登陆注册
5251000000057

第57章 XIII THE DOOR ACROSS THE HALL(2)

If she telephoned the police and sent them to the Pug's room, they would of a certainty recover the money, and with equal certainty restore it to its rightful owners. She had already thought of that when she had been with Pinkie and the Pug, and had been loath even then to take such a step because it seemed to spell ruin to her own personal plans; but now there was another reason, and one far more cogent, why she should not do so. There had been murder committed back there in that underground drug-dive, and of that murder Pinkie Bonn was innocent; but if Pinkie were found in possession of that money, and French Pete, to save his own skin from the consequences of a greater crime, admitted to its original theft, Pinkie would be convicted out of hand, for there were the others in that dive, who had come running along the passage, to testify that an attack had been made on the door of French Pete and Marny Day's room, and that the thieves and murderers had fled through the cellar and escaped.

Her lips pressed harder together. And so there was no Adventurer upon whom she could call, and no police, and no one in all the millions in this great pulsing city to whom she could appeal; and so there remained only - herself.

Well, she could do it, couldn't she? Not as Gypsy Nan, of course - but as the White Moll. It would be worth it, wouldn't it? If she were sincere, and not a moral hypocrite in her sympathy for those two outraged old people in the twilight of their lives, and if she were not a moral coward, there remained no question as to what her decision should be.

Her mind began to mull over the details. Subconsciously, since the moment she had made her escape from that cellar, she found now that she had been walking in the direction of the garret that sheltered her as Gypsy Nan. In another five minutes she could reach that deserted shed in the lane behind Gypsy Nan's house where her own clothes were hidden, and it would take her but a very few minutes more to effect the transformation from Gypsy Nan to the White Moll. And then, in another ten minutes, she should be back again at the Pug's room. The Pug had said he would not be much more than half an hour, but, as nearly as she could calculate it, that would still give her from five to ten minutes alone with Pinkie Bonn. It was enough - more than enough. The prestige of the White Moll would do the rest. A revolver in the hands of the White Moll would insure instant and obedient respect from Pinkie Bonn, or any other member of the gang under similar conditions. And so - and so - it - would not be difficult. Only there was a queer fluttering at her heart now, and her breath came in hard, short little inhalations. And she spoke suddenly to herself:

"I'm glad," she whispered, "I'm glad I saw those two old faces on that doorstep, because - because, if I hadn't, I - I would be afraid."

The minutes passed. The dissolute figure of an old hag disappeared, like a deeper shadow in the blackness of a lane, through the broken door of a deserted shed; presently a slim, neat little figure, heavily veiled, emerged. Again the minutes passed. And now the veiled figure let herself in through the back door of the Pug's lodging house, and stole softly down the dark hall, and halted before the Pug's door. It was the White Moll now.

From under the door, at the ill-fitting threshold, there showed a thin line of light. Rhoda Gray, with her ear against the door panel, listened. There was no sound of voices from within. Pinkie Bonn, then, was still alone, and still waiting for the Pug. She glanced sharply around her. There was only darkness. Her gloved right hand was hidden in the folds of her skirt; she raised her left hand and knocked softly upon the door-two raps, one rap, two raps. She repeated it. And as it had been with Shluker, so it was now with her. A footstep crossed the floor within, the key turned in the lock, and the door was flung open.

"All right, Pug," said Pinkie Bonn, "I -"

The man's words ended in a gasp of surprised amazement. With a quick step forward, Rhoda Gray was in the room. Her revolver, suddenly outflung, covered the other; and her free hand, reaching behind her, closed and locked the door again.

There was an almost stupid look of bewilderment on Pinkie Bonn's face.

Rhoda Gray threw back her veil.

"My Gawd!" mumbled Pinkie Bonn - and licked his lips. "The White Moll!"

"Yes!" said Rhoda Gray tersely. "Put your hands up over your head and go over there and stand against the wall - with your face to it!"

Pinkie Bonn, like an automaton moved purely by mechanical means, obeyed.

Rhoda Gray followed him, and with the muzzle of her revolver pressed into the small of the man's back, felt rapidly over his clothes with her left hand for the bulge of his revolver. She found and possessed herself of the weapon, and, stepping back, ordered him to turn around again.

"I haven't much time," she said icily. "I'll trouble you now for the cash you took from Marny Day and French Pete."

"My Gawd!" he mumbled again. "You know about that!"

"Quick!" she said imperatively. "Put it on the table there, and then go back again to the wall!"

Pinkie Bonn fumbled in his pocket. His face was white, almost chalky white, and it held fear; but its dominant expression was one of helpless stupefaction. He placed the sheaf of banknotes on the table, and shuffled back again to the wall.

Rhoda Gray picked up the money, and retreated to the door. Still facing the man, working with her left hand behind her back, she unlocked the door again, and this time removed the key from the lock.

同类推荐
  • 湘绮楼词钞

    湘绮楼词钞

    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。
  • SECRETS OF THE WOODS

    SECRETS OF THE WOODS

    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。
  • 妙好宝车经

    妙好宝车经

    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。
  • 篁墩文集

    篁墩文集

    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。
  • 灵隐文禅师语录

    灵隐文禅师语录

    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
  • 太古圣王

    太古圣王

    无数年前,天地至强者们踏上通天古路,却全部陨落其中,而无数年后,一道灵魂从通天古路归来,复活在一个刚死的少年人的身上。苏月笙发现曾经与好友共同创造的无敌宗门,如今却是没落至极,苏月笙无奈道:“罢了,曾经的辉煌,本少爷带你们重演一遍!”
  • 爬在窗外的人

    爬在窗外的人

    到了家,丁小妹正帮妈一起准备晚饭。水东把丁小妹拉到一边,道:“我有话跟你说。”丁小妹红着脸看了妈一眼,问:“什么话呀?”“只要你跟我在一起,我就把赚的钱都给你。”水东说完这句,朝她看。丁小妹愣了一下,低下头,随即便笑了。她的笑容像初春的桃花,粉粉甜甜的。她点了点头,脸愈发红了——桃花开得更艳了。
  • 全世界只有你不知道

    全世界只有你不知道

    人生不过百年,能得一次撕心裂肺的爱,并不是一件容易的事,况且对一个已到中年的成熟女性而言,婚姻与爱情并不是一个同心圆。
  • 木叶的上下五十年

    木叶的上下五十年

    (ps新书《某魔法的霍格沃茨》已发布,欢迎收藏)“我愚蠢的宿主啊,你渴望忍术吗?”“你渴望妹子吗?”“你渴望积分吗?”“想要的话我可以全部给你,去找吧!”于是世界开始迎接大忍者时代的来临。
  • 隋唐秘史

    隋唐秘史

    从东汉末年到隋朝初年三百多年的时间,中华民族饱受战乱之苦,隋文帝杨坚经过艰苦卓绝的斗争,南征北讨,终于终结了五胡乱华的局面,又使中华大地归于一统,然而由于隋炀帝杨广的骄奢,又把大好河山拱手让给了李唐,这之间演绎了怎样的惊心动魄、肝胆狭义、儿女情长,请看......
  • 败走中国

    败走中国

    今天繁荣兴旺的中国市场吸引越来越多国外企业的目光,同时也已有不少中国企业走上了海外扩张之路。进入一个新市场总会面对未知的风险,如果总是依靠自己经历的种种失败来获得宝贵教训,这种高成本的做法是一个企业的“不能承受之重”。“以史为鉴,可以知兴衰”,阅读本书,能够启示后来者少走弯路。
  • 洞真太上八素真经占候入定妙诀

    洞真太上八素真经占候入定妙诀

    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。
  • 沉睡千年的爱

    沉睡千年的爱

    因了他梦中的召唤,她从千年之后赶来,只为他心心念念的那份爱,只为那千年前未圆的那份情缘。
  • 金钱战争

    金钱战争

    世界上并不是每一件事都可以用金钱来解决,但是确实有很多事情需要金钱才能解决。随着经济的迅猛发展,在我们的身边每天都会有扣人心弦的财富故事在上演,财富已成为人们人生的追求,财富更是富豪们身价和地位的象征。了解了金融市场,进入了金融市场,才有机会成为富豪,但并不是进入了就能成为富豪,关键是你还要会掌控。在金融市场交易是进行一场场寻求财富的游戏,这些游戏对所有的人来说都充满了诱惑,掌控能力强的人成了富豪,无知的人就会被无情地踢出来,永远不能翻身。究竟谁才是最终的赢家,谁又因钱而……《金钱战争》将一一为你揭晓,金钱之间的战争,造就了富豪与平民这两类人。
  • 首席监护人

    首席监护人

    他是商界的神话,拥有着无限的尊贵与权力,一次意外,她走进他冰冷的世界,命运把两个不同世界的人牵扯在一起,爱的四周布满机关,是谁在导演这场用爱与生命来交替的游戏,是爱终结游戏,还是生命终结游戏。