　　Well；
it　was　true；　wasn't　it？

She　had　not　wanted　to　return　there；　her　soul　itself　had　revolted
against　it；　but　she　had　dared　to　do　nothing　else。　　And　all　through
that　night；　huddled　on　the　edge　of　the　cot　bed；　her　fingers　clinging
tenaciously　to　her　revolver　as　though　afraid　for　even　an　instant
to　relinquish　it　from　her　grasp；　listening；　listening；　always
listening　for　a　footstep　that　might　come　up　from　that　dark　hall
below；　the　footstep　that　would　climax　all　the　terrors　that　had
surged　upon　her；　her　mind　had　kept　on　reiterating；　always　reiterating
those　words　of　the　Adventurer　…　〃Gypsy　Nan　is　Danglar's　wife。〃

And　they　were　still　with　her；　those　words。　　Daylight　had　come　again；
and　passed　again；　and　it　was　evening　once　more；　but　those　words
remained；　insensible　to　change；　immutable　in　their　foreboding。　　And
Rhoda　Gray；　as　Gypsy　Nan；　shuddered　now　as　she　scuffled　along　a
shabby　street　deep　in　the　heart　of　the　East　Side。　　She　was　Danglar's
wife　…　by　proxy。　　At　dawn　that　morning　when　the　gray　had　come
creeping　into　the　miserable　attic　through　the　small　and　dirty　window
panes；　she　had　fallen　on　her　knees　and　thanked　God　she　had　been
spared　that　footstep。　　It　was　strange！　　She　had　poured　out　her　soul
in　passionate　thankfulness　then　that　Danglar　had　not　come　…　and　now
she　was　deliberately　on　her　way　to　seek　Danglar　himself！　　But　the
daylight　had　done　more　than　disperse　the　actual；　physical　darkness
of　the　past　night；　it　had　brought；　if　not　a　measure　of　relief；　at
least　a　sense　of　guidance；　and　the　final　decision；　perilous　though
it　was；　which　she　meant　now　to　put　into　execution。

There　was　no　other　way　…　unless　she　were　willing　to　admit　defeat；
to　give　up　everything；　her　own　good　name；　her　father's　name；　to　run
from　it　all　and　live　henceforth　in　hiding　in　some　obscure　place　far
away；　branded　in　the　life　she　would　have　left　behind　her　as　a
despicable　criminal　and　thief。　　And　she　could　not；　would　not；　do
this　while　her　intuition；　at　least；　inspired　her　with　the　faith　to
believe　that　there　was　still　a　chance　of　clearing　herself。　　It　was
the　throw　of　the　dice；　perhaps　…　but　there　was　no　other　way。
Danglar；　and　those　with　him；　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　crime　of
which　she　was　held　guilty。　　She　could　not　go　on　as　she　had　been
doing；　merely　in　the　hope　of　stumbling　upon　some　clew　that　would
serve　to　exonerate　her。　　There　was　not　time　enough　for　that。
Danglar's　trap　set　for　herself　and　the　Adventurer　last　night　in　old
Nicky　Viner's　room　proved　that。　　And　the　fact　that　the　woman　who
had　originally　masqueraded　as　Gypsy　Nan　…　as　she；　Rhoda　Gray；　was
masquerading　now　…　was　Danglar's　wife；　proved　it　a　thousandfold
more。　　She　could　no　longer　remain　passive；　arguing　with　herself
that　it　took　all　her　wits　and　all　her　efforts　to　maintain　herself
in　the　role　of　Gypsy　Nan；　which　temporarily　was　all　that　stood
between　her　and　prison　bars。　　To　do　so　meant　the　certainty　of
disaster　sooner　or　later；　and　if　it　meant　that；　the　need　for
immediate　action　of　an　offensive　sort　was　imperative。

And　so　her　mind　was　made　up。　　Her　only　chance　was　to　find　her　way
into　the　full　intimacy　of　the　criminal　band　of　which　Danglar　was
apparently　the　head；　to　search　out　its　lair　and　its　personnel；　to
reach　to　the　heart　of　it；　to　know　Danglar's　private　movements；　and
to　discover　where　he　lived　so　that　she　might　watch　him。　　It　surely
was　not　such　a　hopeless　task！　　True；　she　knew　by　name　and　sight
scarcely　more　than　three　of　this　crime　clique；　but　at　least　she　had
a　starting　point　from　which　to　work。　　There　was　Shluker's　junk　shop
where　she　had　turned　the　tables　on　Danglar　and　Skeeny　on　the　night
they　had　planned　to　make　the　Sparrow　their　pawn。　　It　was　obvious；
therefore；　that　Shluker　himself；　the　proprietor　of　the　junk　shop；
was　one　of　the　organization。　　She　was　going　to　Shluker's　now。

Rhoda　Gray　halted　suddenly；　and　stared　wonderingly　a　little　way　up
the　block　ahead　of　her。　　As　though　by　magic　a　crowd　was　collecting
around　the　doorway　of　a　poverty…stricken；　tumble…down　frame　house
that　made　the　corner　of　an　alleyway。　　And　where　but　an　instant
before　the　street's　jostling　humanity　had　been　immersed　in　its
wrangling　with　the　push…cart　men　who　lined　the　curb；　the　carts　were
now　deserted　by　every　one　save　their　owners；　whose　caution　exceeded
their　curiosity　…　and　the　crowd　grew　momentarily　larger　in　front　of
the　house。

She　drew　Gypsy　Nan's　black；　greasy　shawl　a　little　more　closely
around　her　shoulders；　and　moved　forward　again。　　And　now；　on　the
outskirts　of　the　crowd；　she　could　see　quite　plainly。　　There　were
two　or　three　low　steps　that　led　up　to　the　doorway；　and　a　man　and
woman　were　standing　there。　　The　woman　was　wretchedly　dressed；　but
with　most　strange　incongruity　she　held　in　her　hand；　obviously
subconsciously；　obviously　quite　oblivious　of　it；　a　huge　basket　full
to　overflowing　with；　as　nearly　as　Rhoda　Gray　could　judge；　all　sorts
of　purchases；　as　though　out　of　the　midst　of　abject　poverty　a　golden
shower　had　suddenly　descended　upon　her。　　And　she　was　gray；　and　well
beyond　middle　age；　and　crying　bitterly；　and　her　free　hand；　whether
to　support　herself　or　with　the　instinctive　idea　of　supporting　her
companion；　was　clutched　tightly　around　the　man's　shoulders。　　And
the　man　rocked　unsteadily　upon　his　feet。　　He　was　tall　and　angular；
and　older　than　the　woman；　and　cadaverous　of　feature；　and　miserably
thin　of　shoulder；　and　blood　trickled　over　his　forehead　and　down　one
ashen；　hollow　cheek　…　and　above　the　excited　exclamations　of　the
crowd　Rhoda　Gray　heard　him　cough。

Rhoda　Gray　glanced　around　her。　　Where　scarcely　a　second　before　she
had　been　on　the　outer　fringe　of　the　crowd；　she　now　appeared　to　be
in　the　very　center　of　it。　　Women　were　pushing　up　behind　her；　women
who　wore　shawls　as　she　did；　only　the　shawls　were　mostly　of　gaudy
colors；　and　men　pushed　up　behind　her；　mostly　m