按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
movements； she had no idea； save that perhaps the Adventurer and
some traitor in the gang were in collusion for their own ends … and
that certainly did not lift the Adventurer to any higher plane； or
wash from him the stigma of thief。
She clenched her hands。 It was all an attempt at argument without
the basis of a single logical premise。 It was silly and childish！
Why hadn't the man been an ordinary； plain； common thief and
criminal … and looked like one？ She would never have been attracted
to him then even through gratitude！ Why should he have all the
graces and ear…marks of breeding？ Why should he have all the
appearances of gentleman？ It seemed a needlessly cruel and
additional blow that fate had dealt her； when already she was living
through days and nights of fear； of horror； of trepidation； so great
that at times it seemed she would literally lose her reason。 If
he had not looked； yes； and at times； acted； so much like a
thorough…bred gentleman； there would never have come to her this
hurt； this gulf between them that could not now be spanned； and in
a personal way she would never have cared because he was … a thief。
Her mental soliloquy ended abruptly。 She had reached the narrow
driveway that led in； between the two blocks of down…at…the…heels
tenements； to the courtyard at the rear that harbored Shluker's junk
shop。 And now； unlike that other night when she had first paid a
visit to the place； she made no effort at concealment as she entered
the driveway。 She walked quickly； and as she emerged into the
courtyard itself she saw a light in the window of the junk shop。
Rhoda Gray nodded her head。 It was still quite early； still almost
twilight … not more than eight o'clock。 Back there； on that squalid
doorstep where the old woman and the old man had stood； it had still
been quite light。 The long summer evening had served at least to
sear； somehow； those two faces upon her mind。 It was singular that
they should intrude themselves at this moment！ She had been thinking；
hadn't she； that at this hour she might naturally expect to find
Shluker still in his shop？ That was why she had come so early … since
she had not cared to come in full daylight。 Well； if that light meant
anything； he was there。
She felt her pulse quicken perceptibly as she crossed the courtyard；
and reached the shop。 The door was open； and she stepped inside。
It was a dingy place； filthy； and littered； without the slightest
attempt at order； with a heterogeneous collection of； it seemed；
every article one could think of； from scraps of old iron and bundles
of rags to cast…off furniture that was in an appalling state of
dissolution。 The light； that of a single and dim incandescent； came
from the interior of what was apparently the 〃office〃 of the
establishment； a small； glassed…in partition affair； at the far end
of the shop。
Her first impression had been that there was no one in the shop； but
now； from the other side of the glass partition； she caught sight of
a bald head； and became aware that a pair of black eyes were fixed
steadily upon her； and that the occupant was beckoning to her with
his hand to come forward。
She scuffled slowly； but without hesitation； up the shop。 She
intended to employ the vernacular that was part of the disguise of
Gypsy Nan。 If Shluker； for that was certainly Shluker there； gave
the slightest indication that he took it amiss； her explanation would
come glibly and logically enough … she had to be careful； how was she
supposed to know whether there was any one else about； or not！
〃'Ello！〃 she said curtly； as she reached the doorway of the little
office； and paused on the threshold。 Shifty little black eyes met
hers； as the bald head fringed with untrimmed gray hair； was lifted
from a battered desk； and the wizened face of an old man was
disclosed under the rays of the tin…shaded lamp。 He grinned suddenly；
showing discolored teeth … and instinctively she drew back a little。
He was an uninviting and exceedingly disreputable old creature。
〃You； eh； Nan！〃 he grunted。 〃So you've come to see old Jake Shluker；
have you？ 'Tain't often you come！ And what's brought you； eh？〃
〃I can read； can't I？〃 Rhoda Gray glanced furtively around her；
then leaned toward the other。 〃Say； wot's de lay？ I been scared
stiff all day。 Is dat straight wot de papers said about
youse…know…who gettin' pinched？〃
A scowl settled over Shluker's features as he nodded。
〃Yes； it's straight enough；〃 he answered。 〃Damn 'em； one and all！
But they let him out again。〃
〃Dat's de stuff！〃 applauded Rhoda Gray earnestly。 〃Where is he； den？〃
Shluker shook his head。
〃He didn't say；〃 said Shluker。
〃He didn't say？〃 echoed Rhoda Gray； a little tartly。 〃Wot d'youse
mean； he didn't say？ Have youse seen him？〃
Shluker jerked his hand toward the telephone instrument on the desk。
〃He was talkin' to me a little while ago。〃
〃Well； den〃 … Rhoda Gray risked a more peremptory tone … 〃where is he？〃
Shluker shook his head again。
〃I dunno；〃 he said。 〃I'm tellin' you； he didn't say。〃
Rhoda Gray studied the wizened and repulsive old creature； that；
huddled in his chair in the dirty； boxed…in little office； made her
think of some crafty old spider lurking in its web for unwary prey。
Was the man lying to her？ Was he in any degree suspicious？ Why
should he be？ He had given not the slightest sign that her uncouth
language was either unexpected or unnecessary。 Perhaps to Shluker；
and perhaps to all the rest of the gang … except Danglar！ … Gypsy
Nan was accepted at face value as just Gypsy Nan； and； if that were
so； the idea of playing up a natural wifely anxiety on Danglar's
behalf could not be used unless Shluker gave her a lead in that
direction。 But； all that apart； she was getting nowhere。 She bit
her lips in disappointment。 She had counted a great deal on this
Shluker here； and Shluker was not proving the fount of information；
far from it； that she had hoped he would。
She tried again…even more peremptorily than before。
〃Aw； open up！〃 she snapped。 〃Wot's de use bein' a clam！ Youse
heard me； didn't youse？ Where is he？〃
Shluker leaned abruptly forward； and looked at her in a suddenly
perturbed way。
〃is there anything wrong？〃 he asked in a tense； lowered voice。
〃What makes you so anxious to know？〃
Rhoda Gray laughed shortly。
〃Nothin'！〃 she answered coolly。 〃I told youse once； didn't I？ I
got a scare readin' dem papers … an' I ain't over it yet。 Dat's
wot I want to know for； an' youse seem afraid to open up！〃
Shluker sank back again in his chair with an air of relief。
〃Oh！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Well； that's all right； then。 You were
beginning to give me a scare； too。 I ain't playin' the clam； and
I dunno where he is； but I can tell you there's nothing to worry
you any more about the rest of it。 He was after the White Moll last
night； and it didn't come off。 They pulled one on him instead； and
fastened him to the fire escape the way the papers said。 Skeeny
and the Cricket； who were in on the play with him； didn't have time
to get him loose before the bulls got there。 So Danglar told them
to beat it； and he handed the cops the story that was in the papers。
He got away with it； all right； and they let go him to…day； but he
phoned a little while ago that they were still stickin' around kind
of close to him； and that I was to pass the word that the lid was to
go down tight for the next few days； and …〃
Shluker stopped abruptly as the telephone rang； and reached for the
instrument。
Rhoda Gray fumbled unnecessarily with her shawl； as the other
answered the call。 Failure！ A curious bitterness came to her。 Her
plan then； for to…night it least； was a failure。 Shluker did not
know where Danglar was。 She was quite convinced of that。 Shluker
was … She glanced suddenly at the wizened little old man。 From an
ordinary tone； Shluker' s voice had risen sharply in protest about
something。 She listened now：
No； no； it does not matter what it is！
What？。。。No！ I tell you； no！ Nothing！ Not to…night！ Those are
the orders。。。。No； I don't know！ Nan is here now。。。。Eh？。。。。You'll
pay for it if you do！〃 Shluker was snarling threateningly now。
〃What？。。。。Well； then； wait！ I'll come over。。。。No； you can bet I
won't be long！ You wait！ Understand？〃
He banged the receiver on the hook； and got up from his chair
hurriedly。
〃Fools！〃 he muttered savagely。 〃No； I won't be long gettin' there！〃
He grabbed Rhoda Gray's arm。 〃Yes； and you come； too！ You will
help me put a little sense into their heads； if it is possible … eh？
The fools！〃
The man was violently excited。 He half pulled Rhoda Gray down the
length of the shop to the front door。 Puzzled； bewildered； a little
uneasy； she watched him lock the door； and then followed him across
the courtyard； while he continued to mutter constantly to himself。
〃Wot's de matter？〃 she asked him twice。
But it was not until they had reached the street； and Shluker was
hurrying along as fast as he could walk； that he answered her。
〃It's the Pug and Pinkie Bonn！〃 he jerked out angrily。 〃They're
in the Pug's room。 Pinkie went back