reconsider any such intentions … Pinkie。 It would be a very
disastrous thing for you if I were caught。 Somebody is 'wanted' for
the murder of Marny Day at Charlie's a little while ago； and a jury
would undoubtedly decide that the guilty man was the one who broke
in the door there and stole the money。 And if I were caught and
were obliged to confess that I got it from you； and French Pete
swore that it was whoever broke into the room that shot his pal； it
might go hard with you； Pinkie … don't you think so？〃 She smiled
coldly at the man's staring eyes and dropped jaw。 〃Good…night；
Pinkie； I know you won't make any noise；〃 she said softly … and
suddenly opened the door； and in a flash stepped back into the hall；
and closed and locked the door； and whipped out the key from the
lock。
And inside Pinkie Bonn made no sound。
It was done now。 Rhoda Gray drew in her breath in a great choking
gasp of relief。 She found herself trembling violently。 She found
her limbs were bearing her none too steadily； as she began to grope
her way now along the black hall toward the back door。 But it was
done now； and … No； she was not safe away； even yet！ Some one was
coming in through that back door just ahead of her； or； at least；
she heard voices out there。
She was just at the end of the hall now。 There was no time to go
back and risk the front entrance。 She darted across the hall to
the opposite side from that of the Pug's room； because on that side
the opening of the door would not necessarily expose her； and
crouched down in the corner。 It was black here； perhaps black
enough to escape observation。 She listened； her heart beating
wildly。 The voices outside continued。 Why were they lingering
there？ Why didn't they do one thing or the other … either go away；
or come in？ There wasn't any too much time！ The Pug might be
back at any minute now。 Perhaps one of those people out there was
the Pug！ Perhaps it would be better after all to run back and go
out by the front door； risky as that would be。 No； her escape in
that direction now was cut off； too！
She shrank as far back into the corner as she could。 The door of
the end room on this side of the hall had opened； and now a man
stepped out and closed the door behind him。 Would he see her？ She
held her breath。 No！ It … it was all right。 He was walking away
from her toward the front of the hall。 And now for a moment it
seemed as though she had lost her senses； as though her brain were
playing some mad； wild trick upon her。 Wasn't that the Pug's door
before which the man had stopped？ Yes； yes！ And he seemed to have
a key to it； for he did not knock； and the door was opening； and
now for an instant； just an instant； the light fell upon the man
as he stepped with a quick； lightning…like movement inside； and she
saw his face。 It was the Adventurer。
She stifled a little cry。 Her brain was in turmoil。 And now the
back door was opening。 They … they might see her here！ And … yes
… it was safer … safer to act on the sudden inspiration that had
come to her。 The door of the room from which the Adventurer had
emerged was almost within reach； and he had not locked it as he had
gone out … she had subconsciously noted that fact。 And she
understood why he had not now … that he had safeguarded himself
against the loss of even the second or two it would have taken
him to unlock it when he ran back for cover again from the Pug's
room。 Yes…that room！ It was the safest thing she could do。 She
could even get out that way； for it must be the room with the low
window； which she remembered gave on the back yard； and … She
darted silently forward； and； as the back door opened； slipped into
the room the Adventurer had just vacated。
It was pitch black。 She must not make a sound； but； equally； she
must not lose a second。 What was taking place in the Pug's room
between Pinkie Bonn and the Adventurer she did not know。 But the
Adventurer was obviously on one of his marauding expeditions； and
he might stay there no more than a minute or two once he found out
that he had been forestalled。 She must hurry … hurry！
She felt her way forward in what she believed to be the direction
of the window。 She ran against the bed。 But this afforded her
something by which to guide herself。 She kept her touch upon it；
her hand trailing along its edge。 And then； halfway down its
length； what seemed to be a piece of string caught in her extended；
groping fingers。 It seemed to cling； but also to yield most
curiously； as she tried to shake it off； and then something；
evidently from under the mattress； came away with a little jerk；
and remained； suspended； in her hand。
It didn't matter； did it？ Nothing mattered except to reach the
window。 Yes； here it was now！ And the roller shade was drawn down；
that was why the room was so dark。 She raised the shade quickly
… and suddenly stood there as though transfixed； her face paling；
as in the faint light by the window she gazed； fascinated； at the
object that still dangled by a cord from her hand。
And it seemed as if an inner darkness were suddenly riven as by a
bolt of lightning … a hundred things； once obscure and
incomprehensible； were clear now； terribly clear。 She understood
now how the Adventurer was privy to all the inner workings of the
organization； she understood now how it was； and why； the Adventurer
had a room so close to that other room across the hall。 That
dangling thing on an elastic cord was a smeared and dirty celluloid
eye…patch that had once been flesh…colored！ The Adventurer and the
Pug were one！
Her wits！ Quick！ He must not know！ In a frenzy of haste she ran
for the bed； and slipped the eye…patch in under the mattress again；
and then； still with frenzied speed； she climbed to the window sill；
drew the roller shade down again behind her； and dropped to the
ground。
Through the back yard and lane she gained the street； and sped on
along the street … but her thoughts outpaced her hurrying footsteps。
How minutely every detail of the night now seemed to explain itself
and dovetail with every other one！ At the time； when Shluker had
been present； it had struck her as a little forced and unnecessary
that the Pug should have volunteered to seek out Danglar with
explanations after the money had been secured。 But she understood
now the craft and guile that lay behind his apparently innocent plan。
The Adventurer needed both time and an alibi； and also he required
an excuse for making Pinkie Bonn the custodian of the stolen money；
and of getting Pinkie alone with that money in the Pug's room。
Going to Danglar supplied all this。 He had hurried back； changed
in that room from the Pug to the Adventurer； and proposed in the
latter character to relieve Pinkie of the money； to return then
across the hall； become the Pug again； and then go back； as though
he had just come from Danglar； to find his friend and ally； Pinkie
Bonn； robbed by their mutual arch…enemy … the Adventurer！
The Pug…the Adventurer！ She did not quite seem to grasp its
significance as applied to her in a personal way。 It seemed to
branch out into endless ramifications。 She could not somehow think
logically； coolly enough now； to decide what this meant in a
concrete way to her； and her to…morrow； and the days after the
to…morrow。
She hurried on。 To…night； as she would lay awake through the hours
that were to come； for sleep was a thing denied； perhaps a clearer
vision would be given her。 For the moment there … there was
something else … wasn't there？ The money that belonged to the old
couple。
She hurried on。 She came again to the street where the old couple
lived。 It was a dirty street； and from the curb she stooped and
picked up a dirty piece of old newspaper。 She wrapped the banknotes
in the paper。
There were not many people on the street as she neared the mean
little frame house； but she loitered until for the moment the
immediate vicinity was deserted； then she slipped into the alleyway；
and stole close to the side window； through which； she had noted
from the street； there shone a light。 Yes； they were there； the
two of them … she could see them quite distinctly even through
the shutters。
She went back to the front door then； and knocked。 And presently
the old woman came and opened the door。
〃This is yours；〃 Rhoda said； and thrust the package into the woman's
hand。 And as the woman looked from her to the package
uncomprehendingly； Rhoda Gray flung a quick 〃good…night〃 over her
shoulder； and ran down the steps again。
But a few moments later she stole back； and stood for an instant
once more by the shuttered window in the alleyway。 And suddenly
her eyes grew dim。 She saw an old man； white and haggard； with
bandaged head； sitting in a chair； the tears streaming down
his face； and on the floor； her face hidden on the other's knees；
a woman knelt … and the man's hand stroked and stroked the thin
gray hair on the woman' s head。
And Rhoda Gray turned away。 And out in the street her face was
lifted and she looked upward； and there were myriad stars。 And
there seemed a beauty in them that she had never seen before； and
a great； comforting serenity。 And they seemed to promise something
… that through the window of that stark and evil garret to which
she was going now； they would keep her dreaded vigil with her until
morning came again。
XIV。 THE LAME MAN
Another night … another day！ And the night again had been without
rest； lest Danglar's dreaded footstep come upon her unawares； and
the day again had been one of restless； abortive activity； now
prowling the streets as Gypsy Nan； now returning to the garret to
fling herself upon the cot in the hope that in daylight； when
she might risk it； sleep would come； but it had been without avail；
for； in spite of physical weariness； it seemed to Rhoda Gray as
though her tortured mind would never let her sleep again。 Danglar's
wife！ That was the horror that was in her brain； yes； and in her
soul； and that would not leave her。
And now night was coming upon her once more。 It had even begun to
grow dark here on the lower stairway that led