Itwouldnothaveexcusedherinherownsoultohavesatstaringataciphermessagethatshewassatisfiedwassomecriminalplot，andhaverefusedtodecodeitsimplybecauseshewasafraidasenseofdutywouldinvolveherinanefforttofrustrateit。Tohavesatidlybyunderthosecircumstanceswouldhavebeenasreprehensible-andevenmorecowardly-thanitwouldbetositidlybynowthatsheknewwhatwastotakeplace。Andonthatlatterscoreto-nighttherewasnoargumentwithherself。Shefoundherselfacceptingthefactthatshewouldact，andactpromptly，astheonlynaturalcorollarytothefactthatshewasinapositiontodoso。Perhapsitwasthatwayto-night，notonlybecauseshehadonapreviousoccasionalreadyfoughtthisprincipleofdutyoutwithherself，butbecauseto-night，unlikethatothernight，thewayandthemeansseemedtopresentnoinsurmountabledifficulties，andbecauseshewasnowfarbetterprepared，andfreefromalltheperplexing，thoughenormouslyvital，littledetailsthathadontheformeroccasionrearedthemselvesupinmountainousaspectbeforeher。Thepurchaseofaheavyveil，forinstance，thedayaftertheHayden-Bondaffair，wouldenablehernowtomoveaboutthecityintheclothesoftheWhiteMollpracticallyatwillandwithoutfearofdetection。And，further，thefacilitiesformakingthatchange，thechangefromGypsyNantotheWhiteMoll，werenowalreadyathand-inthelittleoldsheddownthelane。
　　Andasfarasanyactualdangerthatshemightincurto-nightwasconcerned，itwasnotgreat。Shewasnotinterestedinthefiftythousanddollarsinanintrinsicsense；shewasinterestedonlyinseeingthatoldNickyViner，unappealing，yes，andalmostrepulsivebothinpersonalityandhabitsasthemanwas，wasnotblackmailedoutofit；thatDanglar，yes，andhereafter，Perlmertoo，shouldnotpreylikevulturesontheman，androbhimofwhatwasrightfullyhis。If，therefore，shesecuredthosepapersfromPerlmer’sdesk，itautomaticallyputanendtoDanglar’sschemeto-night；andif，later，shesawtoitthatthosepaperscameintoViner’spossession，that，too，automaticallyendedPerlmer’spersecutions。Indeed，thereseemedlittlelikelihoodofanydangerorriskatall。Itcouldnotbequitetenoclockyet；anditwasnotlikelythatwhoeverwasdelegatedbyDanglartorobPerlmer’sofficewouldgotheremuchbeforeelevenanyway，sincetheywouldnaturallyallowforthepossibilitythatPerlmermightstaylaterinhisofficethanusual，acontingencythatdoubtlessaccountedformidnightbeingsetasthehouratwhichtheyproposedtolayoldNickyVinerbytheheels。Therefore，itseemedalmostacertaintythatshewouldreachthere，notonlyfirst，butwithampletimeatherdisposaltosecurethepapersandgetawayagainwithoutinterruption。Shemighteven，perhaps，reachtheofficebeforePerlmerhimselfhadleft-itwasstillquiteearlyenoughforthat-butinthatcasesheneedonlyremainonwatchuntilthelawyerhadlockedupandgoneaway。Norneedeventhefactthattheofficewouldbelockeddismayher。Inthesecrethiding-placehereinthegarret，amongthosemanyotherevidencesofcriminalactivity，wasthecollectionofskeletonkeys，and-shewasmovingswiftlyaroundtheatticnow，physicallyasactiveasherthoughts。
　　Itwasnotlikethatothernight。Therewerefewpreparationstomake。Shehadonlytosecurethekeysandaflashlight，andtotakewithherthedampcloththatwouldremovethegrimestreaksfromherface，andtheboxofcompositionthatwouldenablehertoreplacethemwhenshecameback-andfiveminuteslatershewasonthestreet，makingherwaytowardthelane，and，specifically，towardthedesertedshedwhereshehadhiddenawayherownclothing。
　　Anotherfiveminutes，andinherownpersonalitynow，aslim，trimfigure，neatlygloved，theheavyveilaffordingampleprotectiontoherfeatures，RhodaGrayemergedfromtheshedandthelane，andstartedrapidlytowardlowerSixthAvenue。Andasshewalked，hermind，releasedforthemomentfromtheconsiderationofherimmediateventure，beganagain，asithadsomanytimesinthelastthreedays，itsstrivinganditssearchingaftersomeloopholeofescapefromherowndesperatesituation。Butonly，asiteverdid，confusioncame-achaosofthings，contributorythingsandcircumstances，andthepersonalitiesofthosewithwhomthisimpossibleexistencehadthrownherintocontact。Littlebylittleshewasbecomingacquaintedwiththepersonnelofthegang-inanimpersonalway，mostly。ApartfromDanglar，therewasShluker，whomustofnecessitybeoneofthem；andSkeeny，themanwhohadbeenwithDanglarinShluker’sroom；andtheCricket，whomshehadneverseen；andbesidesthese，therewerethosewhowerementionedintheciphermessageto-night，anddetailedtotheperformanceofthevariousactsandscenesthatweretoleaduptothefinalclimax-which，shesupposed，wastheobjectandreasonfortheciphermessage，inorderthateventhosenotactuallyemployedmightbethoroughlyconversantwiththeentireplan，andreadytoactintelligentlyifcalledupon。Fortherewereothers，ofcourse，aswitnessherself，or，rather，GypsyNan，whosepersonalityshehadsounwillinglyusurped。
　　Itwasvital，necessary，thatsheshouldknowthemall，andmorethaninthatimpersonalway，ifshecounteduponeverfreeingherselfoftheguiltattributedtoher。Forshecouldseenootherwaybutone-thatofexposingandprovingtheguiltofthisvilecliquewhonowsurroundedher，andwhohadactuallyinstigatedandplannedthecrimeofwhichshewasaccused。Anditwasnotaneasytask！
　　Andthentherewerethoseoutsidethisunholycirclewhokeptforcingtheirexistenceuponherconsciousness，becausethey，too，playedanintimatepartinthesordiddramawhichrevolvedaroundher，andwhoseendshecouldnotforesee。Therewas，forinstance-theAdventurer。Shedrewinherbreathquickly。Shefeltthecolorcreepslowlyupward，andtingeherthroatandcheeks-andthenthelittlechin，strongandfirm，wasliftedinasortofself-defiantchallenge。True，themanhadbeenagreatdealinherthoughts，butthatwasonlybecausehercuriositywaspiqued，andbecauseontwooccasionsnowshehadhadveryrealcauseforgratitudetohim。IfithadnotbeenfortheAdventurer，shewouldevennowbebehindprisonbars。Whyshouldn’tshethinkofhim？Shewasnotaningrate！Whyshouldn’tshebeinterested？
　　Therewassomethingpiquantlymysteriousabouttheman-whocalledhimselfanadventurer。Shewouldevenhavegivenagooddealtoknowwhohereallywas，andhowhe，too，cametobesoconversantwithDanglar’splansasfastastheywerematured，andwhy，onthosetwoparticularoccasions，hehadnotonlygoneoutofhiswaytobeofservicetoher，buthaddonesoatverygraverisktohimself。Ofcourse，shewasinterestedinhim-inthatway。Howcouldshehelpit？Butinanyotherway-thelittlechinwasstilltilteddefiantlyupward-eventhesuggestionwasabsurd。
　　Themanmightbechivalrous，courageous，yes，outwardly，evenagentlemaninbothmannerandappearance；hemightbeallthosethings，and，indeed，was-buthewasathief，aprofessionalthiefandcrook。Itseemedverystrange，ofcourse；butshewasjudginghim，notalonefromthecircumstancesunderwhichtheyhadmetandbeentogether，butfromwhathehadgivenhertounderstandabouthimself。
　　Thedefiancewentsuddenlyfromherface；and，foramoment，herlipsquiveredalittlehelplessly。Itwasallsoverystrange，andsoforbidding，and-and，perhapsshehadn’tthestoutheartthatamanwouldhave-butshedidnotunderstand，andshecouldnotseeherwaythroughthedarknessthatwaslikeapallwrappedabouther-anditwashardjusttogropeoutamidstsurroundingsthatrevoltedherandmadehersoulsick。Itwashardtodothisand-andstillkeephercourageandherfaith。
　　Sheshookherheadpresentlyasshewentalong，shookitreprovinglyatherself，andthelittleshoulderssquaredresolutelyback。Theremustbe，andtherewouldbe，awayoutofitall，andmeanwhileherposition，badasitwas，wasnotwithout，atleast，acertaincompensation。TherehadbeentheSparrowtheothernightwhomshehadbeenabletosave，andto-nighttherewasNickyViner。
　　Shecouldnotbeblindtothat。Whoknew！Itmightbeforjustsuchverypurposesthatherlifehadbeenturnedintothesenewchannels！
　　Shelookedaroundhersharplynow。ShehadreachedthelowersectionofSixthAvenue。Perlmer’soffice，accordingtotheaddressgiven，wasstillalittlefartheron。Shewalkedbriskly。Itwasverydifferentto-night，thankstoherveil！Ithadbeenhorriblethatothernight，whenshehadventuredoutastheWhiteMollandhadbeenforcedtokeeptothedarkalleywaysandlanes，andtheunfrequentedstreets！
　　Andnow，throughajeweler’swindow，shenotedthetime，andknewafurthersenseofrelief。Itwasevenearlierthanshehadimagined。Itwasnotquiteteno’clock；shewould，atleast，becloseontheheelsofPerlmer’sdeparturefromhisoffice，ifnotactuallyaheadoftime，andthereforeshewouldbefirstonthescene，and-yes，thiswastheplace；herewasPerlmer’snameamongstthoseonthename-plateatthestreetentranceofasmallthree-storybuilding。
　　Sheenteredthehallway，andfounditdeserted。Itwasaratherdirtyandunkemptplace，andverypoorlylighted-asingleincandescentaloneburnedinthehall。Perlmer’sroom，sothename-plateindicated，wasNumberEleven，andonthenextfloor。
　　Shemountedthestairs，andpausedonthelandingtolookaroundheragain。Here，too，thehallwaywaslightedbybutasinglelamp；andhere，too，anairofdesertionwasinevidence。Theofficetenants，itwasfairlyobvious，werenothabitualnightworkers，fornotarayoflightcamefromanyoftheglass-paneleddoorsthatflankedbothsidesofthepassage。Shenoddedherheadsharplyinsatisfaction。ItwasequallyobviousthatPerlmerhadalreadygone。Itwouldtakeherbutamoment，then，unlesstheskeletonkeysgavehertrouble。Shehadneverusedakeyofthatsort，but-Shemovedquietlydownthehallway，and，lookingquicklyabouthertoassureherselfagainthatshewasnotobserved，stoppedbeforethedoorofRoomNumberEleven。
　　Amomentshehungthere，listening；thensheslippedtheskeletonkeysfromherpocket，and，intheactofinsertingoneofthemtentativelyintothekeyhole，shetriedthedoor-andwithalittlegaspofsurprisereturnedthekeyshurriedlytoherpocket。Thedoorwasunlocked；ithadevenopenedaninchalreadyunderherhand。
　　Againshelookedaroundher，alittlestartlednow；andinstinctivelyherhandinherpocketexchangedthekeysforherrevolver。Butshesawnothing，heardnothing；anditwascertainlydarkinsidethere，andthereforeonlylogicaltoconcludethattheroomwasunoccupied。
　　Reassured，shepushedthedoorcautiouslyandnoiselesslyopen，andsteppedinside，andclosedthedoorbehindher。Shestoodstillforaninstant，andthentheround，whiterayofherflashlightwentdancinginquisitivelyaroundtheoffice。Itwasamedium-sizedroom，farfromornateinitsappointments，barefloored，thefurnitureofthecheapest-Perlmer’sclienteledidnotinsistonorientalrugsandmahogany！
　　Herappraisaloftheroom，however，wasbutcursory。Shewasinterestedonlyintheflat-toppeddeskinfrontofher。Shesteppedquicklyaroundit-andstopped-andalowcryofdismaycamefromherasshestaredatthefloor。Thelowerdrawerhadbeencompletelyremoved，andnowlayupturnedbesidetheswivelchair，itscontentsstrewnaroundinalldirections。
　　Andforamomentshestaredatthescene，nonplused，discomfited。
　　Shehadbeensosurethatshewouldbefirst-andshehadnotbeenfirst。Therewasnoneedtosearchamongstthosepapersonthefloor。Theytoldtheirownstory。Theonesshewantedwerealreadygone。