Foranswersheflungitfromher。Itfellwithatinkleontheflooratthefarendofthegarret。Themanwasbesidehimselfwithrage。
“Damnyou，ifIhadtime，I’dwringyourneckforthis，youshe-devil！“hebawled-andracedback，evidentlyforthecandleonthewashstand。
RhodaGray，sprawledonthefloorwherehehadthrownher，didnotmove-excepttotaketherevolverfromthepocketofherdress。Shewascrooningqueerlytoherself，asshewatchedRoughRorkelightthecandleandgropearoundonthefloor:
“Shewasgoodtome，deWhiteMollwas。Jelliesan’t’ingsshebroughtme，shedid。An’GypsyNandon’tferret。GypsyNandon’t-“
Shesatupsuddenly，snarling。Rorkehadfoundthekey，leftthebottlewiththeshortstubofgutteringcandlestandingonthefloor，andwasbackagain。
“ByGod！“hegrittedthroughhisteeth，ashejabbedthekeywithfrantichasteintothelock。“I’llfixyouforthis！“Hemadeaclutchatherthroat，asheswungthedooropen。
Shejerkedherselfbackward，eludinghim，herrevolverleveled。
“Yousekeepyerdirtypawsoffme！“shescreamed。“Yah，wotcanyousedo！WotdoIcare！Shewasgoodtome，shewas，an-“
RoughRorkewasgone-takingthestairsthreeandfouratatime。
Thensheheardthestreetdoorslam。
Sheroseslowlytoherfeet-andsuddenlyreachedout，graspingatthedoortosteadyherself。Itseemedasthougheverymusclehadgonelimp，asthoughherlimbshadnotstrengthtosupporther。
Andforamomentshehungthere，thenshelockedthedoor，staggeredback，sankdownontheedgeofthebed，and，withherchininherhands，staredatthegutteringstubofcandle。Andpresently，inanalmostaimless，mechanicalway，shefeltinherpocketforthepieceofpaperthatshehadfoundwrappedaroundthekey，anddrewitout。Therewerethreefiguresscrawleduponit-nothingelse。
Shedroppedherchininherhandsagain，andstaredagainatthecandle。Andafterawhilethecandlewentout。
Twenty-Fourhourshadpassed。Twentyfourhours！Wasitnomorethanthatsince-RhodaGray，intheguiseofGypsyNan，asshesatontheedgeofthedisreputable，poverty-strickencot，grewsuddenlytense，holdingherbreathasshelistened。Thesoundreachedtheatticsofaintlythatitmightbebuttheproductsolelyoftheimagination。No-itcameagain！Anditevendefineditselfnow-astealthyfootsteponthelowerstairs。
Asmall，leather-boundnotebook，inwhichshehadbeenengrossed，wastuckedinstantlyawayunderthesoiledblanket，andsheglancedsharplyaroundthegarret。Anewcandle，whichshehadboughtinthesingleexcursionshehadventuredtomakefromthehouseduringtheday，wasstuckintheneckoftheginbottle，andburnednowonthechairbesideher。Shehadnotboughtanewlamp-itgavetoomuchlight！Theoldone，thepiecesofit，layoverthere，brushedintoaheapinthecorneronthefloor。
Thefootstepbecamemoreaudible。Herlipstightenedalittle。Thehourwaslate。Itmustbealreadyaftereleveno’clock。Hereyesgrewperturbed。Perhapsitwasonlyoneoftheunknowntenantsofthefloorbelowgoingtohisorherroom；but，ontheotherhand，noonehadcomenearthegarretsincelastnight，whenthatstrangeand，yes，sinistertrickoffatehadthrustuponherthepersonalityofGypsyNan，anditwashopingfortoomuchtoexpectsuchseclusiontoobtainmuchlonger。Thereweretoomanywhomustbeinterested，vitallyinterested，inGypsyNan！TherewasRoughRorke，ofheadquarters；hehadgivennosign，butthatdidnotmeanhehadlostinterestinGypsyNan。TherewasthedeathoftherealGypsyNan，whichwaspregnantwithpossibilities；andthoughthenewspapers，thatshe，RhodaGray，hadboughtandscannedwithsuchtragiceagerness，hadsaidnothingaboutthedeathofoneCharlotteGreeninthehospital，muchlesshadgivenanyhintthattheidentityGypsyNanhadriskedsomuchtohidehadbeendiscovered，itdidnotmeanthatthepolice，withtheirownendsinview，mightnotbefullyinformed，andwerebutkeepingtheirowncounselwhiletheybaitedatrap。
Also，andevenmoretobefeared，therewerethoseofthiscriminalorganizationtowhichGypsyNanhadbelonged，andtowhichshe，RhodaGray，throughasortofhideousproxy，nowbelongedherself！
Soonerorlater，theymustshowtheirhands，andthetestofheridentitywouldcome。Andhereherdangerwasthegreaterbecauseshedidnotknowwhoanyofthemwere，unlessthemanwhohadsteppedinbetweenRoughRorkeandherselflastnightwasoneofthem-whichwasaquestionthathadharassedherallday。Themanhadbeennomoredrunkthanshehadbeen，andhehadobviouslyonlyplayedtheparttogetheroutoftheclutchesofRoughRorke；but，againstthis，hehadseenhersimplyasherselfthen，theWhiteMoll，andwhatcouldthecriminalassociatesofGypsyNanhavecaredastowhatbecameoftheWhiteMoll？
Anewspaper，toprocurewhichhadbeentheprimemotivethathadluredheroutofherretreatthatafternoon，caughthereyenow，andsheshiveredalittleas，fromwhereitlayonthefloor，theheadlinesseemedtoleerupather，andmock，andmenaceher。
“TheWhiteMoll……TheSaintoftheEastSideExposed……ViciousHypocrisy……LowlyCharityforYearsCloaksaConsummateThief……“
Theyhadnotsparedher！
Herlipsfirmedsuddenly，asshelistened。Thestealthyfootfallhadnotpausedinthehallbelow。Itwasontheshort，ladder-likestepsnow，leadingupheretothegarret-andnowithadhaltedoutsideherdoor，andtherecamealow，insistentknockingonthepanels。
“Who’sdere？“demandedRhodaGray，aliasGypsyNan，inagrumblingtone，as，gettingupfromthebed，shemovedthechairnoiselesslyafewfeetfartheraway，sothatthebedwouldbebeyondtheimmediateradiusofthecandlelight。Thensheshuffledacrossthefloortothedoor。“Who’sdere？“shedemandedagain，andherhand，deepinthevoluminouspocketofGypsyNan’sgreasyskirt，closedtightlyaroundthestockofGypsyNan’srevolver。
Thevoicethatansweredherexpostulatedinaplaintivewhisper:
“Mydearlady！AndafterallthetroubleIhavetakentoreachherewithoutbeingeitherseenorheard！“
ForaninstantRhodaGrayhesitated-thereseemedsomethingfamiliaraboutthevoice-thensheunlockedthedoor，andretreatedtowardthebed。
Thedooropenedandclosedsoftly。RhodaGray，reachingtheedgeofthebed，satdown。Itwasthefashionably-attired，immaculateyoungman，whohadsavedherfromRoughRorkelastnight。Shestaredathiminthefaintlightwithoutaword。Hermindwasracinginamadturmoilofdoubt，uncertainty，fear。Washeoneofthegang，ornot？Wasshe，intheroleofGypsyNan，supposedtoknowhim，ornot？DidheknowthattherealGypsyNan，too，hadbutplayedapart，and，therefore，whenshespokemustitbeinthevernacularoftheEastSide-ornot？Andthensuddenenlightenment，withitsincidentrelief，cametoher。
“Mydearlady“-theyoungman’ssoftfelthatwasunderhisarm，andhewaspluckingdaintilyatthefingersofhisyellowglovesasheremovedthem-“Ibegyoutopardontheintrusionofaperfectstranger。Iofferyoumyverygenuineapologies。MyexcuseisthatIcomefroma-IhopeIamnotoversteppingtheboundsinusingtheterm-mutualfriend。“RhodaGraysnorteddisdainfully。
“Aw，cutoutdeboudoirtalk，an’getdowntocases！“shecroaked。
“Whoareyouse，anyway？“
Theyoungmanhadgrayeyes-andtheylightedupnowhumorously。
“Boudoir？Ah-yes！Ofcourse！Awfullyneat！“Hiseyes，fromthechairthatheldthecandle，strayedaroundthescantilyfurnished，murkygarretasthoughinsearchofaseat，andfinallyrestedinquiringlyonRhodaGray。
“Yousecanputdecandleondefloor，ifyouselike，“shesaidgrudgingly。“Dat’sdeonlychairdereis。“
“Thankyou！“hesaid。
RhodaGraywatchedhimwithpuckeredbrow，asheplacedtheginbottlewithitscandleonthefloor，andappropriatedthechair。
Hemight，fromhistone，havebeenthankingherforsomepricelessboon。Heworeaboutonniere。Hisclothesfittedhimlikegloves。
Heexudedacertainstudied，almostlanguidfastidiousness-thatwaswhollyoutofkeepingwiththequick，daring，agilewitthathehadexhibitedthenightbefore。Shefoundherhandtoyingunconsciouslywiththeweaponinherpocket。Shewasawarethatshewasfencingwithunbuttonedfoils。Howmuchdidheknow-aboutlastnight？
“Well，whydon’tyousespillit？“sheinvitedcurtly。“Whoareyouse？“
“WhoamI？“Heliftedthelapelofhiscoat，carryingtheboutonnieretohisnose。“Mydearlady，Iamanadventurer。“
“Yousedon’tsay！“observedRhodaGray，aliasGypsyNan。“An’wot’sdatw’enit’sathome？“
“Inmycase，firstofallagentleman，Itrust，“hesaidpleasantly；
“afterthat，Idonotquarrelwiththeaccepteddefinitionoftheterm-thoughitisnotaltogethercomplimentary。“
RhodaGrayscowled。AsRhodaGray，shemighthaveansweredhim；asGypsyNan，itwastoosubtle，andshewasbeyondherdepth。
“Youselooktomelikeaslickcrook！“shesaidbluntly。
“Iwilladmit，“hesaid，“thatIhaveattimes，perhaps，takenlibertieswiththelaw。“
“Well，den，“shesnapped，“cutoutdehigh-browstuff，an’comeacrosswidwotbroughtyousehere。Iain’tholdin’noreception。
Who’sdefriendyousewastalkin’about？“
TheAdventurerlookedaroundhim，andloweredhisvoice。
“TheWhiteMoll，“hesaid。
RhodaGrayeyedthemanforalongminute；thensheshookherhead。
“ItakebackwotIsaidaboutyousebein’aslickcrook，“sheannouncedcoolly。“Iguessyouse’readickfromheadquarters。
Well，yousehavegotdewrongnumber-see？Mefingersarecrossed。
Trynextdoor！“
TheAdventurer’seyeswerefixedonthenewspaperheadlinesonthefloor。Heraisedthemnowsignificantlytohers。
