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youse。 An' den youse breaks it gently to dem dat dere's a coupla
gents outside； an' just about den dey looks up an' sees me an'
Pinkie an' our guns…an' I guess dat's all。 Get it？〃
〃Sure！〃 mumbled Rhoda Gray。
The Pug talked on。 She did not hear him。 It seemed as though her
brain ached literally with an acute physical pain。 What was she
to do？ What could she do？ She must do something！ There must
be some way to save herself from being drawn into the very center
of this vortex toward which she was being swept closer with every
second that passed。 Those two old faces； haggard in their despair
and misery； rose before her again。 She felt her heart sink。 She
had counted； only a few moments before； on getting their money
back for them … through the police。 The police！ How could she
get any word to the police now； without first getting away from
these two men here？ And suppose she did get away； and found some
means of communicating with the authorities； it would be Pinkie
Bonn here； and the Pug； who would fall into the meshes of the law
quite as much as would French Pete and Marny Day； and to have Pinkie
and the Pug apprehended now； just as they seemed to be opening the
gateway for her into the inner secrets of the gang； meant ruin to
her own hopes and plans。 And to refuse to go on with them now； as
one of them； would certainly excite their suspicions … and suspicion
of Gypsy Nan was the end of everything for her。
Her hands； under her shawl； clenched until the nails bit into her
palms。 Couldn't she do anything？ And there was the money； too；
for those two old people。 Wasn't there any … She caught her breath。
Yes； yes！ Perhaps there was a way to save the money； yes； and at
the same time to place herself on a firmer footing of intimacy with
these two men here … if she went on with this。 But … She shook her
head。 She could not afford 〃buts〃 now； they must take care of
themselves afterwards。 She would play Gypsy Nan now without
reservation。 These two men here； like Shluker； were obviously
ignorant that Gypsy Nan was Danglar's wife； so she was … Pinkie
Bonn's hand was on her arm。 She had stumbled。
〃Look out for yourself！〃 he cautioned under his breath。 〃Don't
make a sound！〃
They had drawn into a very dark and narrow area way between two
buildings； and now Pinkie kept his touch upon her as he led the way
along。 What was this 〃Charlie's〃？ She did not know； except that；
from what had been said； it was a drug dive of some kind； patronized
extensively by the denizens of the underworld。 She did not know
where she was now； save that she had suddenly left one of the
out…of…theway East Side streets。
Pinkie halted suddenly； and； bending down； lifted up what was
evidently a half section of the folding trapdoor to a cellar
entrance。
〃There's only a few of us regulars wise to this；〃 whispered Pinkie。
〃Watch yourself！ There's five steps。 Count 'em； so's you won't
trip。 Keep hold of me all the way。 An' nix on the noise； or we
won't get away with it inside。 Leave the trap open； Pug； for our
getaway。 We ain't goin' to be long。 Come on！〃
It was horribly dark。 Rhoda Gray； with her hand on Pinkie Bonn's
shoulder； descended the five steps。 She felt the Pug keeping touch
behind by holding the corner of her shawl。 They went forward softly；
slowly； stealthily。 She felt her knees shake a little； and suddenly
panic seized her； and she wanted to scream out。 What was she doing？
Where was she going？ Was she mad； that she had ventured into this
trap of blackness？ Blackness！ It was hideously black。 She looked
behind her。 She could not see the Pug； close as he was to her； and
dark as she had thought it outside there at the cellar entrance； it
appeared by contrast to have been light； for she could even
distinguish now the opening through which they had come。
They were in a cellar that was damp underfoot； and the soft earth
deadened all sound as they walked upon it … and they seemed to be
walking on interminably。 It was too far … much too far！ She felt
her nerve failing her。 She looked behind her again。 That opening；
still discernible to her straining eyes； beckoned her； lured her。
Better to。。。
Pinkie had halted again。 She bumped into him。 And then she felt
his lips press against her ear。
〃Here we are！〃 he breathed。 〃They got the end room on the right；
so's they could get in an' out with out bein' seen； an so's even
Charlie'd swear they was here all the time。 You're too old a bird
to fall down； Nan。 If the door's locked； knock … an' give 'em any
old kind of a song an' dance till you gets 'em off their guard。
The Pug an' me '11 see you through。 Go it！〃
Before Rhoda Gray could reply； Pinkie had stepped suddenly to one
side。 A door in front of her； a sliding door it seemed to be；
opened noiselessly； and she could see a faintly lighted； narrow；
and very short passage ahead of her。 It appeared to make a
right…angled turn just a few yards in； and what light there was
seemed to filter in from around the corner。 And on each side of
the passage； before it made the turn； there was a door； and from
the one on the right； through a cracked panel； a tiny thread of
light seeped out。
Her lips moved silently。 After all； it was not so perilous。 Nobody
would be hurt。 Pinkie and the Pug would cover those two men in
there … and take the money … and run for it … and。。。
The Pug gave her an encouraging push from behind。
She moved forward mechanically。 There were many sounds now； but
they came muffled and indeterminate from around that corner ahead
… all save a low murmuring of voices from the door with the cracked
panel on the right。
It was only a few feet。 She found herself crouched before the door
… but she did not knock upon it。 Instead； her blood seemed suddenly
to run cold in her veins； and she beckoned frantically to her two
companions。 She could see through the crack in the panel。 There
were two men in there； French Pete and Marny Day undoubtedly； and
they sat on opposite sides of a table； and a lamp burned on the
table； and one of the men was counting out a sheaf of crisp
yellow…back banknotes … but the other； while apparently engrossed
in the first man's occupation； and while he leaned forward in
apparent eagerness； was edging one hand stealthily toward the lamp；
and his other hand； hidden from his companion's view by the table；
was just drawing a revolver from his pocket。 There was no mistaking
the man's murderous intentions。 A dull horror； that numbed her
brain； seized upon Rhoda Gray； the low…type brutal faces under the
rays of the lamp seemed to assume the aspect of two monstrous
gargoyles； and to spin around and around before her vision； and then
… it could only have been but the fraction of a second since she had
begun to beckon to Pinkie and the Pug … she felt herself pulled
unceremoniously away from the door； and the Pug leaned forward in
her place； his eyes to the crack in the panel。
She heard a low； quick…muttered exclamation from the Pug； and then
suddenly； as the lamp was obviously extinguished； that crack of
light in the panel had vanished。 But in an instant； curiously like
a jagged lightning flash； light showed through the crack again … and
vanished again。 It was the flash of a revolver shot from within；
and the roar of the report came now like the roll of thunder on its
heels。
Rhoda Gray was back against the opposite wall。 She saw the Pug
fling himself against the door。 It was a flimsy affair。 It
crashed inward。 She heard him call to Pinkie：
〃Shoot yer flash on de table； an' grab de coin！ I'll fix de other
guy！〃
Were eternities passing？ Her eyes were fascinated by the interior
beyond that broken door。 It was utterly dark inside there； save
that the ray of a flashlight played now on the table； and a hand
reached out and snatched up a scattered sheaf of banknotes； and
on the outer edge of the ray two shadowy forms struggled and one
went down。 Then the flashlight went out She heard the Pug speak：
〃Beat it！〃
Commotion came now； cries and footsteps from around that corner in
the passage。 The Pug grasped her by the shoulders； and rushed her
back into the cellar。 She was conscious； it seemed； only in a dazed
and mechanical way。 There were men in the passage running toward
them … and then the passage had disappeared。 Pinkie Bonn had shut
the connecting door。
〃Hop it like blazes！〃 whispered the Pug； as they ran for the faint
glimmer of light that located the cellar exit。 〃Separate de minute
we're outside！〃 he ordered。 〃Dere's murder in dere。 Pete shot
Marny。 I put Pete to sleep wid a punch on de jaw； but de bunch
knows now some one else was dere； an' Pete'll swear it was us；
though he don't know who we was dat did de shootin'。 I gotta make
dis straight right off de bat wid Danglar。〃 His whispering voice
was labored； panting； they were climbing up the steps now。 〃Youse
take de money to my room； Pinkie； an' wait fer me。 I won't be much
more'n half an hour。 Nan； youse beat it fer yer garret； an' stay
dere！〃
They were outside。 The Pug had disappeared in the darkness。 Pinkie
was closing； and evidently fastening；