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on the rickety washstand。
〃Come over here and light the candle；〃 she said。 〃I can't find my
matches。〃
Her hand was in the pocket of her skirt now； her fingers
tight…closed on the stock of her automatic； as he shuffled his way
across the attic to her side。 A match spurted into flame； the
candle wick flickered； then steadied； dispersing little by little；
as it grew brighter； the nearer shadows … and there came a startled
cry from Danglar … and Rhoda Gray； the weapon in her pocket
forgotten； was staring as though stricken of her senses across the
garret。 The Adventurer was sitting on the edge of the cot； and a
revolver in his hand held a steady bead upon Danglar and herself。。
XXI 。 THE RECKONING
It was the Adventurer who spoke first。
〃Both of you！ What charming luck！〃 he murmured whimsically。 〃You'll
forgive the intrusion won't you？ A friend of mine； the Sparrow by
name … I think you are acquainted with him； Danglar … was good enough
to open the door for me； and lock it again on the outside。 You see；
I didn't wish to cause you any alarm through a premature suspicion
that you might have a guest！〃 His voice hardened suddenly as he rose
from the cot； and； though he limped badly； stepped quickly toward
them。 〃Don't move； Danglar … or you； Mrs。 Danglar！〃 he ordered
sharply … and with a lightning movement of his hand felt for； and
whipped Danglar's revolver from the latter's pocket。 〃Pardon me！〃
he said … and his hand was in and out of Rhoda Gray's pocket。 He
tossed the two weapons coolly over onto the cot。 〃Well； Danglar；〃
he smiled grimly； 〃there's quite a change in the last few hours；
isn't there？〃
Danglar made no answer。 His face was ashen； his little black eyes；
like those of a cornered rat； and as though searching for some
avenue of escape； were darting hunted glances all around the garret。
Rhoda Gray； the first shock of surprise gone； leaned back against
the washstand with an air of composure that she did not altogether
feel。 What was the Adventurer going to do？ True； she need have no
fear of personal violence … she had only to disclose herself。 But
… but there were other considerations。 She saw that reckoning of
her own with Danglar at an end； though … yes！ … perhaps the
Adventurer would become her ally in that matter。 But； then； there
was something else。 The Adventurer was a thief； and she could not
let him get away with those packages of banknotes up there behind
the trap…door in the ceiling； if she could help it。 That was
perhaps what he had come for； and … and … Her mind seemed to tumble
into chaos。 She did not know what to do。 She stared at the
Adventurer。 He was still dressed as the Pug； though the eye…patch
was gone； and there was no longer any sign of the artificial facial
disfigurements。
The Adventurer spoke again。
〃Won't you sit down … Mrs。 Danglar？〃 He pushed the single chair
the garret possessed toward her … and shrugged his shoulders as
she remained motionless。 〃You'll pardon me； then； if I sit down
myself。〃 He appropriated the chair； and faced them； his revolver
dangling with ominous carelessness in his hand。 〃I've had a
rather upsetting experience this evening； and I am afraid I am
still a little the worse for it … as perhaps you know； Danglar？〃
〃You damned traitor！〃 Danglar burst out wildly。 〃I … I …〃
〃Quite so！〃 said the Adventurer smoothly。 〃But we'll get to that
in a minute。 Do you mind if I inflict a little story on you？ I
promise you it won't take long。 It's a little personal history
which I think will be interesting to you both； but； in any case；
as my hosts； I am sure you will be polite enough to listen。 It
concerns the murder of a man named Deemer； but in order that you
may understand my interest in the matter； I must go back quite a
little further。 Perhaps I even ought to introduce myself。 My name；
my real name； you know； is David Holt。 My father was in the American
Consular service in India when I was about ten。 He eventually left
it and went into business there through the advice of a very warm
friend of his； a certain very rich and very powerful rajah in the
State of Chota Nagpur in the Province of Bengal； where we then
lived。 I became an equally intimate friend of the rajah's son；
and … do I bore you； Danglar？〃
Danglar was like a crouched animal； his head drawn into his
shoulders； his hands behind him with fingers twisting and gripping
at the edge of the washstand。
〃What's your proposition？〃 he snarled。 〃Curse you； name your price；
and have done with it！ You're as big a crook as I am！〃
〃You are impatient！〃 The Adventurer's shoulders went up again。 〃In
due time the rajah decided that a trip through Europe and back home
through America would round out his son's education； and broaden and
fit him for his future duties in a way that nothing else would。 It
was also decided； I need hardly say to my intense delight； that I
should accompany him。 We come now to our journey through the United
States … you see； Danglar； that I am omitting everything but the
essential details。 In a certain city in the Middle West … I think
you will remember it well； Danglar … the young rajah met with an
accident。 He was out riding in the outskirts of the city。 His
horse took fright and dashed for the river…bank。 He was an
excellent horseman； but； pitched from his seat； his foot became
tangled in the stirrup； and as he hung there head down； a blow from
he horse's hoof rendered him unconscious； and he was being dragged
along； when a man by the name of Deemer； at the risk of his own
life； saved the rajah's son。 The horse plunged over the bank and
into the water with both of them。 They were both nearly drowned。
Deemer； let me say in passing； did one of the bravest things that
any man ever did。 Submerged； half drowned himself； he stayed
with the maddened animal until he had succeeded in freeing the
unconscious man。 All this was some two years ago。〃
The Adventurer paused。
Rhoda Gray； hanging on his words； was leaning tensely forward … it
seemed as though some great； dawning wonderment was lifting her out
of herself； making her even unconscious of her surroundings。
〃The rajah's son remained at the hotel there for several days to
recuperate；〃 continued the Adventurer deliberately； 〃and during that
time he saw a great deal of Deemer； and； naturally； so did I。 And；
incidentally； Danglar； though I thought nothing much of it then；
I saw something of you； and something of Mrs。 Danglar there； too；
though … if she will permit me to say it … in a more becoming
costume than she is now wearing！〃 Once more he shrugged his
shoulders as Danglar snarled。 〃Yes； yes； I will hurry。 I am almost
through。 While it was not made public throughout the country；
inasmuch as the rajah's son was more or less an official guest of
the government； the details of the accident were of course known
locally； as also was the fact that the young rajah in token of his
gratitude had presented Deemer with a collection of jewels of
almost priceless worth。 We resumed our journey； Deemer； who was a
man in very moderate circumstances； and who had probably never had
any means in his life before； went to New York； presumably to have
his first real holiday； and； as it turned out； to dispose of the
stones； or at least a portion of them。 When we reached the coast
we received two advices containing very ill news。 The first was
an urgent message to return instantly to India on account of the
old rajah's serious illness； the second was to the effect that
Deemer had been murdered by a woman in New York； and that the jewels
had been stolen。〃
Again the Adventurer paused； and； eying Danglar； smiled … not
pleasantly。
〃I will not attempt to explain to you；〃 he went on； 〃the young
rajah's feelings when he heard that the gift he had given Deemer
in return for his own life had cost Deemer his。 Nor will I attempt
to explain the racial characteristics of the people of whom the
young rajah was one； and who do not lightly forget or forgive。
But an eye for an eye； Danglar … you will understand that。 If it
cost all he had； there should be justice。 He could not stay
himself； and so I stayed…because he made me swear I would； and
because he made me swear that I would never allow the chase to lag
until the murderers were found。
〃And so I came East again。 I remembered you； Danglar … that on
several occasions when I had come upon Deemer unawares； you；
sometimes accompanied by a woman； and sometimes not； had been
lurking in the background。 I went to Cloran； the house detective
at the hotel here in New York where Deemer was murdered。 He
described the woman。 She was the same woman that had been with
you。 I went to the authorities and showed my credentials； with
which the young rajah had seen to it I was supplied from very
high sources indeed。 I did not wish to interfere with the
authorities in their handling of the case； but； on the other hand；
I had no wish to sit down idly and watch them； and it was necessary
therefore that I should protect myself in anything I did。 I also
made。 myself known to one of New York's assistant district attorneys；
who was an old frie