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〃It's the Pug and Pinkie Bonn！〃 he jerked out angrily。 〃They're
in the Pug's room。 Pinkie went back there after telephonin'。
They've nosed out something they want to put through。 The fools！
And after last night nearly havin' finished everything！ I told 'em
… you heard me … that everybody's to keep under cover now。 But
they think they've got a soft thing； and they say they're goin' to
it。 I've got to put a crimp in it； and you've got to help me。
Y'understand； Nan？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said mechanically。
Her mind was working swiftly。 The night； after all； perhaps； was
not to be so much of a failure！ To get into intimate touch with
all the members of the clique was equally one of her objects； and；
failing Danglar himself to…night； here was an 〃open sesame〃 to the
re…treat of two of the others。 She would never have a better chance；
or one in which risk and danger； under the chaperonage； as it were；
of Shluker here； were； if not entirely eliminated； at least reduced
to an apparently negligible minimum。 Yes； she would go。 To refuse
was to turn her back on her own proposed line of action； and on the
decision which she had made herself。
XII。 CROOKS Vs。 CROOKS
It was not far。 Shluker； hastening along； still muttering to
himself； turned into a cross street some two blocks away； and from
there again into a lane； and； a moment later； led the way through
a small door in the fence that hung； battered and half open； on
sagging and broken hinges。 Rhoda Gray's eyes traveled sharply
around her in all directions。 It was still light enough to see
fairly well； and she might at some future time find the bearings
she took now to be of inestimable worth。 Not that there was much
to remark！ They crossed a diminutive and disgustingly dirty
backyard； whose sole reason for existence seemed to be that of a
receptacle for old tin cans； and were confronted by the rear of
what appeared to be a four…story tenement。 There was a back door
here； and； on the right of the door； fronting the yard； a single
window that was some four or five feet from the level of the ground。
Shluker； without hesitation； opened the back door； shut it behind
them； led the way along a black； unlighted hall； and halting before
a door well toward the front of the building； knocked softly upon
it … giving two raps； a single rap； and then two more in quick
succession。 There was no answer。 He knocked again in precisely
the same manner； and then a footstep sounded from within； and the
door was flung open。 〃Fools！〃 growled Shluker in greeting； as they
stepped inside and the door was closed again。 〃A pair of brainless
fools！〃
There were two men there。 They paid Shluker scant attention。 They
both grinned at Rhoda Gray through the murky light supplied by a
wheezy and wholly inadequate gas…jet。
〃Hello； Nan！〃 gibed the smaller of the two。 〃Who let you out？〃
〃Aw； forget it！〃 croaked Rhoda Gray。
Shluker took up the cudgels。
〃You close your face； Pinkie！〃 he snapped。 〃Get down to cases！ Do
you think I got nothing else to do but chase you two around like a
couple of puppy dogs that haven't got sense enough to take care of
themselves？ Wasn't what I told you over the phone enough without
me havin' to come here？〃
〃Nix on that stuff！〃 returned the one designated as Pinkie
imperturbably。 〃Say； you'll be glad you come when we lets you in
on a little piece of easy money。 We ain't askin' your advice； all
we're askin' you to do is frame up the alibi； same as usual； for me
an' the Pug here in case we wants it。〃
Shluker shook his fist。
〃Frame nothing！〃 he spluttered angrily。 〃Ain't I tellin' you that
the orders are not to make a move； that everything is off for a few
days？ That's the word I got a little while ago； and the
Seven…Three…Nine is goin' out now。 Nan'll tell you the same thing。〃
〃Sure！〃 corroborated Rhoda Gray； picking up the obvious cue。 〃Dat's
de straight goods。〃
The two men were lounging beside a table that stood at the extreme
end of the room； and now for a moment they whispered together。 And；
as they whispered； Rhoda Gray found her first opportunity to take
critical stock both of her surroundings and of the two men
themselves。 Pinkie； a short； slight little man； she dismissed with
hardly a glance； he was the common type； with low； vicious cunning
stamped all over his face … an ordinary rat of the underworld。 But
her glance rested longer on his companion。 The Pug was indeed
entitled to his moniker！ His face made her think of one。 It seemed
to be all screwed up out of shape。 Perhaps the eye…patch over the
right eye helped a little to put the finishing touch of repulsiveness
upon a countenance already most unpleasant。 The celluloid eye…patch；
once flesh…colored； was now so dirty and smeared that its original
color was discernible only in spots； and the once white elastic cord
that circled his head and kept the patch in place was in equal
disrepute。 A battered slouch hat came to the level of the eye…patch
in a forbidding sort of tilt。 His left eyelid drooped until it was
scarcely open at all； and fluttered continually。 One nostril of
his nose was entirely closed； and his mouth seemed to be twisted
out of shape； so that； even when in repose； the lips never entirely
met at one corner。 And his ears； what she could see of them in the
poor light； and on account of the slouch hat； seemed to bear out the
low…type criminal impression the man gave her； in that they lay flat
back against his head。
She turned her eyes away with a little shudder of repulsion； and
gave her attention to an inspection of the room。 There was no
window； except a small one high up in the right…hand partition wall。
She quite understood what that meant。 It was common enough； and all
too unsanitary enough； in these old and cheap tenements； the window
gave； not on the out…of…doors； but on a light…well。 For the； rest；
it was a room she had seen a thousand times before … carpetless；
unfurnished save for the barest necessities； dirt everywhere；
unkempt。
Pinkie Bonn broke in abruptly upon her inspection。
〃That's all right！〃 he announced airily。 〃We'll let Nan in on it；
too。 The Pug an' me figures she can give us a hand。〃
Shluker's wizened little face seemed suddenly to go purple。
〃Are you tryin' to make a fool of me？〃 he half screamed。 〃Or can't
you understand English？ D'ye want me to keep on tellin' you till
I'm hoarse that there ain't nobody goin' in with you； because you
am't goin' in yourself！ See？ Understand that？ There's nothing
doin' to…night for anybody … and that means you！〃
〃Aw； shut up； Shluker！〃 It was the Pug now； a curious whispering
sibilancy in his voice； due no doubt to the disfigurement of his
lips。 〃Give Pinkie a chance to shoot his spiel before youse injure
yerself throwin' a fit！ Go on； Pinkie； spill it。〃
〃Sure！〃 said Pinkie eagerly。 〃Listen； Shluk！ It ain't any crib
we're wantin' to crack； or nothin' like that。 It's just a couple
of crooks that won't dare open their yaps to the bulls； 'cause what
we're after 'll be what they'll have pinched themselves。 See？〃
Shluker's face lost some of its belligerency； and in its place a
dawning interest came。
〃What's that？〃 he demanded cautiously。 〃What crooks？〃
〃French Pete an' Marny Day；〃 said Pinkie … and grinned。
〃Oh！〃 Shluker's eyebrows went up。 He looked at the Pug； and the
Pug winked knowingly with his half…closed left eyelid。 Shluker
reached out for a chair； and； finding it suspiciously wobbly；
straddled it warily。 〃Mabbe I've been in wrong；〃 he admitted。
〃What's the lay？〃
〃Me；〃 said Pinkie； 〃I was down to Charlie's this afternoon havin'
a little lay…off； an'〃
〃One of these days；〃 interrupted Shluker sharply； 〃you'll go out
like〃 … he snapped his fingers … 〃that！〃 〃Can't you leave the stuff
alone？〃
〃I got to have me bit of coke；〃 Pinkie answered； with a shrug of
his shoulders。 〃An'； anyway； I'm no pipe…hitter。
〃It's all the same whatever way you take it！〃 retorted Shluker。
〃Well； go on with your story。 You went down to Charlie's dope
parlors； and jabbed a needle into yourself； or took it some other
old way。 I get you！ What happened then？〃
〃It was about an hour ago；〃 resumed Pinkie Bonn with undisturbed
complacency。 〃Just as I was beatin' it out of there by the cellar；
I hears some whisperin' as I was passin' one of the end doors。
Savvy？ I hadn't made no noise； an' they hadn't heard me。 I gets
a peek in； 'cause the door's cracked。 It was French Pete an' Marny
Day。 I listens。 An' after about two seconds I was goin' shaky for
fear some one would come along an' I wouldn't get the whole of it。
Take it from me； Shluk； it was some goods！〃
Shluker grunted noncommittingly。
〃Well； go on！〃 he prompted。
〃I didn't get all the fine points；〃 grinned Pinkie； 〃but I got
enough。 There was a guy by the name of Dainey who used to live
somewhere on the East Side here； an' he used to work in some
sweat…shop； an' he worked till he got pretty old； an' then his
lungs； or something； went bad on him； an' he went broke。 An' the
doctor said he had to beat it out of here to a more salubrious
climate。 Some nut filled his ear full 'b