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！