the white moll- 第5部分

He　shook　his　head。

She　did　not　understand　his　technical　explanation。　　There　was
something　about　a　clot　and　blood　stoppage。　　But　as　she　resumed　her
seat；　she　understood　very　fully　that　the　end　was　near。　　The　woman
was　resting　quietly　now；　the　doctor　had　said；　but　if　she；　Rhoda　Gray；
cared　to　wait；　she　could　see　the　other　before　leaving　the　hospital。

And　so　she　waited。　　She　had　promised　Gypsy　Nan　she　would。

The　minutes　dragged　along。　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed。　　Still
another。　　Midnight　came。　　Fifteen　minutes　more　went　by；　and　then　a
nurse　came　out　of　the　room；　and；　standing　by　the　door；　beckoned　to
Rhoda　Gray。

〃She　is　asking　for　you；〃　the　nurse　said。　　〃Please　do　not　stay　more
than　a　few　minutes。　　I　shall　be　outside　here；　and　if　you　notice　the
slightest　change；　call　me　instantly。〃

Rhoda　Gray　nodded。

〃I　understand；〃　she　said。

The　door　closed　softly　behind　her。　　She　was　smiling　cheerily　as　she
crossed　the　room　and　bent　over　Gypsy　Nan。

The　woman　stretched　out　her　hand。

〃The　White　Moll！〃　she　whispered。　　〃He　told　the　truth；　that　bull　did
…　straight　as　they　make　'em；　and

〃Don't　try　to　talk；〃　Rhoda　Gray　interrupted　gently。　　〃Wait　until　you
are　a　little　stronger。〃

〃Stronger！〃　Gypsy　Nan　shook　her　head。　　〃Don't　try　to　kid　me！　　I
know。　　They　told　me。　　I'd　have　known　it　anyway。　　I'm　going　out。〃

Rhoda　Gray　found　no　answer　for　a　moment。　　A　great　lump　had　risen
in　her　throat。　　Neither　would　she　have　needed　to　be　told；　she；　too；
would　have　known　it　anyway　…　it　was　stamped　in　the　gray　pallor　of
the　woman's　face。　　She　pressed　Gypsy　Nan's　hand。

And　then　Gypsy　Nan　spoke　again；　a　queer；　yearning　hesitancy　in　her
voice：

〃Do　…　do　you　believe　in　God？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　simply。

Gypsy　Nan　closed　her　eyes。

〃Do　…　do　you　think　there　is　a　chance　…　even　at　the　last　…　if　…　if；
without　throwing　down　one's　pals；　one　tries　to　make　good？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　again。

〃Is　the　door　closed？〃　　Gypsy　Nan　attempted　to　raise　herself　on　her
elbow；　as　though　to　see　for　herself。

Rhoda　Gray　forced　the　other　gently　back　upon　the　pillows。

〃It　is　closed；〃　she　said。　　〃You　need　not　be　afraid。〃

〃What　time　is　it？〃　demanded　Gypsy　Nan。

Rhoda　Gray　looked　at　her　watch。

〃Twenty…five　minutes　after　twelve；〃　she　answered。

〃There's　time　yet；　then；〃　whispered　Gypsy　Nan。　　〃There's　time　yet。〃
She　lay　silent　for　a　moment；　then　her　hand　closed　tightly　around
Rhoda　Gray's。　　〃Listen！〃　she　said。　　〃There's　more　about　…　about
why　I　lived　like　that　than　I　told　you。　　And　…　and　I　can't　tell　you
now　…　I　can't　go　out　like　a　yellow　cur　…　I'm　not　going　to　snitch
on　anybody　else　just　because　I'm　through　myself。　　But　…　but　there's
something　on　to…night　that　I'd　…　I'd　like　to　stop。　　Only　the　police；
or　anybody　else；　aren't　to　know　anything　about　it；　because　then
they'd　nip　my　friends。　　See？　　But　you　can　do　it　…　easy。　　You　can
do　it　alone　without　anybody　knowing。　　There's　time　yet。　　They
weren't　going　to　pull　it　until　halfpast　one　…　and　there　won't　be
any　danger　for　you。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　get　the　money　before
they　do；　and　then　see　that　it　goes　back　where　it　belongs　to…morrow。
Will　you？　　You　don't　want　to　see　a　crime　committed　to…night　if　…　if
you　can　stop　it；　do　you？〃

Rhoda　Gray's　face　was　grave。　　She　hesitated　for　a　moment。

〃I'll　have　to　know　more　than　that　before　I　can　answer　you；　Nan；〃
she　said。

〃It's　the　only　way　to　stop　it！〃　Gypsy　Nan　whispered　feverishly。
〃I　won't　split　on　my　pals　…　I　won't　…　I　won't！　　But　I　trust　you。
Will　you　promise　not　to　snitch　if　I　tell　you　how　to　stop　it；　even
if　you　don't　go　there　yourself？　　I'm　offering　you　a　chance　to　stop
a　twenty…thousand…dollar　haul。　　If　you　don't　promise　it's　got　to
go　through；　because　I've　got　to　stand　by　the　ones　that　were　in　it
with　me。　　I　…　I'd　like　to　make　good　…　just　…　once。　　But　I　can't　do
it　any　other　way。　　For　God's　sake；　you　see　that；　don't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　in　a　low　voice；　〃but　the　promise　you　ask　for
is　the　same　as　though　I　promised　to　try　to　get　the　money　you　speak
of。　　If　I　knew　what　was　going　on；　and　did　nothing；　I　would　be　an
accomplice　to　the　crime；　and　guilty　myself。〃

〃But　I　can't　do　anything　else！〃　　Gypsy　Nan　was　speaking　with　great
difficulty。　　〃I　won't　get　those　that　were　with　me　in　wrong　…　I　won't！
You　can　prevent　a　crime　to…night；　if　you　will　…　you　…　you　can　help
me　to　…　to　make　good。〃

Rhoda　Gray's　lips　tightened；　〃Will　you　give　me　your　word　that　I　can
do　what　you　suggest　…　that　it　is　feasible；　possible？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Gypsy　Nan。　　〃You　can　do　it　easily；　and　…　and　it's　safe。
It　…　it　only　wants　a　little　nerve；　and　…　and　you've　got　that。〃

〃I　promise；　then；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray。

〃Thank　God！〃　　Gypsy　Nan　pulled　fiercely　at　Rhoda　Gray's　wrist。
〃Come　nearer…nearer！　　You　know　Skarbolov；　old　Skarbolov；　who　keeps
the　antique　store　…　on　the　street　…　around　the　corner　from　my　place？〃
Rhoda　Gray　nodded。

〃He's　rich！〃　whispered　Gypsy　Nan。　　〃Think　of　it！　　Him　…　rich！　　But
he　gets　the　best　of　the　Fifth　Avenue　crowd　just　because　he　keeps
his　joint　in　that　rotten　hole。　　They　think　they're　getting　the　real
thing　in　antiques！　　He's　a　queer　old　fool。　　Afraid　people　would　know
he　had　money　if　he　kept　it　in　the　bank　…　afraid　of　a　bank；　too。
Understand？　　We　found　out　that　every　once　in　a　while　he'd　change　a
lot　of　small　bills　for　a　big　one　…　five…hundred…dollar　bills　
…　thousand…dollar　bills。　　That　put　us　wise。　　We　began　to　watch　him。
It　took　months　to　find　where　he　hid　it。　　We've　spent　night　after
night　searching　through　his　shop。　　You　can　get　in　easily。　　There's
no　one　there　…　upstairs　is　just　a　storage　place　for　his　extra　stock。
There's　a　big　padlock　on　the　back　door；　but　there's　a　false　link　in
the　chain　…　count　three　links　to　the　right　from　the　padlock　…　we
put　it　there；　and　…〃

Gypsy　Nan's　voice　had　become　almost　inaudible。　　She　pulled　at　Rhoda
Gray's　wrist　again；　urging　her　closer。

〃Listen　…　quick！　　I　…　my　strength！　　she　panted。　　〃An　antique　he
never　sells　…　old　escritoire　against　rear　wall　…　secret　drawer
…　take　out　wide　middle　drawer　…　reach　in　and　rub　your　hand　along
the　top　…　you'll　feel　the　spring。　　We　waited　to　…　to　get　…　get
counterfeits　…　put　counterfeits　there　…　understand？　　Then　he'd
never　know　he'd　been　robbed　…　not　for　a　long　time　anyway　
…　discovered　perhaps　when　he　was　dead　…　old　wife　…　suffer　then
…　I　…　got　to　make　good　…　make　good　…　I　…〃　　She　came　up　suddenly
on　both　her　elbows；　the　dark　eyes　staring　wildly。　　〃Yes；　yes！〃
she　whispered。　　〃Seven…three…nine！　　Look　out！〃　　Her　voice　rang
with　sudden　terror；　rising　almost　to　a　scream。　　〃Look　out！　　Can't
you　understand；　you　fool！　　I've　told　you！　　Seven…three…nine！
Seven…three。。。

Rhoda　Gray's　arms　had　gone　around　the　other's　shoulders。　　She　heard
the　door　open…and　then　a　quick；　light　step。　　There　wasn't　any　other
sound　now。　　She　made　way　mechanically　for　the　nurse。　　And　then；
after　a　moment；　she　rose　from　her　knees。　　The　nurse　answered　her
unspoken　question。

〃Yes；　it's　over。〃


III。　　ALIAS　GYPSY　NAN

Rhoda　Gray　went　slowly　from　the　room。　　In　a　curiously　stunned　sort
of　way　she　reached　the　street；　and　for　a　few　blocks　walked　along
scarcely　conscious　of　the　direction　she　was　taking。　　Her　mind　was
in　turmoil。　　The　night　seemed　to　have　been　one　of　harrowing
hallucination；　it　seemed　as　though　it　were　utterly　unreal；　like　one
dreaming　that　one　is　dreaming。　　And　then；　suddenly；　she　looked　at
her　watch；　and　the　straight　little　shoulders　squared　resolutely　back。
The　hallucination；　if　she　chose　to　call　it　that；　was　not　yet　over！
It　was　twenty　minutes　of　one；　and　there　was　still　Skarbolov's　…　and
her　promise。

She　quickened　her　pace。　　She　did　not　like　this　promise　that　she　had
made；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　she　had　not　made　it　either　lightly　or
impulsively。　　She　had　no　regrets　on　that　score。　　She　would　make　it
again　under　the　same　conditions。　　How　could　she　have　done　otherwise？
It　would　have　been　to　stand　aside　and　permit　a　crime　to　be　committed
which　she　was　assured　was　easily　within　her　power　to　prevent。　　What
excuse　could　she　have　had　for　that？　　Fear　wasn't　an　excuse。　　She
did　not　like　the　thought　of　entering　the　back　door　of　a　store　in
the　middle　of　the　night　like　a　thief；　and；　like　a　thief；　taking　away
that　hidden　money。　　She　knew　she　was　going　to　be　afraid；　horribly
afraid　…　it　frightened　her　now　…　but　she　could　not　let　that　fear
make　a　moral　coward　of　her。

Her　hands　clenched　at　her　sides。　　She　would　not　allow　herself　to
dwell　upon　that　phase　of　it！　　She　was　going　to　Skarbolov's；　and
that　was　all　there　was　to　it。　　The　only　thing　she　really　had　to
fear　was　that　she　should　lose　even　a　single　unnecessary　moment　in
getting　there。　　Halfpast　one；　Gypsy　Nan　had　said。　　That　should　give
her　ample　time；　but　the　quicker　she　went；　the　wider　the；　margin　of
safety。

Her　thoughts　reverted　to　Gypsy　Nan。　　What　had　the　woman　meant
by　her　last　few　wandering　words？　　They　had　nothing　to　do　with
Skarbolov's；　that　was　certain；　but　the　words　came　back　now
insistently。　　〃Seven…three…nine。〃　　What　did　〃seven…three…nine〃
mean？　　She　shook　her　head　helplessly。　　Well；　what　did　it　matter？
She　dismissed　further　consideration　of　it。　　She　repeated　to　herself
Gypsy　Nan's　directions　for　finding　the　spring　of　the　secret　drawer。
She　forced　herself　to　think　of　anything　that　would　bar　the　entry
of　that　fear　which　stood　lurking　at　the　threshold　of　her　mind。

From　time　to　time　she　consulted　her　watch　…　and　each　time　hurried
the　faster。

It　was　five　minutes　past　one　when；　stealing　silently　along　a　black
lane；　and　counting　against　the　skyline　the　same　number　of　buildings
she　had　previously　counted　on　the　street　from　the　corner；　she
entered　an　equally　black　yard；　and　reached　the　back　door　of
Skarbolov's　little　store。　　She　felt　out　with　her　hands　and　found
the　padlock；　and　her　fingers　pressed　on　the　link　in　the　chain　that
Gypsy　Nan　had　described。　　It　gave　readily。　　She　slipped　it　free；
and　opened　the　door。　　There　was　faint；　almost　inaudible；　protesting
creak　from　the　hinges。　　She　caught　her　breath　quickly。　　Had　anybody
heard　it？　　It　…　it　had　seemed　like　a　cannon　shot。　　And　then　her　lips
curled　in　sudden　self…contempt。　　Who　was　there　to　hear　it？

She　stepped　forward；　closed　the　door　sile