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。