time；　the　men；　as　though　hopeless　of　success；　and　as　though　caution
  were　no　longer　of　any　service；　began　to　talk　louder。
  The　third　man　was　Shluker。　　She　recognized　his　voice；　too。
  〃It's　no　use！〃　he　snarled。　　〃If　she's　a　good　swimmer；　she　could　get
  across　the　river　easy。　　She's　got　away；　that's　sure。　　What　the　hell's
  the　good　of　this？　　We're　playing　the　fool。　　Beat　it　back！　　She　was
  nosing　around　the　shed。　　How　do　we　know　she　didn't　let　the　Pug　loose
  before　we　saw　her？〃
  Pinkie　Bonn　whined：
  〃If　he's　gone　too；　we're　crimped！　　The　whole　works　is　bust　up！　　The
  Pug　knows　everything；　where　our　money　is；　an'　everything。　　They'll
  have　us　cold！〃
  〃Close　your　face；　Pinkie！〃　It　was　Danglar　speaking；　his　voice　hoarse
  with　uncontrollable　rage。　　〃Go　on　back；　then；　Shluker。　　Quick！〃
  Rhoda　Gray　heard　the　hurried　splashing　of　the　oars　now；　and　presently
  she　felt　the　bumping　of　the　boat　against　the　wharf；　and　its　violent
  rocking　as　the　men　climbed　out　of　it　again。　　But　she　did　not　move
  …　save　with　her　hand　to　push　the　folds　of　sailcloth　a　cautious　inch
  or　two　away　from　the　opening。　　It　did　not　ease　the　agony　she　was
  suffering　from　her　cramped　position；　but　it　gave　her　fresher　air；
  and　she　could　hear　better　…　the　ring　of　their　boot…heels　on　the
  wharf　above；　for　instance。
  The　footsteps　died　away。　　There　was　silence　then　for　a　moment；　and
  then；　faintly；　from　the　direction　of　the　shed；　there　came　a　chorus
  of　baffled　rage　and　execration。　　She　smiled　a　little　wearily　to
  herself。　　It　was　all　right。　　That　was　what　she　wanted　to　know。　　The
  Adventurer　had　got　away。
  Still　she　lay　there。　　She　dared　not　leave　the　boat　yet；　but　she
  could　change　her　position　now。　　She　crawled　half　out　from　under　the
  docking；　and　lay　with　her　head　on　the　sailcloth。　　It　was　exquisite
  relief！　　They　could　not　come　back　along　the　wharf　without　her　hearing
  them；　and　she　could　retreat　under　the　decking　again　in　an　instant；
  if　necessary。
  Voices　reached　her　now　occasionally　from　the　direction　of　the　shed。
  Finally　a　silence　fell。　　The　minutes　passed　…　ten　…　fifteen　…　twenty
  of　them。　　And　then　Rhoda　Gray　climbed　warily　to　the　wharf；　made　her
  way　warily　past　the　shed；　and　gained　the　road　…　and　three…quarters
  of　an　hour　later；　in　another　shed；　in　the　lane　behind　the　garret；　she
  was　changing　quickly　into　the　rags　of　Gypsy　Nan　again。
  It　was　almost　the　end　now。　　To…night；　she　would　keep　the　appointment
  Danglar　had　given　her　…　and　keep　it　ahead　of　time。　　It　was　almost
  the　end。　　Her　lips　set　tightly。　　The　Adventurer　had　been　warned。
  There　was　nothing　now　to　stand　in　the　way　of　her　going　to　the　police；
  save　only　the　substantiation　of　that　one　point　in　her　own　story
  which　Danglar　must　supply。
  Her　transformation　completed；　she　reached　in　under　the　flooring　and
  took　out　the　package　of　jewels　…　they　would　help　very　materially
  when　she　faced　Danglar！　…　and；　though　it　was　somewhat　large；　tucked
  it　inside　her　blouse。　　It　could　not　be　noticed。　　The　black；　greasy
  shawl　hid　it　effectively。
  She　stepped　out　into　the　lane；　and　from　there　to　the　street；　and
  began　to　make　her　way　across　town。　　She　did　not　have　to　search　for
  Danglar　to…night。　　She　was　to　meet　him　at　Matty's　at　midnight；　and
  it　was　not　more　than　halfpast　eleven　now。　　Three　hours　and　a　half！
  Was　that　all　since　at　eight　o'clock；　as　nearly　as　she　could　place
  it；　he　had　left　her　in　the　lane？　　It　seemed　as　many　years；　but　it
  was　only　twenty　minutes　after　eleven；　she　had　noticed；　when　she　had
  left　the　subway　on　her　return　a　few　minutes　ago。　　Her　hand　clenched
  suddenly。　　She　was　to　meet　him　at　Matty's　…　and；　thereafter；　if　it
  took　all　night；　she　would　not　leave　him　until　she　had　got　him　alone
  somewhere　and　disclosed　herself。　　The　man　was　a　coward　in　soul。　　She
  could　trust　to　the　effect　upon　him　of　an　automatic　in　the　hands　of
  the　White　Mall　to　make　him　talk。
  Rhoda　Gray　walked　quickly。　　It　was　not　very　far。　　She　turned　the
  corner　into　the　street　where　Danglar's　deformed　brother；　Matty；
  cloaked　the　executive　activities　of　the　gang　with　his　cheap　little
  notion　store　…　and　halted　abruptly。　　The　store　was　just　ahead　of
  her；　and　Danglar　himself；　coming　out；　had　just　closed　the　door。
  He　saw　her；　and　stepping　instantly　to　her　side；　grasped　her　arm
  roughly　and　wheeled　her　about。
  〃Come　on！〃　he　said　…　and　a　vicious　oath　broke　from　his　lips。
  The　man　was　in　a　towering；　ungovernable　passion。　　She　cast　a
  furtive　glance　at　his　face。　　She　had　seen　him　before　in　anger；　but
  now；　with　his　lips　drawn　back　and　working；　his　whole　face　contorted；
  he　seemed　utterly　beside　himself。
  〃What's　the　matter？〃　she　inquired　innocently。　　〃Wouldn't　the　Pug
  talk；　or　is　it　a　case　of　'another　hour　or　so；'　and　…〃
  He　swung　on　her　furiously。
  〃Hold　your　cursed　tongue！〃　he　flared。　　〃You'll　snicker　on　the
  wrong　side　of　your　face　this　time！〃　　He　gulped；　stared　at　her
  threateningly；　and　quickened　his　step；　forcing　her　to　keep　pace
  with　him。　　But　he　spoke　again　after　a　minute；　savagely；　bitterly；
  but　more　in　control　of　himself。　　〃The　Pug　got　away。　　The　White
  Moll　queered　us　again。　　But　it's　worse　than　that。　　The　game's　up！
  I　told　you　to　be　here　at　midnight。　　It's　only　half　past　eleven　yet。
  I　figured　you　would　still　be　over　in　the　garret；　and　I　was　going
  there　for　you。　　That's　where　we're　going　now。　　There's　no　chance　at
  those　rajah's　jewels　now；　there's　no　chance　of　fixing　Cloran　so's
  you　can　swell　it　around　in　the　open　again　…　the　only　chance　we've
  got　is　to　save　what　we　can　and　beat　it！〃
  She　did　not　need　to　simulate　either　excitement　or　disquiet。
  〃What　is　it？　　What's　happened？〃　she　asked　tensely。
  〃The　gang's　thrown　us　down！〃　he　said　between　his　teeth。　　〃They're
  scared；　they've　got　cold　feet　…　they're　going　to　quit。　　Shluker　and
  Pinkie　were　with　me　at　the　iron　plant。　　We　went　back　to　Matty's
  from　there。　　Matty's　with　them；　too。　　They　say　the　Pug　knows　every
  one　of　us；　and　every　game　we've　pulled；　and　that　in　revenge　for　our
  trying　to　murder　him　he'll　wise　up　the　police　…　that　he　could　do　it
  easily　enough　without　getting　nipped　himself；　by　sending　them　a
  letter；　or　even　telephoning　the　names　and　addresses　of　the　whole
  layout。　　They're　scared　…　he　curs！　　They　say　he　knows　where　all　our
  coin　is　too；　and　they're　for　splitting　it　up　to…night；　and　ducking
  it　out　of　New　York　for　a　while　to　get　under　cover。〃　　He　laughed　out
  suddenly；　raucously。　　〃They　will　…　eh？　　I'll　show　them　…　the
  yellow…streaked　pups！　　They　wouldn't　listen　to　me　…　and　it　meant
  that　you　and　I　were　thrown　down　for　fair。　　If　we're　caught；　it's
  the　chair。　　I'll　show　them！　　When　I　saw　it　wasn't　any　use　trying　to
  get　them　to　stick；　I　pretended　to　agree　with　them。　　See？　　I　said
  they　could　go　around　and　dig　up　the　rest　of　the　gang；　and　if　the
  others　felt　the　same　way　about　it；　they　were　all　to　come　over　to
  the　garret；　and　I'd　be　waiting　for　them；　…　and　we'd　split　up　the
  swag；　and　everybody'd　be　on　his　own　after　that。〃　　Again　he　laughed
  out　raucously。　　〃It'll　take　them　half　an　hour　to　get　together　…　but
  it　won't　take　that　long　for　us　to　grab　all　that's　worth　grabbing
  out　of　that　trap…door；　and　making　our　getaway。　　See？　　I'll　teach
  them　to　throw　Pierre　Danglar　down！　　Come　on；　hurry！〃
  〃Sure！〃　she　mumbled　mechanically。
  Her　mind　was　sifting；　sorting；　weighing　what　he　had　said。　　She　was
  not　surprised。　　She　remembered　Pinkie　Bonn's　outburst　in　the　boat。
  She　walked　on　beside　Danglar。　　The　man　was　muttering　and　cursing
  under　his　breath。　　Well；　why　shouldn't　she　appear　to　fall　in　with
  his　plans？　　Under　what　choicer　surroundings　could　she　get　him　alone
  than　in　the　garret？　　And　half　an　hour　would　be　ample　time　for　her；
  too！　　Yes；　yes；　she　began　to　see！　　With　Danglar；　when　she　had　got
  what　she　wanted　out　of　him　herself；　held　up　at　the　point　of　her
  automatic；　she　could　back　to　the　door　and　lock　him　in　there　…　and
  notify　the　police　…　and　the　police　would　not　only　get　Danglar　and
  the　ill…gotten　hoard　hidden　in　the　ceiling　behind　that　trap…door；
  but　they　would　get　all　the　rest　of　the　gang　as　the　latter　in　due
  course　appeared　on　the　scene。　　Yes；　why　not？　　She　experienced　an
  exhilaration　creeping　upon　her；　she　even　increased；　unconsciously；
  the　rapid　pace　which　Danglar　had　set。
  〃That's　the　stuff！〃　he　grunted　in　savage　approval。　　〃We　need　every
  minute　we've　got。〃
  They　reached　the　house　where　once　…　so　long　ago　now；　it　seemed！
  …　Rhoda　Gray　had　first　found　the　original　Gypsy　Nan；　and；　Danglar
  leading；　mounted　the　dark；　narrow　stairway　to　the　hall　above；　and
  from　there　up　the　short；　ladder…like　steps　to　the　garret。　　He
  groped　in　the　aperture　under　the　partition　for　the　key；　opened　the
  door；　and　stepped　inside。　　Rhoda　Gray；　following；　removed　the　key；
  inserted　it　on　the　inside　of　the　door；　and；　as　she　too　entered；
  locked　the　door　behind　her。　　It　was　pitch…black　here　in　the　attic。
  Her　face　was　set　now；　her　lips　firm。　　She　had　been　waiting　for　this；
  hadn't　she？　　It　was　near　the　end　at　last。　　She　had　Danglar　…　alone。
  But　not　in　the　darkness！　　He　was　too　tricky！　　She　crossed　the　garret
  to　where　the　candle…stub；　stuck　in　the　neck　of　the　gin　bottle；　stood
  on　the　rickety　washstand。
  〃Come　over　here　and　light　the　candle；〃　she　said。　　〃I　can't　find　my
  matches。〃
  Her　hand　was　in　the　pocket　of