Perhapsithadfallenoutofherpocketduringthehoursshehadlainthereasleep。Shesearchedthefoldsofthesoiledandcrumpledblanket，thatwasthecot’ssolecovering，thensnatchedtheblanketcompletelyoffthecotandshookit；andthen，downonherknees，shesearchedthefloorunderthecot。Therewasnosignoftherevolver。
　　RhodaGraystoodup，andstaredinastunnedwayabouther。Wasthis，then，theexplanationofherhavingseeminglybeenleftundisturbedhereallthroughtheday？Hadsomeone，afterall，beenhere，and-？Sheshookherheadsuddenlywithaquick，emphaticgestureofdissent。Thedoorwasstilllocked，shecouldseethekeyontheinside；and，besides，asatheory，itwasn’tlogical。Theywouldn’thavetakenherrevolverandleftherplacidlyasleep！
　　Thelossoftherevolverwasavitalmatter。Itwasheronesafeguard；theonemeansbywhichshecouldfirstgainandafterwardsholdthewhip-handoverDanglarintheinterviewsheproposedtohavewithhim；theonemeansofescape，thelastresort，ifsheherselfwerecorneredandfellintohispower。Ithadsustainedhermorethanonce，thatresolutiontoturnitagainstherselfifshewereinextremity。Itmeanteverythingtoher，thatweapon，anditwasgonenow；butthepanicthathadseizeduponherwasgonetoo，andshecouldthinkrationallyandcollectivelyagain。
　　Lastnight，orratherthismorning，whenshehadmadeherwaybacktotheshedoutthereinthelanebehindthegarret，shehadbeeninastateofalmostutterexhaustion。ShehadchangedfromtheclothesoftheWhiteMolltothoseofGypsyNan，butshemusthavedonesoalmostmechanicallyforshehadnoconcreterecollectionofit。Itwasquitelikelythen，evenmorethanprobable，thatshehadlefttherevolverinthepocketofherotherclothes；forshehadcertainlyhad，notonlyherrevolver，butherflashlightandherskeletonkeyswithherwhenshehadvisitedoldLuertz’splacelastnight，andlaterontoo，whenshehadjumpedintothatautomobileinfrontoftheSilverSphinx，shehadhadherrevolver，forshehadusedittoforcethechauffeuroutofthecar-andshehadnooneofthosearticlesnow。
　　Ofcourse！Thatwasit！Shesteppedimpulsivelytothedoor，and，openingit，madeherwayquicklydownthestairstothestreet。Therevolverwasundoubtedlyinthepocketofherotherskirt，andshefeltasurgeofreliefsweepuponher；butasenseofreliefwasfarfromenough。Shewouldnotfeelsafeuntiltheweaponwasagaininherpossession，andintuitivelyshefeltthatshehadnotimetoloseinsecuringit。Shehadalreadybeenlefttoolongalonenottomakeabreakinthatunaccountableisolationtheyhadaccordedherassomethingtobeexpectedatanymoment。ShehurriednowdownthestreettothelanethatintervenedbetweenGypsyNan’shouseandthenextcorner，glancedquicklyabouther，and，seeingnooneinherimmediatevicinity，slippedintothelane。Shegainedthedesertedshedsomefiftyyardsalongthelane，enteredthroughthebrokendoorthathung，halfopen，onsagginghinges，and，droppingonherknees，reachedinunderthedecayedandrottingflooring。
　　Shepushedasideimpatientlythepackageofjewels，atwhosemagnificenceshehadgazedawe-struckandbewilderedthenightbefore，anddrewoutthebundlethatcomprisedherownclothing。
　　Herhandsoughtthepocketeagerly。Yes，itwashere-atleasttheflashlightwas，andsoweretheskeletonkeys。Thatwaswhathadhappened！Shehadbeennearuttercollapselastnight，andshehadforgotten，and-RhodaGray，unconsciouseventhatshestillheldtheclothinginherhands，rosemechanicallytoherfeet。
　　Therewasasuddenwearinessinhereyesasshestaredunseeinglyabouther。Yes，theflashlightandthekeyswerehere-buttherevolverwasnot！Herbrainharkedbackinlightningflashesovertheeventsoftheprecedingnight。Shemusthavelostitsomewhere，then。Where？Shehadhaditintheautomobile，thatsheknewpositively；butafterthatshedidnotremember，unless-yes，itmusthavebeenthat！Whenshehadjumpedfromthecarandflungherselfdownattheroadside！Itmusthavefallenoutofherpocketthen。
　　Herheartseemedtostandstill。Supposetheyhadfoundit！TheywouldcertainlyrecognizeitasbelongingtoGypsyNan！Theywerenotfools。Thedeductionwouldbeobvious-theidentityoftheWhiteMollwouldbesolved。Wasthatwhynoonehadapparentlycomenearher？Weretheyplayingatcat-and-mouse，watchingherbeforetheystruck，sothatshewouldleadthemtothosejewelsundertheflooringherethatwereworthaking’sransom？TheycertainlybelievedthattheWhiteMollhadthem。TheAdventurer’snote，soironicallytrue，thathehadintendedasanalibiforhimself，andwhichhehadexchangedforthepackageinoldLuertz’splace，wouldhaveleftnodoubtintheirmindsbutthatthestoneswereinherpossession。Wasthatit？Werethey-Sheheldherbreath。Itseemedasthoughsuddenlyherlimbswererefusingtosupportherweight。Inthesoftearthoutsideshehadheardnostep，butshesawnowashadowfallathwartthehalf-opendoor-way。
　　Therewasnotimetomove，evenhadshebeencapableofaction。Itseemedasthoughevenhersoulhadturnedtostone，and，withtheWhiteMoll’sclothesinherhands，shestoodtherestaringatthedoorway，andsomethingthatwasgreaterthanfear，becauseitmingledhorror，uglyandforbidding，felluponher。Itwasstilljustlightenoughtosee。Theshadowmovedforwardandcameinside。
　　Shewantedtoscream，torushmadlyinretreattothefarthestcorneroftheshed；butshecouldnotmove。ItwasDanglarwhowasstandingthere。Heseemedtoswayalittleonhisfeet，andthedark，sinisterfaceseemedblotched，andheseemedtosmileasthoughpossessedofsomeunholyandpervertedsenseofhumor。
　　Shewashelpless，athismercy，unarmed，savedforherwits。Herwits！
　　Werewitsanylongerofavail？Shecouldbelievenothingelsenowexceptthathehadbeenwatchingher-beforehestruck。
　　“Whatareyoudoinghere，andwhatarethoseclothesyou’vegotinyourhands？“heraspedout。
　　Shecouldonlyfencefortimeinthemeagerhopethatsomeloopholewouldpresentitself。Sheforcedanassumeddefianceintohertonesandmanner，thatwasinkeepingwiththesortofarmedtruce，which，fromherfirstmeetingwithDanglar，shehadinauguratedasabarrierbetweenthem。
　　“Youhaveaskedmetwoquestions，“shesaidtartly。“Whichonedoyouwantmetoanswerfirst？“
　　“Lookhere，“hesnapped，“youcutthatout！There’soneortwothingsneedexplaining-see？Whatarethoseclothes？“
　　Herwits！Perhapshedidnotknowasmuchasshewasafraidhedid！
　　Sheseemedtohavebecomeabnormallycontained，hermindabnormallyacuteandactive。Itwasnotlikelythatthewoman，hiswife，whomhebelievedshewas，hadwornherownclothesinhispresencesincetheday，sometwoyearsago，whenshehadadoptedthedisguiseofGypsyNan；andshe，RhodaGray，rememberedthatonthenightGypsyNan，re-assuminghertruepersonality，hadgonetothehospital，thewoman’sclothes，likethesesheheldnow，hadbeenofdarkmaterial。
　　ItwasnotlikelythatamanwouldbeabletodifferentiatebetweenthoseclothesandtheclothesoftheWhiteMoll，especiallyasthelatterhungfoldedinherhandsnow，andeventhoughhehadseenthemonherattheSilverSphinxlastnight。
　　“Whatclothesdoyousupposetheyarebutmyown？-thoughIhaven’thadachancetowearthemmuchlately！“shecounteredcrisply。
　　Hescowledatherspeculatively。
　　“Whatareyoudoingwiththemouthereinthishole，then？“hedemanded。
　　“Ihadtowearthemlastnight，hadn’tI？“sheretorted。“I’dhavelookedwellcomingoutofGypsyNan’sgarretdressedasmyselfifanyonehadseenme！Shescowledathiminturn。Shewasbeginningtobelievethathehadnotevenaninklingofheridentity。Hersafestplaywastostakeeverythingonthatbelief。“Say，what’sthematterwithyou？“sheinquireddisdainfully。“Icameouthereandchangedlastnight；andIchangedintotheseragsI’mwearingnowwhenIgotbackagain；andIleftmyownclothesherebecauseIwasexpectingtogetwordthatIcouldputthemonagainsoonforkeeps-thoughI
　　mighthaveknownfrompastexperiencethatsomethingwouldqueerthefinepromisesyoumadeatMatty’slastnight！AndthereasonI’moutherenowisbecauseIleftsomethingsinthepocket，amongstthem“-
　　shestaredathimmockingly-“mymarriagecertificate。“
　　Danglar’sfaceblackened。
　　“Curseyou！“heburstoutangrily。“Whenyougetyourtantrumson，you’vegotatongue，haven’tyou！You’dhavebeenwearingyourclothesnow，ifyou’dhavedoneasyouweretold。You’retheonethatqueeredthingslastnight。“Hisvoicewasrising；hewasrockingevenmoreunsteadilyuponhisfeet。“Whyinhellweren’tyouattheSilverSphinx？“
　　RhodaGraysquintedathimthroughGypsyNan’sspectacles。Sheknewanhystericalimpulsetolaughoutrightinthesureconsciousnessofsupremacyoverhimnow。Themanhadbeendrinking。Hewasbynomeansdrunk；but，ontheotherhand，hewasbynomeanssober-andshewascertainnowthat，thoughshedidnotknowhowhehadfoundherhereintheshed，nottheslightestsuspicionofherhadenteredhismind。
　　“IwasattheSilverSphinx，“sheannouncedcoolly。
　　“Youlie！“hesaidhoarsely。“Youweren’t！Itoldyoutobethereateleven，andyouweren’t。Youlie！Whatareyoulyingtomefor-eh？I’llfindout，you-you-“
　　RhodaGraydashedtheclothesdownontheflooratherfeet，andfacedthemanasthoughsuddenlyovercomeinturnherselfwithpassion，shakingbothclosedfistsathim。
　　“Don’tyoutalktomelikethat，PierreDanglar！“sheshrilled。“I
　　lie，doI？Well，I’llprovetoyouIdon’t！YousaidyouweregoingtohavesupperwithCloranatabouteleveno’clock，andperhapsIwasafewminutesafterthat，butmaybeyouthinkit’seasytogetallthisGypsyNanstuffoffmefaceandall，andrigupinmyownclothesthatIhaven’tseenforsolongit’sawondertheyholdtogetheratall。Ilie，doI？Well，justasIgottotheSilverSphinx，Isawawomanbreakinghernecktogetdownthestepswithyouafterher。ShejumpedintotheautomobileitwasdopedoutI
　　wastotake，andyoujumpedintotheotherone，andbothbeatitdownthestreet。Ithoughtyou’dgonecrazy。IwasafraidthatCloranwouldcomeoutandrecognizeme，soIturnedandran，too。
　　ThesafestthingIcoulddowastogetbackintotheGypsyNangameagain，andthat’swhatIdid。AndI’vebeenlyingloweversince，waitingtogetwordfromsomeofyou，andnotasoulcamenearme。