“Youarequitesafehere，“sheobservedevenly，“sincethereappearstobenowindowthroughwhichyoucouldgetout；butyoumightmakeitalittleunpleasantformeifyougavethealarmandarousedtheotheroccupantsofthehousebeforeIhadgotwellaway。Idaresaythatwasinyourmind，but-sheopenedthedoorslightly，andinsertedthekeyontheouterside-“Iamquitesureyouwillreconsideranysuchintentions-Pinkie。ItwouldbeaverydisastrousthingforyouifIwerecaught。Somebodyis’wanted’forthemurderofMarnyDayatCharlie’salittlewhileago，andajurywouldundoubtedlydecidethattheguiltymanwastheonewhobrokeinthedoorthereandstolethemoney。AndifIwerecaughtandwereobligedtoconfessthatIgotitfromyou，andFrenchPetesworethatitwaswhoeverbrokeintotheroomthatshothispal，itmightgohardwithyou，Pinkie-don’tyouthinkso？“Shesmiledcoldlyattheman’sstaringeyesanddroppedjaw。“Good-night，Pinkie；Iknowyouwon’tmakeanynoise，“shesaidsoftly-andsuddenlyopenedthedoor，andinaflashsteppedbackintothehall，andclosedandlockedthedoor，andwhippedoutthekeyfromthelock。
AndinsidePinkieBonnmadenosound。
Itwasdonenow。RhodaGraydrewinherbreathinagreatchokinggaspofrelief。Shefoundherselftremblingviolently。Shefoundherlimbswerebearinghernonetoosteadily，asshebegantogropeherwaynowalongtheblackhalltowardthebackdoor。Butitwasdonenow，and-No，shewasnotsafeaway，evenyet！Someonewascominginthroughthatbackdoorjustaheadofher；or，atleast，sheheardvoicesoutthere。
Shewasjustattheendofthehallnow。Therewasnotimetogobackandriskthefrontentrance。ShedartedacrossthehalltotheoppositesidefromthatofthePug’sroom，becauseonthatsidetheopeningofthedoorwouldnotnecessarilyexposeher，andcroucheddowninthecorner。Itwasblackhere，perhapsblackenoughtoescapeobservation。Shelistened，herheartbeatingwildly。Thevoicesoutsidecontinued。Whyweretheylingeringthere？Whydidn’ttheydoonethingortheother-eithergoaway，orcomein？Therewasn’tanytoomuchtime！ThePugmightbebackatanyminutenow。PerhapsoneofthosepeopleouttherewasthePug！Perhapsitwouldbebetterafteralltorunbackandgooutbythefrontdoor，riskyasthatwouldbe。No，herescapeinthatdirectionnowwascutoff，too！
Sheshrankasfarbackintothecornerasshecould。Thedooroftheendroomonthissideofthehallhadopened，andnowamansteppedoutandclosedthedoorbehindhim。Wouldheseeher？Sheheldherbreath。No！It-itwasallright。Hewaswalkingawayfromhertowardthefrontofthehall。Andnowforamomentitseemedasthoughshehadlosthersenses，asthoughherbrainwereplayingsomemad，wildtrickuponher。Wasn’tthatthePug’sdoorbeforewhichthemanhadstopped？Yes，yes！Andheseemedtohaveakeytoit，forhedidnotknock，andthedoorwasopening，andnowforaninstant，justaninstant，thelightfelluponthemanashesteppedwithaquick，lightning-likemovementinside，andshesawhisface。ItwastheAdventurer。
Shestifledalittlecry。Herbrainwasinturmoil。Andnowthebackdoorwasopening。They-theymightseeherhere！And-yes-itwassafer-safertoactonthesuddeninspirationthathadcometoher。ThedooroftheroomfromwhichtheAdventurerhademergedwasalmostwithinreach；andhehadnotlockeditashehadgoneout-shehadsubconsciouslynotedthatfact。Andsheunderstoodwhyhehadnotnow-thathehadsafeguardedhimselfagainstthelossofeventhesecondortwoitwouldhavetakenhimtounlockitwhenheranbackforcoveragainfromthePug’sroom。Yes-thatroom！Itwasthesafestthingshecoulddo。Shecouldevengetoutthatway，foritmustbetheroomwiththelowwindow，whichsherememberedgaveonthebackyard，and-Shedartedsilentlyforward，and，asthebackdooropened，slippedintotheroomtheAdventurerhadjustvacated。
Itwaspitchblack。Shemustnotmakeasound；but，equally，shemustnotloseasecond。WhatwastakingplaceinthePug’sroombetweenPinkieBonnandtheAdventurershedidnotknow。ButtheAdventurerwasobviouslyononeofhismaraudingexpeditions，andhemightstaytherenomorethanaminuteortwooncehefoundoutthathehadbeenforestalled。Shemusthurry-hurry！
Shefeltherwayforwardinwhatshebelievedtobethedirectionofthewindow。Sheranagainstthebed。Butthisaffordedhersomethingbywhichtoguideherself。Shekepthertouchuponit，herhandtrailingalongitsedge。Andthen，halfwaydownitslength，whatseemedtobeapieceofstringcaughtinherextended，gropingfingers。Itseemedtocling，butalsotoyieldmostcuriously，asshetriedtoshakeitoff；andthensomething，evidentlyfromunderthemattress，cameawaywithalittlejerk，andremained，suspended，inherhand。
Itdidn’tmatter，didit？Nothingmatteredexcepttoreachthewindow。Yes，hereitwasnow！Andtherollershadewasdrawndown；
thatwaswhytheroomwassodark。Sheraisedtheshadequickly-andsuddenlystoodthereasthoughtransfixed，herfacepaling，asinthefaintlightbythewindowshegazed，fascinated，attheobjectthatstilldangledbyacordfromherhand。
Anditseemedasifaninnerdarknessweresuddenlyrivenasbyaboltoflightning-ahundredthings，onceobscureandincomprehensible，wereclearnow，terriblyclear。SheunderstoodnowhowtheAdventurerwasprivytoalltheinnerworkingsoftheorganization；sheunderstoodnowhowitwas，andwhy，theAdventurerhadaroomsoclosetothatotherroomacrossthehall。Thatdanglingthingonanelasticcordwasasmearedanddirtycelluloideye-patchthathadoncebeenflesh-colored！TheAdventurerandthePugwereone！
Herwits！Quick！Hemustnotknow！Inafrenzyofhastesheranforthebed，andslippedtheeye-patchinunderthemattressagain；
andthen，stillwithfrenziedspeed，sheclimbedtothewindowsill，drewtherollershadedownagainbehindher，anddroppedtotheground。
Throughthebackyardandlaneshegainedthestreet，andspedonalongthestreet-butherthoughtsoutpacedherhurryingfootsteps。
Howminutelyeverydetailofthenightnowseemedtoexplainitselfanddovetailwitheveryotherone！Atthetime，whenShlukerhadbeenpresent，ithadstruckherasalittleforcedandunnecessarythatthePugshouldhavevolunteeredtoseekoutDanglarwithexplanationsafterthemoneyhadbeensecured。Butsheunderstoodnowthecraftandguilethatlaybehindhisapparentlyinnocentplan。
TheAdventurerneededbothtimeandanalibi，andalsoherequiredanexcuseformakingPinkieBonnthecustodianofthestolenmoney，andofgettingPinkiealonewiththatmoneyinthePug’sroom。
GoingtoDanglarsuppliedallthis。Hehadhurriedback，changedinthatroomfromthePugtotheAdventurer，andproposedinthelattercharactertorelievePinkieofthemoney，toreturnthenacrossthehall，becomethePugagain，andthengoback，asthoughhehadjustcomefromDanglar，tofindhisfriendandally，PinkieBonn，robbedbytheirmutualarch-enemy-theAdventurer！
ThePug-theAdventurer！Shedidnotquiteseemtograspitssignificanceasappliedtoherinapersonalway。Itseemedtobranchoutintoendlessramifications。Shecouldnotsomehowthinklogically，coollyenoughnow，todecidewhatthismeantinaconcretewaytoher，andherto-morrow，andthedaysaftertheto-morrow。
Shehurriedon。To-night，asshewouldlayawakethroughthehoursthatweretocome，forsleepwasathingdenied，perhapsaclearervisionwouldbegivenher。Forthemomentthere-therewassomethingelse-wasn’tthere？Themoneythatbelongedtotheoldcouple。
Shehurriedon。Shecameagaintothestreetwheretheoldcouplelived。Itwasadirtystreet，andfromthecurbshestoopedandpickedupadirtypieceofoldnewspaper。Shewrappedthebanknotesinthepaper。
Therewerenotmanypeopleonthestreetasshenearedthemeanlittleframehouse，butsheloitereduntilforthemomenttheimmediatevicinitywasdeserted；thensheslippedintothealleyway，andstoleclosetothesidewindow，throughwhich，shehadnotedfromthestreet，thereshonealight。Yes，theywerethere，thetwoofthem-shecouldseethemquitedistinctlyeventhroughtheshutters。
Shewentbacktothefrontdoorthen，andknocked。Andpresentlytheoldwomancameandopenedthedoor。
“Thisisyours，“Rhodasaid，andthrustthepackageintothewoman’shand。Andasthewomanlookedfromhertothepackageuncomprehendingly，RhodaGrayflungaquick“good-night“overhershoulder，andrandownthestepsagain。
Butafewmomentslatershestoleback，andstoodforaninstantoncemorebytheshutteredwindowinthealleyway。Andsuddenlyhereyesgrewdim。Shesawanoldman，whiteandhaggard，withbandagedhead，sittinginachair，thetearsstreamingdownhisface；andonthefloor，herfacehiddenontheother’sknees，awomanknelt-andtheman’shandstrokedandstrokedthethingrayhaironthewoman’shead。
AndRhodaGrayturnedaway。Andoutinthestreetherfacewasliftedandshelookedupward，andthereweremyriadstars。Andthereseemedabeautyinthemthatshehadneverseenbefore，andagreat，comfortingserenity。Andtheyseemedtopromisesomething-thatthroughthewindowofthatstarkandevilgarrettowhichshewasgoingnow，theywouldkeepherdreadedvigilwithheruntilmorningcameagain。
Anothernight-anotherday！Andthenightagainhadbeenwithoutrest，lestDanglar’sdreadedfootstepcomeuponherunawares；andthedayagainhadbeenoneofrestless，abortiveactivity，nowprowlingthestreetsasGypsyNan，nowreturningtothegarrettoflingherselfuponthecotinthehopethatindaylight，whenshemightriskit，sleepwouldcome，butithadbeenwithoutavail，for，inspiteofphysicalweariness，itseemedtoRhodaGrayasthoughhertorturedmindwouldneverlethersleepagain。Danglar’swife！Thatwasthehorrorthatwasinherbrain，yes，andinhersoul，andthatwouldnotleaveher。
Andnownightwascominguponheroncemore。Ithadevenbeguntogrowdarkhereonthelowerstairwaythatleduptothatwretched，hauntedgarretabovewhereintheshadowsstarkterrorlurked。
Strange！Moststrange！Shefearedthenight-andyetshewelcomedit。Inalittlewhile，whenitgrewalittledarker，shewouldstealoutagainandtakeupherworkoncemore。Itwasonlyduringthenight，undertheveilofdarkness，thatshecouldhopetomakeanyprogressinreachingtotheheartandcoreofthiscriminalcliquewhichsurroundedher，whosemembersacceptedherasGypsyNan，and，therefore，asoneofthemselves，andwhowouldaccordtoher，iftheybutevensuspectedhertobetheWhiteMall，lessmercythanwouldbeshowntoamaddog。
Sheclimbedthestairs。Fearwasuponhernow，becausefearwasalwaysthere，andwithitwasabhorrenceandloathingatthefrightfulexistencefatehadthrustuponher；but，somehow，to-nightshewasnotsodepressed，notsohopeless，asshehadbeenthenightbefore。Therehadbeenalittlesuccess；shehadcomealittlefartheralongtheway；sheknewalittlemorethanshehadknownbeforeoftheinnerworkingsofthegangwhowereatthebottomofthecrimeofwhichsheherselfwasaccused。SheknewnowtheAdventurer’ssecret，thatthePugandtheAdventurerwereone；andsheknewwheretheAdventurerlived，nowinonecharacter，nowintheother，inthosetworoomsalmostoppositeeachotheracrossthattenementhall。
