登陆注册
5251000000011

第11章 III ALIAS GYPSY NAN(2)

Rhoda Gray pulled it open. It was very shallow, scarcely three-quarters of an inch in depth, but it was quite long enough, and quite wide enough for its purpose! Inside, there lay a little pile of banknotes, banknotes of very large denomination - the one on top was a thousand-dollar bill.

She reached in and took out the money-and then from Rhoda Gray's lips there came a little cry, the flashlight dropped from her hand and smashed to the floor, and she was clinging desperately to the edge of the escritoire for support. The shop was flooded with light.

Over by the side wall, one hand still on the electric-light switch, the other holding a leveled revolver, stood a man.

And then the man spoke - with an oath - with curious amazement:

"My God - a woman!"

She did not speak, or stir. It seemed as though not fear, but horror now, held her powerless to move her limbs. Her first swift brain-flash had been that it was one of Gypsy Nan's accomplices here ahead of the appointed time. That would have given her cause, all too much of cause, for fear; but it was not one of Gypsy Nan's accomplices, and, far worse than the fear of any physical attack upon her, was the sense of ruin and disaster that the realization of a quite different and more desperate situation brought her now.

She knew the man. She had seen those square, heavy, clamped jaws scores of times. Those sharp, restless black eyes under over-hanging, shaggy eyebrows were familiar to the whole East Side.

It was Rorke - "Rough" Rorke, of headquarters.

He came toward her, and halfway across the room another exclamation burst from his lips; but this time it held a jeer, and in the jeer a sort of cynical and savage triumph.

"The White Moll!"

He was close beside her now, and now he snatched from her hand the banknotes that, all unconsciously, she had still been clutching tightly.

"So this is what all the sweet charity's been about, eh?" he snapped. "The White Moll, the Little Saint of the East Side, that lends a helping hand to the crooks to get 'em back on the straight and narrow again! The White Moll-hell! You crooked little devil!"

Again she did not answer. Her mind was clear now, brutally clear, brutally keen, brutally virile. What was there for her to say?

She was caught here at one o'clock in the morning after breaking into the place, caught red-handed in the very act of taking the money. What story could she tell that would clear her of that!

That she had taken it so that it wouldn't be stolen, and that she was going to give it back in the morning? Was there anybody in the world credulous enough to believe anything like that! Tell Gypsy Nan's story, all that had happened to-night? Yes, she might have told that to-morrow, after she had returned the money, and been believed. But now-no! It would even make her appear in a still worse light. They would credit her with being a member of this very gang to which Gypsy Nan belonged, one in the secrets of an organized band of criminals, who was trying to clear her own skirts at the expense of her confederates. Everything, every act of hers to-night, pointed to that construction being placed upon her story, pointed to duplicity. Why had she hidden the identity of Gypsy Nan?

Why had she not told the police that a crime was to be committed, and left it to the police to frustrate it? It would fit in with the story, of course - but the story was the result of having been caught in the act of stealing twenty thousand dollars in cash! What was there to say - and, above all, to this man, whose reputation for callous brutality in the handling of those who fell into his hands had earned him the sobriquet of "Rough" Rorke? Sick at heart, desperate, but with her hands clenched now, she stood there, while the man felt unceremoniously over her clothing for a concealed weapon.

Finding none, he stooped, picked up the flashlight, tested it, and found it broken from its fall.

"Too bad you bust this, we'll have to go out in the dark after I switch off the light," he said with unpleasant facetiousness. "I didn't have one with me, or time to get one, when I got tipped off there was something doing here to-night." He caught her ungently by the arm. "Well, come along, my pretty lady! This'll make a stir, this will! The White Moll!" He led her to the electric-light switch, turned off the light, and, with his grasp tight upon her, made for the front door. He chuckled in a sinister manner. "Say, you're a prize, you are! And pretty clever, too, aren't you? I wasn't looking for a woman to pull this. The White Moll! Some saint!"

Rhoda Gray shivered. Disgrace, ruin, stared her in the face. A sea of faces in a courtroom, morbid faces, hideous faces, leered at her. Gray walls rose before her, walls that shut out sunshine and hope, pitiless, cold things that seemed to freeze the blood in her veins. And to-night, in just a few minutes more - a cell!

From the street outside came the sound of some one making a cheery, but evidently a somewhat inebriated, attempt to whistle some ragtime air. It seemed to enhance her misery, to enhance by contrast in its care-free cheeriness the despair and misery that were eating into her soul. Her hands clenched and unclenched. If there were only a chance - somewhere - somehow! If only she were not a woman! If she could only fight this hulking form that gripped so brutally at her arm!

Rough Rorke opened the door, and pulled her out to the street. She shrank back instinctively. It was quite light here from a nearby street lamp, and the owner of the whistle, a young man, fashionably dressed, decidedly unsteady on his legs, and just opposite the door as they came out, had stopped both his whistle and his progress along the street to stare at them owlishly.

"'Ullo!" said the young man thickly. "What'sh all this about - eh?

What'sh you two doing in that place this time of night - eh?"

"Beat it!" ordered Rough Rorke curtly.

同类推荐
  • The Hungry Stones And Other Stories

    The Hungry Stones And Other Stories

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 诗经通论

    诗经通论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 厦门志

    厦门志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Actions and Reactions

    Actions and Reactions

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • PANDORA

    PANDORA

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 霸道总裁和他的女人

    霸道总裁和他的女人

    爱当小摄影师的他,却不爱当总裁的他,看霸道总裁如何抱得美人归……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 风流昏君

    风流昏君

    金风送爽,日影西斜,庭院寂寂。淡淡的斜阳穿过珠帘,照在几案上一盆含苞的菊花上。宋徽宗赵佶午睡醒来伸了个懒腰,看到身旁的李师师早已醒来,正披衣倚在床上,含情脉脉地凝视着他。他不禁一笑,伸手捏了捏她小巧的红唇。他慢条斯理地穿好衣服,一手搂着师师的香肩,和她一起踱到几案前。两人并肩坐在一张宽大的椅子上。师师的下巴搭在他的肩膀上,桃腮轻轻偎着他的脸。宋徽宗饶有兴致地观赏着案上的菊花。
  • 锦衣行

    锦衣行

    无所不用其极的腹黑锦衣卫,碰上一心复仇,温婉又倔强的琴手。他们一个是官,一个是奴。一个遭万人唾骂,一个受万人排挤。却偏偏被命运一张大网扯进了勒进了同一根鱼线上。“你嫁与我,做我兰家的媳妇儿,我便什么事情都由你!”那个时候,胭脂以为兰绍会是这一辈子的依靠。可是后来,那一夜漫天星辰灿灿,她带着她的孩子永远地离开了。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 生命的“护花使者”

    生命的“护花使者”

    郭传火彭飞八年做一件事,你能坚持多久?没有什么报酬,你愿意做吗?——题记。倪龙事迹简介倪龙,今年40岁,在淮北矿业集团朱仙庄矿从事掘进工作,从未出过工伤,甚至连手脚擦破皮的小伤都未曾发生过。从1998年开始,倪龙不计报酬,坚持在工作之余检查安全隐患,并在检查隐患的同时动手消除隐患。倪龙下井时还担当着义务安全检查员的职责,为工友们开辟出安全的“绿色工作环境”。并且,倪龙还给自己订下了规定:只要下井,就要检查安全隐患。自1998年以来,经倪龙排查并得到整改的安全隐患达到500余条。
  • 李自成(第1卷):潼关南原大战

    李自成(第1卷):潼关南原大战

    本书的故事发生在崇祯十一年(公元1638年)。这年十月初,北京又一次戒严。清兵再次入塞,朝廷内部主和派与主战派之间发生尖锐的冲突。崇祯在内忧外患的形势下,其精神世界的种种矛盾和性格特点得到初步展现:一方面宵衣旰食,不沉湎于酒色,事必躬亲,勤于朝政,一心想做“英明之君”、“中兴之主”,把明朝从危机和衰败中挽救出来。另一方面,他又刚愎自用、多疑善变,为六年后北京城破、崇祯自尽、明朝灭亡作了铺垫。
  • 一个人的岛

    一个人的岛

    边界守岛民兵古杰民在三山岛上已经待了二十八年,古杰民在岛上养起了羊、猪、狗、鸡、兔大军,每日拾海蛎捉螃蟹,又有贴心的老婆孩子,古杰民非常满意自己的生活。曾经的战友、现在的大商人陈二呆却屡次找上古杰民,意图在岛上开设场所赌博卖淫嫖娼,古杰民在陈二呆开出的诱人条件下坚守职责不松口。一场龙卷风过境,古杰民奋力挣扎保全了自己,岛上的一应设施却被破坏殆尽。再次上岛的陈二呆看到古杰民承诺给自己的一片狼藉傻了眼。
  • 你拿什么改变世界:乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告

    你拿什么改变世界:乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告

    《你拿什么改变世界(乔布斯给年轻人的100条成功忠告)》是一本关于成功励志的通俗读物。史蒂夫·乔布斯,这位亲手打造苹果帝国奇迹的 男人,创造了当代历史上不可思议的商业辉煌。自他离世后,世人都在思考:是什么让乔布斯成为了改变世界的天才呢? 在《你拿什么改变世界(乔布斯给年轻人的100条 成功忠告)》中,作者黄薇收集和整理乔布斯的名言 警句后,归纳总结出乔布斯给年轻人的100个忠告, 将乔布斯跌宕起伏的人生经历精彩地呈现给读者,研究乔布斯的思维,找出他成功的秘诀,用生动的案例和简单的道理给予读者诸多人生启示。乔布斯的经历无法再现,但只要敢于尝试,你也可以成就一番了不起的事业。
  • 冰是睡着的水

    冰是睡着的水

    《冰是睡着的水》以环环相扣的叙述,紧凑而流畅的笔触,描写了国安特工的故事。小说以国安烈士的后代王斌为主线,描写了王斌由一个普通青少年,在一种信仰和血脉的召唤下逐渐成长为国安特工的故事。期间,青梅竹马的少女韩晓琳惨遭T军特工蹂躏并被洗脑成为敌特工,于是,一幕人间悲剧在两个深深相爱的年青人间拉开了序幕。国家和民族的命运,亲人和朋友的误解,生死患难,爱恨情仇,在国家利益面前,他们放弃了一切的个人利益,只为了一句誓言,一个信仰!小说以独特的剧本式写作技巧,如影片一般展现了这群鲜活人物的生活和情感世界,气势磅礴,震撼人心,带给读者全新的阅读快感和情感体验。
  • 错嫁豪门,BOSS别爱我

    错嫁豪门,BOSS别爱我

    三年前,目睹了如花少女死于非命,她陷入了恐怖的噩梦,精神失常,差点进了疯人院。三年后,商界联姻她嫁给他。建立在利益上的婚姻,她不爱他,但也必须小心翼翼尽妻子的职责!她知道,他爱的是三年前死于非命的那个女孩,所以他给她的只有,伤害,侮辱,绝望……似乎,所有人接触她,都是因为她身上有那个女孩的影子……
  • 老大,再见!

    老大,再见!

    《老大,再见!》其实就是写一个有情怀的青年教师,临危受命接手一个问题重重的后进班,最后带领全班创造了高考奇迹的故事。但短短一年发生的种种惊天动地与点点滴滴都如此难以置信又如此鲜活真实,让你时而热血沸腾,时而泪流满面,甚至是不忍读完,难舍再见。