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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 detective to help you？ You make me weary！ So；
it was the White Moll； was it？ Well； I'm listening … only I'd like
to know first how you got here to this shed。〃
〃There's nothing in that！〃 he answered impatiently。 〃There's
something more important to talk about。 I was coming over to the
garret； and just as I reached the corner I saw you go into the lane。
I followed you； that's all there is to that。〃
〃Oh！〃 she sniffed。 She stared at him for a moment。 There was
something in which there was the uttermost of irony now； it seemed；
in this meeting between them。 Last night she had striven to meet him
alone； and she had meant to devote to…night to the same purpose； and
she was here with him now； and in a place than which； in her wildest
hopes； she could have imagined one no better suited to the reckoning
she would have demanded and forced。 And she was helpless； powerless
to make use of it。 She was unarmed。 Her revolver was gone。 Without
that to protect her； at an intimation that she was the White Moll she
would never leave the shed alive。 The spot would be quite as ideal
under those circumstances for him； as it would have been under other
circumstances for her。 She shrugged her shoulders。 Danglar's
continued silence evidently invited further comment on her part。 〃Oh！〃
she sniffed again。 〃And I suppose； then； that you have been chasing
the White Moll ever since last night at eleven； and that's why you
didn't get around sooner to allay my fears； even though you knew I
must be half mad with anxiety at the way things broke last night。
She'll have us down and out for keeps if you haven't got brains enough
to beat her。 How much longer is this thing going on？〃
Danglar's little black eyes narrowed。 She caught a sudden glint of
triumph in them。 It was Danglar now who laughed。
〃Not much longer！〃 His voice was arrogant with malicious
satisfaction。 〃The luck had to turn； hadn't it？ Well； it's turned！
I've got the White Moll at last！〃
She felt the color leave her face。 It seemed as though something
had closed with an icy clutch upon her heart。 She had heard aright；
hadn't she？ … that he had said he had got the White Moll at last。
And there was no mistaking the mans s sinister delight in making
that announcement。 Had she been premature； terribly premature； in
assuring herself that her identity was still safe as far as he was
concerned？ Did it mean that； after all； he had been playing at
cat…and…mouse with her； as she had at first feared？
〃You … you've got the White Moll？〃 She forced the words from her
lips； striving to keep her voice steady and in control； and to
infuse into it an ironical incredulity。
〃Sure！〃 he said complacently。 〃The showdown comes to…night。 In
another hour or so we'll have her where we want her； and …〃
〃Oh！〃 She laughed almost hysterically in relief。 〃I thought so！
You haven't got her yet。 You're only going to get her … in another
hour or so！ You make me tired！ It's always in 'another hour or so'
with you … and it never comes off！〃
Danglar scowled at her under the taunt。
〃It'll come off this time！〃 he snarled in savage menace。 〃You hold
that tongue of yours！ Yes； it'll come off！ And when it does〃 … a
sweep of fury sent the red into his working face … 〃I'll keep the
promise I made her once … that she'd wish she had never been born！
D'ye hear； Bertha？〃
〃I hear；〃 she said indifferently。 〃But would you mind telling me
how you are going to do it？ I might believe you then … perhaps！〃
〃Damn you； Bertha！〃 he exploded。 〃Sometimes I'd like to wring that
pretty neck of yours； and sometimes！〃 … he moved suddenly toward her
… 〃I would sell my soul for you； and …〃
She retreated from him coolly。
〃Never mind about that！ This isn't a love scene！〃 she purred
caustically。 〃And as for the other； save it for the White Moll。
What makes you think you've got her at last？〃
〃I don't think … I know。〃 He stood gnawing at his lips； eying her
uncertainly； half angrily； half hungrily。 And then he shrugged his
shoulders。 〃Listen！〃 he said。 〃I've got some one else； too！ And
I know now where the leak that's queered every one of our games and
put the White Moll wise to every one of our plans beforehand has
come from。 I guess you'll believe me now； won't you？ We've got that
dude pal of hers fastened up tighter than the night he fastened me
with his cursed handcuffs！ Do you know who that same dude pal is？〃
He laughed in an ugly； immoderate way。 〃You don't； of course； so
I'll tell you。 It's the Pug！〃 Rhoda Gray did not answer。 It was
growing dark here in the shed now … perhaps that was why the man's
form blended suddenly into the doorway and wall； and blurred before
her。 She tried to think； but there seemed to have fallen upon her
a numbed and agonized stupefaction。 There was no confusing this
issue。 Danglar had found out that the Adventurer was the Pug。 And
it meant … oh； what did it mean？ They would kill him。 Of course；
they would kill him！ The Adventurer； discovered； would be safer at
the mercy of a pack of starved pumas； and。。。
〃I thought that would hold you！〃 said Danglar with brutal serenity。
〃That's why I didn't get around till now。 I didn't get back from
that chase until daylight … the she…fiend stole our car … and then
I went to bed to get a little sleep。 About three o'clock this
afternoon Pinkie Bonn woke me up。 He was half batty with excitement。
He said he was over in the tenement in the Pug's room。 The Pug
wasn't in； and Pinkie was waiting for him； and then all of a sudden
he heard a woman screaming like mad from somewhere。 He went to the
door and looked out； and saw a man dash out of a room across the
hall； and burst in the door of the next room。 There was a woman in
there with her clothes on fire。 She'd upset a coal…oil stove； or
something。 The man Pinkie had seen beats the fire out； and
everybody in the tenement begins to collect around the door。 And
then Pinkie goes pop…eyed。 The man's face was the face of the White
Moll's dude pal … but he had on the Pug's clothes。 Pinkie's a wise
guy。 He slips away to me without getting himself in the limelight
or spilling any beans。 And I didn't ask him if he'd been punching
the needle again overtime； either。 It fitted like a glove with what
happened at old Luertz's last night。 You don't know about that。
Pinkie and this double…crossing snitch went there … and only found
a note from the White Moll。 He'd tipped her off before； of course；
and the note made a nice little play so's he'd be safe himself with
us。 Well； that's about all。 We had to get him … where we wanted
him … and we got him。 We waited until he showed up again as the
Pug； and then we put over a frame…up deal on him that got him to go
over to that old iron plant in Harlem； you know； behind Jake Malley's
saloon； where we had it fixed to hand Cloran his last night … and the
Pug's there now。 He's nicely gagged； and tied； and quite safe。 The
plant's been shut down for the last two months； and there's only the
watchman there； and he's 'squared。' We gave the Pug two hours of
solitary