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。