the white moll-第37章

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been　here；　and　…？　　She　shook　her　head　suddenly　with　a　quick；
emphatic　gesture　of　dissent。　　The　door　was　still　locked；　she
could　see　the　key　on　the　inside；　and；　besides；　as　a　theory；　it
wasn't　logical。　　They　wouldn't　have　taken　her　revolver　and　left
her　placidly　asleep！

The　loss　of　the　revolver　was　a　vital　matter。　　It　was　her　one
safeguard；　the　one　means　by　which　she　could　first　gain　and
afterwards　hold　the　whip…hand　over　Danglar　in　the　interview　she
proposed　to　have　with　him；　the　one　means　of　escape；　the　last　resort；
if　she　herself　were　cornered　and　fell　into　his　power。　　It　had
sustained　her　more　than　once；　that　resolution　to　turn　it　against
herself　if　she　were　in　extremity。　　It　meant　everything　to　her；　that
weapon；　and　it　was　gone　now；　but　the　panic　that　had　seized　upon　her
was　gone　too；　and　she　could　think　rationally　and　collectively　again。

Last　night；　or　rather　this　morning；　when　she　had　made　her　way　back
to　the　shed　out　there　in　the　lane　behind　the　garret；　she　had　been
in　a　state　of　almost　utter　exhaustion。　　She　had　changed　from　the
clothes　of　the　White　Moll　to　those　of　Gypsy　Nan；　but　she　must　have
done　so　almost　mechanically　for　she　had　no　concrete　recollection　of
it。　　It　was　quite　likely　then；　even　more　than　probable；　that　she
had　left　the　revolver　in　the　pocket　of　her　other　clothes；　for　she
had　certainly　had；　not　only　her　revolver；　but　her　flashlight　and　her
skeleton　keys　with　her　when　she　had　visited　old　Luertz's　place　last
night；　and　later　on　too；　when　she　had　jumped　into　that　automobile
in　front　of　the　Silver　Sphinx；　she　had　had　her　revolver；　for　she
had　used　it　to　force　the　chauffeur　out　of　the　car　…　and　she　had　no
one　of　those　articles　now。

Of　course！　　That　was　it！　　She　stepped　impulsively　to　the　door；　and；
opening　it；　made　her　way　quickly　down　the　stairs　to　the　street。　　The
revolver　was　undoubtedly　in　the　pocket　of　her　other　skirt；　and　she
felt　a　surge　of　relief　sweep　upon　her；　but　a　sense　of　relief　was　far
from　enough。　　She　would　not　feel　safe　until　the　weapon　was　again　in
her　possession；　and　intuitively　she　felt　that　she　had　no　time　to
lose　in　securing　it。　　She　had　already　been　left　too　long　alone　not
to　make　a　break　in　that　unaccountable　isolation　they　had　accorded
her　as　something　to　be　expected　at　any　moment。　　She　hurried　now　down
the　street　to　the　lane　that　intervened　between　Gypsy　Nan's　house
and　the　next　corner；　glanced　quickly　about　her；　and；　seeing　no　one
in　her　immediate　vicinity；　slipped　into　the　lane。　　She　gained　the
deserted　shed　some　fifty　yards　along　the　lane；　entered　through　the
broken　door　that　hung；　half　open；　on　sagging　hinges；　and；　dropping
on　her　knees；　reached　in　under　the　decayed　and　rotting　flooring。
She　pushed　aside　impatiently　the　package　of　jewels；　at　whose
magnificence　she　had　gazed　awe…struck　and　bewildered　the　night
before；　and　drew　out　the　bundle　that　comprised　her　own　clothing。
Her　hand　sought　the　pocket　eagerly。　　Yes；　it　was　here　…　at　least
the　flashlight　was；　and　so　were　the　skeleton　keys。　　That　was　what
had　happened！　　She　had　been　near　utter　collapse　last　night；　and　she
had　forgotten；　and　…　Rhoda　Gray；　unconscious　even　that　she　still
held　the　clothing　in　her　hands；　rose　mechanically　to　her　feet。
There　was　a　sudden　weariness　in　her　eyes　as　she　stared　unseeingly
about　her。　　Yes；　the　flashlight　and　the　keys　were　here　…　but　the
revolver　was　not！　　Her　brain　harked　back　in　lightning　flashes　over
the　events　of　the　preceding　night。　　She　must　have　lost　it　somewhere；
then。　　Where？　　She　had　had　it　in　the　automobile；　that　she　knew
positively；　but　after　that　she　did　not　remember；　unless　…　yes；　it
must　have　been　that！　　When　she　had　jumped　from　the　car　and　flung
herself　down　at　the　roadside！　　It　must　have　fallen　out　of　her
pocket　then。

Her　heart　seemed　to　stand　still。　　Suppose　they　had　found　it！　　They
would　certainly　recognize　it　as　belonging　to　Gypsy　Nan！　　They　were
not　fools。　　The　deduction　would　be　obvious　…　the　identity　of　the
White　Moll　would　be　solved。　　Was　that　why　no　one　had　apparently
come　near　her？　　Were　they　playing　at　cat…and…mouse；　watching　her
before　they　struck；　so　that　she　would　lead　them　to　those　jewels
under　the　flooring　here　that　were　worth　a　king's　ransom？　　They
certainly　believed　that　the　White　Moll　had　them。　　The　Adventurer's
note；　so　ironically　true；　that　he　had　intended　as　an　alibi　for
himself；　and　which　he　had　exchanged　for　the　package　in　old　Luertz's
place；　would　have　left　no　doubt　in　their　minds　but　that　the　stones
were　in　her　possession。　　Was　that　it？　　Were　they　…　　She　held　her
breath。　　It　seemed　as　though　suddenly　her　limbs　were　refusing　to
support　her　weight。　　In　the　soft　earth　outside　she　had　heard　no
step；　but　she　saw　now　a　shadow　fall　athwart　the　half…open　door…way。
There　was　no　time　to　move；　even　had　she　been　capable　of　action。　　It
seemed　as　though　even　her　soul　had　turned　to　stone；　and；　with　the
White　Moll's　clothes　in　her　hands；　she　stood　there　staring　at　the
doorway；　and　something　that　was　greater　than　fear；　because　it
mingled　horror；　ugly　and　forbidding；　fell　upon　her。　　It　was　still
just　light　enough　to　see。　　The　shadow　moved　forward　and　came　inside。
She　wanted　to　scream；　to　rush　madly　in　retreat　to　the　farthest
corner　of　the　shed；　but　she　could　not　move。　　It　was　Danglar　who　was
standing　there。　　He　seemed　to　sway　a　little　on　his　feet；　and　the　dark；
sinister　face　seemed　blotched；　and　he　seemed　to　smile　as　though
possessed　of　some　unholy　and　perverted　sense　of　humor。

She　was　helpless；　at　his　mercy；　unarmed；　saved　for　her　wits。　　Her　wits！
Were　wits　any　longer　of　avail？　　She　could　believe　nothing　else　now
except　that　he　had　been　watching　her　…　before　he　struck。

〃What　are　you　doing　here；　and　what　are　those　clothes　you've　got　in
your　hands？〃　he　rasped　out。

She　could　only　fence　for　time　in　the　meager　hope　that　some　loophole
would　present　itself。　　She　forced　an　assumed　defiance　into　her　tones
and　manner；　that　was　in　keeping　with　the　sort　of　armed　truce；　which；
from　her　first　meeting　with　Danglar；　she　had　inaugurated　as　a　barrier
between　them。

〃You　have　asked　me　two　questions；〃　she　said　tartly。　　〃Which　one　do
you　want　me　to　answer　first？〃

〃Look　here；〃　he　snapped；　〃you　cut　that　out！　　There's　one　or　two
things　need　explaining　…　see？　　What　are　those　clothes？〃

Her　wits！　　Perhaps　he　did　not　know　as　much　as　she　was　afraid　he　did！
She　seemed　to　have　become　abnormally　contained；　her　mind　abnormally
acute　and　active。　　It　was　not　likely　that　the　woman；　his　wife；　whom
he　believed　she　was；　had　worn　her　own　clothes　in　his　presence　since
the　day；　some　two　years　ago；　when　she　had　adopted　the　disguise　of
Gypsy　Nan；　and　she；　Rhoda　Gray；　remembered　that　on　the　night　Gypsy
Nan；　re…assuming　her　true　personality；　had　gone　to　the　hospital；　the
woman's　clothes；　like　these　she　held　now；　had　been　of　dark　material。
It　was　not　likely　that　a　man　would　be　able　to　differentiate　between
those　clothes　and　the　clothes　of　the　White　Moll；　especially　as　the
latter　hung　folded　in　her　hands　now；　and　even　though　he　had　seen
them　on　her　at　the　Silver　Sphinx　last　night。

〃What　clothes　do　you　suppose　they　are　but　my　own？　…　though　I　haven't
had　a　chance　to　wear　them　much　lately！〃　she　countered　crisply。

He　scowled　at　her　speculatively。

〃What　are　you　doing　with　them　out　here　in　this　hole；　then？〃　he
demanded。

〃I　had　to　wear　them　last　night；　hadn't　I？〃　she　retorted。　　〃I'd　have
looked　well　coming　out　of　Gypsy　Nan's　garret　dressed　as　myself　if　any
one　had　seen　me！　　She　scowled　at　him　in　turn。　　She　was　beginning　to
believe　that　he　had　not　even　an　inkling　of　her　identity。　　Her　safest
play　was　to　stake　everything　on　that　belief。　　〃Say；　what's　the　matter
with　you？〃　she　inquired　disdainfully。　　〃I　came　out　here　and　changed
last　night；　and　I　changed　into　these　rags　I'm　wearing　now　when　I　got
back　again；　and　I　left　my　own　clothes　here　because　I　was　expecting　to
get　word　that　I　could　put　them　on　again　soon　for　keeps　…　though　I
might　have　known　from　past　experience　that　something　would　queer　the
fine　promises　you　made　at　Matty's　last　night！　　And　the　reason　I'm　out
here　now　is　because　I　left　some　things　in　the　pocket；　amongst　them〃
…　she　stared　at　him　mockingly　…〃　my　marriage　certificate。〃

Danglar's　face　blackened。

〃Curse　you！〃　he　burst　out　angrily。　　〃When　you　get　your　tantrums　on；
you've　got　a　tongue；　haven't　you！　　You'd　have　been　wearing　your
clothes　now；　if　you'd　have　done　as　you　were　told。　　You're　the　one
that　queered　things　last　night。〃　　His　voice　was　rising；　he　was
rocking　even　more　unsteadily　upon　his　feet。　　〃Why　in　hell　weren't
you　at　the　Silver　Sphinx？〃

Rhoda　Gray　squinted　at　him　through　Gypsy　Nan's　spectacles。　　She　knew
an　hysterical　impulse　to　laugh　outright　in　the　sure　consciousness　of
supremacy　over　him　now。　　The　man　had　been　drinking。　　He　was　by　no
means　drunk；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　he　was　by　no　means　sober　…　and
she　was　certain　now　that；　though　she　did　not　know　how　he　had　found
her　here　in　the　shed；　not　the　slightest　suspicion　of　her　had　entered
his　mind。

〃I　was　at　the　Silver　Sphinx；〃　she　announced　coolly。

〃You　lie！〃　he　said　hoarsely。　　〃You　weren't！　　I　told　you　to　be　there
at　eleven；　and　you　weren't。　　You　lie！　　What　are　you　lying　to　me　for
…　eh？　　I'll　find　out；　you　…　you　…〃

Rhoda　Gray　dashed　the　clothes　down　on　the　floor　at　her　feet；　and
faced　the　man　as　though　suddenly　overcome　in　turn　herself　with
passion；　shaking　both　closed　fists　at　him。

〃Don't　you　talk　to　me　like　that；　Pierre　Danglar！〃　she　shrilled。　　〃I
lie；　do　I？　　Well；　I'll　prove　to　you　I　don't！　　You　said　you　were
going　to　have　supper　with　Cloran　at　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　perhaps
I　was　a　few　minutes　after　that；　but　maybe　you　think　it's　easy　to　get
all　this　Gypsy　Nan　stuff　off　me　face　and　all；　and　rig　up　in　my　own
clothes　that　I　haven't　seen　for　so　long　it's　a　wonder　they　hold
together　at　all。　　I　lie；　do　I？　　Well；　just　as　I　got　to　the　Silver
Sphinx；　I　saw　a　woman　breaking　her　neck　to　get　down　the　steps　with
you　after　her。　　She　jumped　into　the　automobile　it　was　doped　out　I
was　to　take；　and　you　jumped　into　the　other　one；　and　both　beat　it
down　the　street。　　I　thought　you'd　gone　crazy。　　I　was　afraid　that
Cloran　would　come　out　and　recognize　me；　so　I　turned　and　ran；　too。
The　safest　thing　I　could　do　was　to　get　back　into　the　Gypsy　Nan　game
again；　and　that's　what　I　did。　　And　I've　been　lying　low　ever　since；
waiting　to　get　word　from　some　of　you；　and　not　a　soul　came　near　me。
You're　a　nice　lot；　you　are！　　And　now　you　come　sneaking　here　and　call
me　a　liar！　　How'd　you　get　to　this　shed；　anyway？〃

Danglar　pushed　his　hand　in　a　heavy；　confused　way　across　his　eyes。

〃My　God！〃　he　said　heavily。　　〃So　that's　it；　is　it？〃　　His　voice　became
suddenly　conciliating　in　its　tones。　　〃Look　here；　Bertha；　old　girl；
don't　get　sore。　　I　didn't　understand；　see？　　And　there　was　a　whole　lot
that　looked　queer。　　We　even　lost　the　jewels　at　old　Luertz's　last
night。　　Do　you　know　who　that　woman　was？　　It　was　the　White　Moll！　　She
led　us　a　chase　all　over　Long　Island；　and　…〃

〃The　White　Moll！〃　ejaculated　Rhoda　Gray。　　And　then　her　laugh；　short
and　jeering；　rang　out。　　The　tables　were　turned。　　She　had　him　on　the
defensive　now。　　〃You　needn't　tell　me　I　She　got　away　again；　of　course！
Why　don't　you　hire　a　detect