clattering on the iron rungs of the fire escape； and then； more
faintly； for they were putting distance behind them as fast as they
could run； an excited outburst of profanity and exclamations。
〃They won't follow！〃 panted the Adventurer。 〃Those shots of theirs
outdoors will have alarmed the police； and they'll try and get
Danglar free first。 It's lucky your shot inside wasn't heard by
the patrolman on the beat。 I was afraid of that。 But we're safe
now … from Danglar's crowd； at least。〃
But still they ran。 They crossed an intersecting street； and
continued on along the lane； then swerving into the next intersecting
street； moderated their pace to a rapid walk … and stopped finally
only as Rhoda Gray drew suddenly into the shadows of another
alley…way； and held out her hand。 They were both safe now； as he
had said。 And there were so many reasons why； though her resolution
faltered a little； she should go the rest of the way alone。 She
was not sure that she trusted this strange 〃gentleman；〃 who was a
thief with his pockets crammed even now with the money that had
lured him almost to his death； but； too； she was not altogether sure
that she distrusted him。 But all that was secondary。 She must； as
soon as she could； get back to Gypsy Nan's garret。 Like that other
night； she dared not take the risk that Danglar； by any chance； might
return there … and find her gone after what had just happened。 The
man would be beside himself with fury； suspicious of everything
…and suspicion would be fatal in its consequences for her。 And so
she must go。 And she could not become Gypsy Nan again with the
Adventurer looking on！
〃We part here；〃 she said a little unsteadily。 〃Good…night！〃
〃Oh； I say； Miss Gray！〃 he protested quickly。 〃You don't mean that！
Why； look here； I haven't had a chance to tell you what I think； or
what I feel； about what you've done to…night … for me。〃
She shook her head。
〃There is nothing you need say；〃 she answered quietly。 〃We are only
quits。 You have done quite as much for me。〃
〃But； see here； Miss Gray！〃 he pleaded。 〃Can't we come to some
understanding？ We seem to have a jolly lot in common。 Is it quite
necessary； really necessary； that you should keep me off at
arm's…length？ Couldn't you let down the bars just a little？
Couldn't you tell me； for instance； where I could find you in case
of … real necessity？〃
She shook her head again。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃It is impossible。〃
He drew a little closer。 A sudden earnestness deepened his voice；
made it rasp a little； as though it were not wholly within control。
〃And suppose； Miss Gray； that I refuse to leave you； or to let you
go； now that I have you here； unless you give me more of your
confidence？ What then？〃
〃The other night；〃 she said slowly； 〃you informed me； among other
things； that you were a gentleman。 I believed the other things。〃
He did not answer for a moment … and then he smiled whimsically。
〃You score； Miss Gray；〃 he murmured。
〃Good night； then！〃 she said again。 〃I will go by the alley here；
you by the street。〃
〃No！ Wait！〃 he said gravely。 〃If nothing will change your mind
… and I shall not be importunate； for； as we have met three times
now through the same peculiar chain of circumstances； I know we
shall meet again … I have something to tell you； before you go。
As you already know； I went to Gypsy Nan's the night after I first
saw you； because I felt you needed help。 I went there in the hope
that she would know where to find you； and； failing in that； I left
a message for you in the hope that； since she had tricked Rorke in
your behalf； you would find means of communicating with her again。
But all that is entirely changed now。 Your participation in that
Hayden…Bond affair the other night makes Gypsy Nan's place the last
in all New York to which you should go。〃
Rhoda Gray stared through the semi…darkness； suddenly startled；
searching the Adventurer's face。
〃What do you mean？〃 she demanded quickly。
〃Just this；〃 he answered。 〃That where before I hoped you would go
there； I have spent nearly all the time since then in haunting the
vicinity of Gypsy Nan's house to warn you away in case you should
try to reach her。〃
〃I … I don't understand；〃 she said a little uncertainly。
〃It is simple enough；〃 he said。 〃Gypsy Nan is now one of those you
have most to fear。 Gypsy Nan is merely a disguise。 She is no more
Gypsy Nan than you are。〃
Rhoda Gray caught her breath。
〃Not Gypsy Nan！〃 she repeated … and fought to keep her voice in
control。 〃Who is she； then？〃
The Adventurer laughed shortly。
〃She is quite closely connected with that gentleman we left airing
himself on the fire escape；〃 he said grimly。 〃Gypsy Nan is Danglar's
wife。〃
It was very strange； very curious … the alleyway seemed suddenly to
be revolving around and around； and it seemed to bring her a
giddiness and a faintness。 The Adventurer was standing there before
her； but she did not see him any more； she could only see； as from
a brink upon which she tottered； a gulf； abysmal in its horror； that
yawned before her。
〃Thank you … thank you for the warning。〃 Was that her voice
speaking so calmly and dispassionately？ 〃I will remember it。 But
I must go now。 Good…night again！〃
He said something。 She did not know what。 She only knew that she
was hurrying along the alleyway now； and that he had made no effort
to stop her； and that she was grateful to him for that； and that her
composure； strained to the breaking point； would have given away if
she had remained with him another instant。 Danglar's wife！ It was
dark here in the alley…way； and she did not know where it led to。
But did it matter？ And she stumbled as she went along。 But it was
not the physical inability to see that made her stumble … it was a
brain…blindness that fogged her soul itself。 His wife！ Gypsy Nan
was Danglar's wife。
XI。 SOME OF THE LESSER BREED
Danglar's wife！ It had been a night of horror； a night without
sleep； a night； after the guttering candle had gone out； when the
blackness of the garret possessed added terrors created by an
imagination which ran riot； and which she could not control。 She
could have fled from it； screaming in panic…stricken hysteria … but
there had been no other place as safe as that was。 Safe！ The
word seemed to reach the uttermost depths of irony。 Safe！ Well；
it was true； wasn't it？
She had not wanted to return there； her soul itself had revolted
against it； but she had dared to do nothing else。 And all through
that night； huddled on the edge of the cot bed； her fingers clinging
tenaciously to her revolver as though afraid for even an instant
to relinquish it from her grasp； listening； listening； always
listening for a footstep that might come up from that dark hall
below； the footstep that would climax all the terrors that had
surged upon her； her mind had kept on reiterating； always reiterating
those words of the Adventurer … 〃Gypsy Nan is Danglar's wife。〃
And they were still with her； those words。 Daylight had come again；
and passed again； and it was evening once more； but those words
remained； insensible to change； immutable in their foreboding。 And
Rhoda Gray； as Gypsy Nan； shuddered now as she scuffled along a
shabby street deep in the heart of the East Side。 She was Danglar's
wife … by proxy。 At dawn that morning when the gray had come
creeping into the miserable attic through the small and dirty window
panes； she had fallen on her knees and thanked God she had been
spared that footstep。 It was strange！ She had poured out her soul
in passionate thankfulness then that Danglar had not come … and now
she was deliberately on her way to seek Danglar himself！ But the
daylight had done more than disperse the actual； physical darkness
of the past night； it had brought； if not a measure of relief； at
least a sense of guidance； and the final decision； perilous though
it was； which she meant now to put into execution。
There was no other way … unless she were willing to admit defeat；
to give up everything； her own good name； her father's name； to run
from it all and live henceforth in hiding in some obscure place far
away； branded in the life she would have left behind her as a
despicable criminal and thief。 And she could not； would not； do
this while her intuition； at least； inspired her with the faith to
believe that there was still a chance of clearing herself。 It was
the throw of the dice； perhaps … but there was no other way。
Danglar； and those with him； were at the bottom of the crime of
which she was held guilty。 She could not go on as she had been
doing； merely in the hope of stumbling upon some clew that would
serve to exonerate her。 There was not time enough for that。
Danglar's trap set for herself and the Adventurer last night in old
Nicky Viner's room proved that。 And the fact that the woman who
had originally masqueraded as Gypsy Nan … as she； Rhoda Gray； was
masquerading now … was Danglar's wife； proved it a thousandfold
more。 She could no longer remain passive； arguing with herself
that it took all her wits and all her efforts to maintain herself
in the role of Gypsy Nan； which temporarily was all that stood
between her and prison bars。 To do so meant the certainty of
disaster sooner or later； and if it meant that； the need for
immediate action of an offensive sort was imperative。
And so her mind was made up。 Her only chance was to find her way
into the full intimacy of the criminal band of which Danglar was
apparently the head； to search out its lair and its personnel； to
reach to the heart of it； to know Danglar's private movements； and
to discover where he lived so that she might watch him。 It surely
was not such a hopeless task！ True； she knew by name and sight
scarcely more than three of this crime clique； but at least she had
a starting point from which to work。 There was Shluker's junk shop
where she had turned the tables on Danglar and Skeeny on the night
they had planned to make the Sparrow their pawn。 It was obvious；
therefore； that Shluker himself； the proprietor of the junk shop；
was one of the organization。 She was goin