RhodaGraydrewhershawlcloseraroundhershouldersandshivered，asnow，fromshufflingdowntheblockintheguiseofGypsyNan，shehaltedbeforethestreetdoorofwhatfate，forthemoment，hadthrustuponherasahome；andshiveredagain，as，withabhorrence，shepushedthedooropenandsteppedforwardintotheblack，unlightedhallway。Soul，mindandbodywereinrevoltto-night。
Evenfaith，thesimplefaithinGodthatshehadknownsincechildhood，waswavering。Thereseemednothingbuthorroraroundher，amentalhorror，aphysicalhorror；andthesolemeansofevenmomentaryreliefandsurceasefromithadbeenapitifulprowlingaroundthestreets，whereeventhefreshairseemedtobedeniedtoher，foritwastaintedwiththesmellsofsqualorthatruled，rampant，inthatneighborhood。
Andto-night，strongerthanever，intuitionandpremonitionofapproachingdangerlayheavyuponher，andoppressedherwithasenseofnearness。Shewasnotacoward；butshewasafraid。
DanglarwouldleavenostoneunturnedtogettheWhiteMoll。Hehadsaidso。Sherememberedthethreathehadmade-ithadlivedinherwoman’ssouleversincethatnight。BetteranythingthantofallintoDanglar’shands！Shecaughtherbreathalittle，andshiveredagainasshegropedherwayupthedarkstairs。But，then，sheneverwouldfallintoDanglar’spower。Therewasalwaysanalternative。Yes，itwasquiteasbadasthat-deathatherownhandswaspreferable。Balked，outwitted，theplansofthecriminalcoterie，ofwhichDanglarappearedtobethehead，renderedagainandagainabortive，andbelievingitallduetotheWhiteMoll，allofDanglar’sshrewd，unscrupulouscunningwouldbecenteredonthetaskofrunningherdown；andif，addedtothis，hediscoveredthatshewasmasqueradingasGypsyNan，oneoftheirowninnercircle，itmeanthat-Sheclosedherlipsinahard，tightline。
Shedidnotwanttothinkofit。Shehadfoughtallday，andthedaysbefore，againstthinkingaboutit，butpremonitionhadcreptuponherstrongerandstronger，untilto-night，now，itseemedasthoughhermindcoulddwellonnothingelse。
Onthelanding，shepausedsuddenlyandlistened。Thestreetdoorhadopenedandclosed，andnowafootstepsoundedonthestairsbehindher。Shewentonagainalongthehall，feelingherway；andreachingtheshort，ladder-likestepstothegarret，shebegantomountthem。Whowasittherebehindher？Oneoftheunknownlodgersonthelowerfloor，or-？Shecouldnotsee，ofcourse。
Itwaspitchblack。Butshecouldhear。Andasshekneltnowonthenarrowlanding，andfeltwithherfingersalongthefloorfortheaperture，where，imitatingthecustomofGypsyNan，shehadleftherkeywhenshewentout，sheheardthefootstepscomingsteadilyon，passingthedoorsbelowher，andmakingtowardthegarretladder。
Andthen，stiflingastartledlittlecry，herhandclosedonthekey，andclosed，asithadclosedonthatfirstnightwhenshehadreturnedhereintheroleofGypsyNan，onapieceofpaperwrappedaroundthekey。Thedaysofisolationwereendedwithclimactericeffect；thependulumhadswungfulltheotherway-to-nighttherewasbothavisitorandamessage！
Thepaperdetachedfromthekeyandthrustintoherbodice，shestoodupquickly。Aform，loomingupeveninthedarkness，showedonthegarretstairs。“Who’sdere？“shecroaked。
“It’sallright，“avoiceansweredinlowtones。“Youwerejustaheadofmeonthestreet。Isawyoucomein。It’sPierre。“
Pierre！Sothatwashisname！Itwasonlythevoicesherecognized。
Pierre-Danglar！Shefumbledforthekeyhole，foundit，andinsertedthekey。“Well，how’sBerthato-night？“
Thereseemedtobeastrangeexhilarationintheman’svoice。Hewasstandingbesidehernow，closebesideher，andnowhishandplayedwithacuriouslycaressingmotiononhershoulder。Thetouchseemedtoscorchandburnher。WhowasthisDanglar，whowasPierretoher，andtowhomshewasBertha？Herbreathcamequicklyinspiteofherself；therecame，too，afrenzyofaversion，andimpulsivelysheflunghishandaway，andwiththedoorunlockednow，steppedfromhimintothegarret。
“Feelingabitoffcolor，eh？“hesaidwithashortlaugh，ashefollowedher，andshutthedoorbehindhim。“Well，Idon’tknowasIblameyou。But，lookhere，oldgirl，haveaheart！It’snotmyfault。Iknowwhatyou’regrouchingabout-it’sbecauseI
haven’tbeenaroundmuchlately。ButyououghttoknowwellenoughthatIcouldn’thelpit。Ourgamehasbeencrimpedlatelyateveryturnbythatshe-devil，theWhiteMoll，andthatdudepalofhers。“
Helaughedoutagain-insavagemenacenow。“I’vebeenbusy。
Understand，Bertha？Itwaseitherourselves，orthem。We’vegottogounder-ortheyhave。Andwewon’t！Ipromiseyouthat！
Things’llbreakalittlebetterbeforelong，andI’llmakeituptoyou。“
Shecouldnotseehimintheblacknessofthegarret。Shebreathedaprayerofgratitudethathecouldnotseeher。Herface，inspiteofGipsyNan’sdisguisinggrime，mustbewhite，whiteasdeathitself。Itseemedtoplumbsomeinfamousdepthfromwhichhersoulrecoiled，thisapologyofhisforhisneglectofher。Andthenherhandsathersidescurledintotight-clenchedlittlefistsasshestrovetocontrolherself。Hiswords，atleast，suppliedherwithhercue。
“Ofcourse！“shesaidtartly，butinperfectEnglish-thevernacularofGypsyNanwasnotforDanglar，forsherememberedonlytoowellhowoncebeforeithadnearlytrippedherup。“Butyoudidn’tcomeheretoapologize！Whatisityouwant？“
“Ah，Isay，Bertha！“hesaidappeasingly。“Cutthatout！Icouldn’thelpbeingaway，Itellyou。Ofcourse，Ididn’tcomeheretoapologize-Ithoughtyou’dunderstandwellenoughwithoutthat。
Thegang’soutofcash，andIcametotapthereserves。Letmehaveapackageofthelonggreen，Bertha。“
Itwasamomentbeforeshespoke。Herwoman’sinstinctpromptedhertoletdownthebarsbetweentheminnosingledegree，thatherprotectionlayinplayinguptothefullwhatDanglar，jumpingatconclusions，hadassumedwasagrouchathisneglect。Also，hermindworkedquickly。Herownclotheswerenolongerinthesecrethidingplacehereinthegarret；theywereoutthereinthatoldshedinthelane。Itwasperfectlysafe，then，toletDanglargotothehidingplacehimself，assumingthatheknewwhereitwas-which，almostofnecessity，hemust。
“Oh！“shesaidungraciously。“Well，youknowwhereitis，don’tyou？Supposeyougoandgetityourself！“
“Allright！“returnedDanglar，asullennesscreepingintohisvoice。
“Haveityourownway，Bertha！Ihaven’tgottimeto-nighttocoaxyououtofyourtantrums。That’swhatyouwant，butIhaven’tgottime-to-night。“
Shedidnotanswer。
AmatchcrackledinDanglar’shand；theflamesspurtedupthroughthedarkness。Danglarmadehiswayovertothericketywashstand，foundthecandlethatwasstuckintheneckoftheginbottle，lightedit，heldthecandleabovehishead，andstaredaroundthegarret。
“Whythedevildon’tyougetanotherlamp？“hegrumbled-andstartedtowardtherearofthegarret。
RhodaGraywatchedhimsilently。Shedidnotcaretoexplainthatshehadnotreplacedthelampfortheverysimplereasonthatitgavefartoomuchlighthereinthegarrettobesafe-forher！
Shewatchedhim，withherhandinthepocketofhergreasyskirtclutchedaroundanotherlegacyofGypsyNan-herrevolver。Andnowshebecameconsciousthatfromthemomentshehadenteredthegarret，herfingers，hiddeninthatpocket，hadsoughtandclungtotheweapon。Themanfilledherwithdetestationandfear；andsomehowshefearedhimmorenowinwhathewastryingtomakeaningratiatingmood，thanshehadfearedhiminthefullfloodofhisrageandangerthatothernightatShluker’splace。
Shedrewbackalittletowardthecotbedagainstthewall，drewbacktogivehimfreepassagetothedoorwhenheshouldreturnagain，hereyesstillholdingonthefarendofthegarret，where，withtheslopeoftheroof，theceilingwasnomorethanshoulderhigh。Thereseemedsomethinghorriblyweirdandgrotesqueinthescenebeforeher。Hehadpushedthenarrowtrap-doorintheceilingupward，andhadthrustcandleandheadthroughtheopening，andthefaintyellowlight，seepingbackanddownwardinflickering，uncertainrays，suggestedtheimpressionofagruesome，headlessfigurestandingtherehazilyoutlinedinthesurroundingmurk。Itchilledher；sheclutchedathershawl，drewitmorecloselyabouther，andedgedstillnearertothewall。
AndthenDanglarclosedthetrap-dooragain，andcamebackwiththecandleinonehand，andoneofthebulkypackagesofbanknotesfromthehidingplaceintheother。Hesetthecandledownonthewashstand，andbegantodistributethemoneythroughhisvariouspockets。
Hewassmilingwithcuriouscomplacency。
“ItwasyourjobtoplaythespidertotheWhiteMollifsheevershowedupagainhereinyourparlor，“hesaid。“Maybesomebodytippedherofftokeepaway，maybeshewastoowily；but，anyway，sinceyouhavenotsentoutanyword，itisevidentthatourlittleplansalongthatlinedidn’twork，sinceshehasfailedtocomebacktopayacallofgratitudetoyou。Idon’tsupposethere’sanythingtoaddtothat，eh，Bertha？Noreporttomake？“
“No，“saidRhodaGrayshortly。“Ihaven’tanyreporttomake。“
“Well，nomatter！“saidDanglar。Helaughedoutshortly。“Thereareotherways！She’shadherflingatourexpense；it’sherturntopaynow。“Helaughedagain-andinthelaughnowtherewassomethingbothbrutalinitsmenace，andsinisterinitssuggestionofgloatingtriumph。
“Whatdoyoumean？“demandedRhodaGrayquickly。“Whatareyougoingtodo？“
“Gether！“saidDanglar。Theman’spassionflamedupsuddenly；hespokethroughhisclosedteeth。“Gether！Imadeheralittlepromise。I’mgoingtokeepit！Understand？“
“You’vebeensayingthatforquitealongtime，“retortedRhodaGraycoolly。“Butthe’getting’hasbeenalltheotherwaysofar。
Howareyougoingtogether？“