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！
〃Jump！〃 she ordered imperatively … and her revolver pressed still
more significantly against the man's flesh。
He seemed in even frantic haste to obey her。 He whipped the door
open； and； before she could reach to the wheel； he had leaped to
the street。 The car swerved sharply。 She flung herself over into
the vacated seat； and snatched at the wheel barely in time to
prevent the machine from mounting the curb。
She looked around again through the window of the hood。 The man
had swung aboard Danglar's car； which was only a few yards behind。
Rhoda Gray drove steadily。 Here in the city streets her one aim
must be never to let the other car come abreast of her； but she
could prevent that easily enough by watching Danglar's movements；
and cutting across in front of him if he attempted anything of the
sort。 But ultimately what was she to do？ How was she to escape？
Her hands gripped and clenched in a sudden； almost panic…like
desperation at the wheel。 Turn suddenly around a corner； and jump
from the car herself？ It was useless to attempt it； they would
keep too close behind to give her a chance to get out of sight。
Well； then； suppose she jumped from the car； and trusted herself to
the protection of the people on the street。 She shook her head grimly。
Danglar； she knew only too well； would risk anything； go to any
length； to put an end to the White Moll。 He would not hesitate an
instant to shoot her down as she jumped and he would be fairly
safe himself in doing it。 A few revolver shots from a car that
speeded away in the darkness offered an even chance of escape。 And
yet； unless she forced an issue such as that； she knew that Danglar
would not resort to firing at her here in the city。 He would want
to be sure that was the only chance he had of getting her； before
he accepted the risk that he would run of being caught for it by
the police。
She found herself becoming strangely； almost unnaturally； cool and
collected now。 The one danger； greater than all others； that
menaced her was a traffic block that would cause her to stop； and
allow those in the other car behind to rush in upon her as she sat
here at the wheel。 And sooner or later； if she stayed in the city；
a block such as that was inevitable。 She must get out of the city；
then。 It was only to invite another risk； the risk that Danglar
was in the faster car of the two but there was no other way。
She drove more quickly； made her way to the Bridge； and crossed it。
The car behind followed with immutable persistence。 It made no
effort to close the short gap between them； but； neither； on the
other hand； did it permit that gap to widen。
They passed through Brooklyn； and then； reaching the outskirts；
Rhoda Gray； with headlights streaming into the black； with an open
Long Island road before her； flung her throttle wide； and the car
leaped like a thing of life into the night。 It was a sudden start；
it gained her a hundred yards but that was all。
The wind tore at her and whipped her face； the car rocked and reeled
as in some mad frenzy。 There was not much traffic； but such as
there was it cleared away from before her as if by magic； as；
seeking shelter from the wild meteoric thing running amuck； the few
vehicles； motor or horse； that she encountered hugged； the edge of
the road； and the wind whisked to her ears fragments of shouts and
execrations。 Again and again she looked back two fiery balls of
light blazed behind her always those same two fiery balls。
She neither gained nor lost。 Rigid； like steel； her little figure
was crouched over the wheel。 She did not know the road。 She knew
nothing save that she was racing for her life。 She did not know
the end； she could not see the end。 Perhaps there would be some
merciful piece of luck for her that would win her through a
break…down to that roaring thing； with its eyes that were balls of
fire； behind。
She passed through a town with lighted streets and lighted windows
or was it only imagination？ It was gone again； anyhow； and there
was just black road ahead。 Over the roar of the car and the sweep
of the wind； then； she caught； or fancied she caught； a series
of faint reports。 She looked behind her。 Yes； they were firing
now。 Little flashes leaped out above and at the sides of those
blazing headlights。
How long was it since she had left the Silver Sphinx？ Minutes or
hours would not measure it； would they？ But it could not last much
longer！ She was growing very tired； the strain upon her arms； yes；
and upon her eyes； was becoming unbearable。 She swayed a little
in her seat； and the car swerved； and she jerked it back again into
the straight。 She began to laugh a little hysterically and then；
suddenly； she straightened up； tense and alert once more。
That swerve was the germ of an inspiration！ It took root swiftly
now。 It was desperate … but she was desperate。 She could not drive
much more； or much longer like this。 Mind and body were almost
undone。 And； besides； she was not outdistancing that car behind
there by a foot； and sooner or later they would hit her with one of
their shots； or； perhaps what they were really trying to do；
puncture one of her tires。
Again she glanced over her shoulder。 Yes； Danglar was just far
enough behind to make the plan possible。 She began to allow the
car to swerve noticeably at intervals； as though she were weakening
and the car was getting beyond her control … which was； indeed；
almost too literally the case。 And now it seemed to her that each
time she swerved there came an exultant shout from the car behind。
Well； she asked for nothing better； that was what she was trying to
do； wasn't it？ … inspire them with the belief that she was breaking
under the strain。
Her eyes searched anxiously down the luminous pathway made by her
high…powered headlights。 If only she could reach a piece of road
that combined two things … an embankment of some sort； and a curve
just sharp enough to throw those headlights behind off at a tangent
for an instant as they rounded it； too； in following her。
A minute； two； another passed。 And then Rhoda Gray； tight…lipped；
her face drawn hard； as her own headlights suddenly edged away from
the road and opened what looked like a deep ravine on her left；
while the road curved to the right； flung a frenzied glance back
of her。 It was her chance … her one chance。 Danglar was perhaps
a little more than a hundred yards in the rear。 Yes … now！ His
headlights were streaming out on her left as he； too； touched the
curve。 The right…hand side of her car； the right…hand side of the
road were in blackness。 She checked violently； almost to a stop；
then instantly opened the throttle wide once more； wrenching the
wheel over to head the machine for the ravine； and before the car
picked up its momentum again； she dropped from the right…hand side；
darted to the far edge of the road； and flung herself flat down
upon the ground。
The great； black body of her car seemed to sail out into nothingness
like some weird aerial monster； the headlights streaming uncannily
through space … then blackness … and a terrific crash。
And now the other car had come to a stop almost opposite where she
lay。 Danglar and the two chauffeurs； shouting at each other in
wild excitement； leaped out and rushed to the edge of the embankment。
And then suddenly the sky grew red as a great tongue…flame shot up
from below。 It outlined the forms of the three men as they stood
there； until； abruptly； as though with one accord； they rushed
pell…mell down the embankment toward the burning wreckage。 And as
they disappeared from sight Rhoda Gray jumped to her feet； sprang
for Danglar's car； flung herself into the driver's seat； and the car
shot forward again along the road。
A shout； a wild chorus of yells； the reports of a fusillade of
shots reached her； she caught a glimpse of forms running insanely
after her along the edge of the embankment … then silence save for
the roar of the speeding car。
She drove on and on。 Somewhere； nearing a town； she saw a train
in the distance coming in her direction。 She reached the station
first； and left the car standing there； and； with the torn veil
over her face again； took the train。
She was weak； undone； exhausted。 Even her mind refused its
functions further。 It was only in a subconscious way she realized
that； where she had thought never to go to the garret again； the
garret and the role of Gypsy Nan were； more than ever now； her sole
refuge。 The plot against Cloran had failed； but they could not
blame that on 〃Bertha's〃 non…appearance； and since it had failed
she would not now be expected to assume the dead woman's personality。
True； she had not； as had been arranged； reached the Silver Sphinx
at eleven； but there were a hundred excuses she could give to
account for her being late in keeping the appointment so that she
had arrived just in time； say； to see Danglar dash wildly in pursuit
of a woman who had jumped into the car that she was supposed to take！
The garret！ The garret again … and Gypsy Nan！ Her surroundings
seemed to become a blank to her； her actions to be prompte