The White Moll

第30章

“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-Shedartedsil

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