doctor said he had to beat it out of here to a more salubrious
climate。 Some nut filled his ear full 'bout gold huntin' up in
Alaska； an' he fell for it。 He chewed it over with his wife； an'
she was for it too； 'cause the doctor 'd told her her old man would
bump off if he stuck around here； an' they hadn't any money to get
away together。 She figured she could get along workin' out by the
day till he came back a millionaire； an' old Dainey started off。
〃I dunno how he got there。 I'm just fillin' in what I hears French
Pete an' Marny talkin' about。 I guess mostly he beat his way there
ridin' the rods； but； anyway； he got there。 See？ An' then he goes
down sick there again； an' a hospital； or some outfit； has to take
care of him for a couple of years； an' back here the old woman got
kind of feeble an' on her uppers； an there was hell to pay； an' …〃
〃Wot's bitin' youse； Nan？〃 The Pug's lisping whisper broke sharply
in upon Pinkie Bonn's story。
Rhoda Gray started。 She was conscious now that she had been leaning
forward； staring in a startled way at Pinkie as he talked； conscious
now that for a moment she had forgotten … that she was Gypsy Nan。
But she was mistress of herself on the instant； and she scowled
blackly at the Pug。
〃Mabbe it's me soft heart dat's touched！〃 she flung out acidly。
〃Youse close yer trap； an' let Pinkie talk！〃
〃Yes； shut up！〃 said Pinkie。 〃What was I sayin'？ Oh； yes！ An'
then the old guy makes a strike。 Can you beat it！ I dunno nothing
about the way they pull them things； but he's off by his lonesome
out somewhere； an' he finds gold； an' stakes out his claim； but
he takes sick again an' can't work it； an' it's all he can do to
get back alive to civilization。 He keeps his mouth shut for a
while； figurin' he'll get strong again； but it ain't no good； an'
he gets a letter from the old woman tellin' how bad she is； an'
then he shows some of the stuff he'd found。 After that there's
nothing to it！ Everybody's beatin' it for the place； but； at that；
old Dainey comes out of it all right； an' goes crazy with joy
'cause some guy offers him twenty…five thousand bucks for his claim；
an' throws in the expenses home for good luck。 He gets the money
in cash； twenty…five one…thousand…dollar bills； an' the chicken
feed for the expenses； an' starts for back here an' the old woman。
But this time he don't keep his mouth shut about it when he'd have
been better off if he had。 See？ He was tellin' about it on the
train。 I guess he was tellin' about it all the way across。 But；
anyway； he tells about it comm' from Philly this afternoon； an'
French Pete an' Marny Day happens to be on the train； an' they
hears it； an' frames it up to annex the coin before morning； 'cause
he's got in too late to get the money into any bank to…day。〃
Pinkie Bonn paused； and stuck his tongue significantly in his cheek。
Shluker was rubbing his hands together now in a sort of unctuous
way。
〃It sounds pretty good；〃 he murmured； 〃only there's Danglar …〃
〃Youse leave Danglar to me！〃 broke in the Pug。 〃As soon as we
hands one to dem two boobs an' gets de cash； Pinkie can beat it
back here wid de coin an wait fer me while I finds Danglar an'
squares it wid him。 He ain't goin' to put up no holler at dat。 We
ain't runnin' de gang into nothin'。 Dis is private business … see？
So youse just take a sneak wid yerself； an' fix a nice little alibi
fer us so's we won't be takin' any chances。〃
Shluker frowned。
〃But what's the good of that？〃 he demurred。 〃French Pete and
Marny Day '11 see you anyway。〃
〃Will dey！〃 scoffed the Pug。 〃Guess once more！ A coupla
handkerchiefs over our mugs is good enough fer dem； if youse holds
yer end up。 An' dey wouldn't talk fer publication； anyway； would
dey？〃
Shluker smiled now…almost ingratiatingly。
〃And how much is my end worth？〃 he inquired softly。
〃One of dem thousand…dollar engravin's；〃 stated the Pug promptly。
〃An' Pinkie'll run around an' slip it to youse before mornin'〃
〃All right；〃 said Shluker； after a moment。 〃It's half past eight
now。 From nine o'clock on； you can beat any jury in New York to it
that you were both at the same old place … as long as you keep
decently under cover。 That'll do； won't it？ I'll fix it。 But I
don't see …〃
Rhoda Gray； as Gypsy Nan； for the first time projected herself into
the discussion。 She cackled suddenly in jeering mirth。
〃I t'ought something was wrong wid her！〃 whispered the Pug with
mock anxiety。 〃Mabbe she ain't well！ Tell us about it； Nan！〃
〃When I do；〃 she said complacently； 〃mabbe youse'll smile out of de
other corner of dat mouth of yers！〃 She turned to Shluker。 〃Youse
needn't lay awake waitin' fer dat thousand； Shluker； 'cause youse'll
never see it。 De little game's all off … 'cause it's already been
pulled。 See？ Dere was near a riot as I passes along a street goin'
to yer place； an' I gets piped off to wot's up； an' it's de same
story dat Pinkie's told； an' de crib's cracked； an' de money's gone
… dat's all。〃
Shluker's face fell。
〃I said you were fools when I first came in here！〃 he burst out
suddenly； wheeling on Pinkie Bonn and the Pug。 〃I'm sure of it now。
I was wonderin a minute ago how you were goin' to keep your lamps on
Pete and Marny from here； or know when they were goin' to pull their
stunt； or where to find 'em。〃
Pinkie Bonn； ignoring Shluker； leaned toward Rhoda Gray。
〃Say； Nan； is that straight？〃 he inquired anxiously。 〃You sure？〃
〃Sure； I'm sure！〃 Rhoda Gray asserted tersely。 The one thought in
her head now was that her information would naturally deprive these
men here of any further interest in the matter； and that she would
get away as quickly as possible； and； in some way or other； see that
the police were tipped off to the fact that it was French Pete and
Marny Day who had taken the old couple's money。 Those two old faces
rose before her again now … blotting out most curiously the face of
Pinkie Bonn just in front of her。 She felt strangely glad … glad
that she had heard all of old Dainey's story； because she could see
now an ending to it other than the miserable； hopeless one of
despair that she had read in the Daineys' faces just a little while
ago。 〃Sure； I'm sure！〃 she repeated with finality。
〃How long ago was it？〃 prodded Pinkie。
〃I dunno；〃 she answered。 〃I just went to Shluker's； an' den we
comes over here。 Youse can figure it fer yerself。〃
And then Rhoda Gray stared at the other … with sudden misgiving。
Pinkie Bonn's face was suddenly wreathed in smiles。
〃I'll answer you now； Shluk；〃 he grinned。 〃What do you think？ That
we're nuts； me an' Pug？ Well； forget it！ We didn't have to stick
around watchin' Pete an' Marny； we just had to wait until they had
collected the dough。 That was the most trouble we had … wonderin'
when that would be。 Well； we don't have to wonder any more。 We
know now that the cherries are ripe。 See？ An' now we'll go an'
pick 'em！ Where？ Where d'ye suppose？ Down to Charlie's； of course！
I hears 'em talkin' about that； too。 They ain't so foolish！ They're
out for an alibi themselves。 Get the idea？ They was to sneak out
of Charlie's without anybody seem' 'em； an' if everything broke
right for 'em； they was to sneak back again an' spend the night
there。 No； they ain't so foolish … I guess they ain't！ There ain't
no place in New York you can get in an' out of without nobody knowin'
it like Charlie's； if you know the way； an …〃
〃Aw； write de rest of it down in yer memoirs！〃 interposed the Pug
impatiently … and moved toward the door。 〃It's all right； Shluker
… all de way。 Now； everybody beat it； an' get on de job。 Nan；
youse sticks wid Pinkie an' me。〃
Rhoda Gray； her mind in confusion； found herself being crowded
hurriedly through the doorway by the three men。 Still in a mentally
confused condition； she found herself； a few minutes later … Shluker
having parted company with them … walking along the street between
Pinkie Bonn and the Pug。 She was fighting desperately to obtain a
rip upon herself。 The information she had volunteered had had an
effect diametrically opposite to that which she had intended。 She
seemed terribly impotent； as though she were being swept from her
feet and borne onward by some swift and remorseless current； whether
she would or no。
The Pug； in his curious whisper； was talking to her： 〃Pinkie knows
de way in。 We don't want any row in dere； on account of Charlie。
We ain't fer puttin' his place on de rough； an' gettin' him raided
by de bulls。 Charlie's all to de good。 See？ Well； dat's wot 'd
likely happen if me an' Pinkie busts in on Pete an' Marny widout
sendin' in our visitin'…cards first； polite…like。 Dey would pull
deir guns； an' though we'd get de coin just de same； dere'd be hell
to pay fer Charlie； an' de whole place 'd go up in fireworks right
off de bat。 Well； dis is where youse come in。 Youse are de
visitin'…card。 Youse gets into deir bunk room； pretendin' youse
have made a mistake； an' youse leaves de door open behind youse。
Dey don't know youse； an'； bein' a woman； dey won't pull no gun on
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
quit