Therewasnohallwayhereattheheadoftheladder-likestairs，justasortofnarrowplatforminfrontoftheatticdoor。RhodaGray，gropingoutwithherhandsagain，feltforthedoor，andknockedsoftlyuponit。Therewasnoanswer。Sheknockedagain。
Stillreceivingnoreply，shetriedthedoor，founditunlocked，and，openingit，stoodforaninstantonthethreshold。Alamp，almostempty，ill-trimmedandsmokingbadly，stoodonachairbesideacheapironbed；itthrewadull，yellowglowaboutitsimmediatevicinity，andthrewtheremainderofthegarretintodeep，impenetrableshadows；butalsoitdisclosedthemotionlessformofawomanonthebed。
RhodaGray’seyesdarkened，assheclosedthedoorbehindher，andsteppedquicklyforwardtothebedside。Foramomentshestoodlookingdownattherecumbentfigure；atthemattedtangleofgray-streakedbrownhairthatstraggledacrossapillowwhichwasnonetooclean；attheheavy-lensed，old-fashioned，steel-bowedspectacles，awrynow，thatwerestillgrotesquelyperchedonthewoman’snose；atthesallowface，streakedwithgrimeanddirt，asthoughithadnotbeenwashedformonths；atahand，asill-caredfor，whichlayexposedonthetornblanketthatdiddutyforacounterpane；atthedirtyshawlthatenvelopedthewoman’sshoulders，andwhichwastightlyfastenedaroundGypsyNan’sneck-andfromthewomanhereyesshiftedtoanemptybottleonthefloorthatprotrudedfromunderthebed。
“Nan！“shecalledsharply；and，stoopingover，shookthewoman’sshoulder。“Nan！“sherepeated。Therewassomethingaboutthewoman’sbreathingthatshedidnotlike，somethinginthequeer，pinchedconditionoftheother’sfacethatsuddenlyfrightenedher。“Nan！“shecalledagain。
GypsyNanopenedhereyes，staredforamomentdully，then，inacuriouslyquick，desperateway，jerkedherselfuponherelbow。
“Yousegett’hellouterhere！“shecroaked。“Getout！“
“Iamgoingto，“saidRhodaGrayevenly。“AndI’mgoingatonce。“
Sheturnedabruptlyandwalkedtowardthedoor。“I’mgoingtogetadoctor。You’vegonetoofarthistime，Nan，and-“
“No，yousedon’t！“GypsyNansvoiceroseinasuddenscream。Shesatboltuprightinbed，andpulledarevolveroutfromunderthecoverings。“Yousedon’tbringnodoctorhere！See！Youseputafingerondatdoor，an’itwon’tbededooryouse’1lgooutby！“
RhodaGraydidnotmove。
“Nan，putthatrevolverdown！“sheorderedquietly。“Youdon’tknowwhatyouaredoing。“
“Don’t！？“leeredGypsyNan。Therevolverheld，swayingalittleunsteadily，onRhodaGray。Therewassilenceforamoment；thenGypsyNanspokeagain，evidentlythroughdrylips，forshewetthemagainandagainwithhertongue:“Say，yousearedeWhiteMoll，ain’tyouse？“
“Yes，“saidRhodaGray。
GypsyNanappearedtoponderthisforaninstant。
“Wellden，comebackherean’sitdownondefootofdebed，“
shecommandedfinally。
RhodaGrayobeyedwithouthesitation。Therewasnothingtodobuthumorthewomaninherpresentstate，astatethatseemedoneborderingondeliriumandcompletecollapse。
“Nan，“shesaid，“you-“
“DeWhiteMoll！“mumbledGypsyNan。“Iwonderifdedopedeyhandsoutaboutyouseisallondelevel？MyGawd，Iwonderifwotdeysaysistrue？“
“Whatdotheysay？“askedRhodaGraygently。
GypsyNanlaybackonherpillowasthoughherstrength，over-taxed，hadfailedher；herhand，thoughitstillclutchedtherevolver，seemedtohavebeendraggeddownbytheweapon’sweight，andnowrestedupontheblanket。
“Deysay，“saidGypsyNanslowly，“datyouseknowsmoreondeinsideheredananybodyelse-t’ingsyousegotfromdespacers’
molls，an’fromdedipsdemselveswhenyousewaslendin’demahand；deysaydereain’tmanyyousecouldn’tsendupderiverjustbyliftin’yerfinger，butdatyouse’restraight，an’datyouse’vekeptyermapclosed，an’datyouse’resafe。“
RhodaGray’sdarkeyessoftened，assheleanedforwardandlaidahandgentlyovertheoneofGypsyNanthatheldtherevolver。
“Itcouldn’tbeanyotherway，couldit，Nan？“shesaidsimply。
“Wotyerafter？“demandedGypsyNan，withsuddenmockery。“Degun？
Well，takeit！“Sheletgoherholdoftheweapon。“Butdon’tkidyerselfdatyouse’rekiddin’meintogivin’ittoyousebecauseyousehavegotaprettysmilean’asweetvoice！Savvy？I“-shechokedsuddenly，andcaughtatherthroat-“Iguessyouse’redeonlychanceIgot-dat’sall。“
“That’sbetter，“saidRhodaGrayencouragingly。“Andnowyou’llletmegoandgetadoctor，won’tyou，Nan？“
“Wait！“saidGypsyNanhoarsely。“Youse’redeonlychanceIgot。
Willyouseswearyousewon’tt’rowmedownifItellsyousesomet’ing？Iain’tgotnootherway。Willyouseswearyouse’llseemethrough？“
“Ofcourse，Nan，“saidRhodaGraysoothingly。“Ofcourse，Iwill，Nan。Ipromise。
GypsyNancameuponherelbow。
“Datain’tgoodenough！“shecriedout。“Apromiseain’tgoodenough！ForGawd’ssake，comeacrossalldeway！Swearyouse’llkeepmuman’seemethrough！“
“Yes，Nan“-RhodaGray’seyessmiledreassurance-“Iswearit。
Butyouwillbeallrightagaininthemorning。“
“WillI？Youthinkso，doyou？Well，IcanonlysaythatIwishIdid！“
RhodaGrayleanedsharplyforward，staringinamazementatthefigureonthebed。Thewoman’svoicewasthesame，itwasstillhoarse，stillheavy，andthewordscamewithpainfuleffort；buttheEnglishwassuddenlyperfectnow。
“Nan，whatisit？Idon’tunderstand！“shesaidtensely。“Whatdoyoumean？“
“Youthinkyouknowwhat’sthematterwithme。“Therewasacuriousmockeryintheweakvoice。“YouthinkI’vedrunkmyselfintothisstate。YouthinkI’monthevergeoftheD。T。’snow。
Thatemptybottleunderthebedprovesit，doesn’tit？AndanybodyaroundherewilltellyouthatGypsyNanhasthrownenoughemptiesoutofthewindowtheretostockabottlefactoryforyears，someofthemontheflatroofjustoutsidethewindow，someofthemontheroofoftheshedbelow，andsomeofthemdownintotheyard，justdependingonhowdrunkshewasandhowfarshecouldthrow。
Andthatprovesit，too，doesn’tit？Well，maybeitdoes，that’swhatIdiditfor；butInevertouchedthestuff，notadropofit，fromthedayIcamehere。Ididn’tdaretouchit。Ihadtokeepmywits。LastnightyouthoughtIwasdrunkwhenyoufoundmeinthedoorwaydownstairs。Iwasn’t。Iwastoosickandweaktogetuphere。Ialmosttoldyouthen，onlyIwasafraid，and-andI
thoughtthatperhapsI’dbeallrightto-day。“
“Oh，Ididn’tknow！“RhodaGraywasonherkneesbesidethebed。
Therewasnoroomtoquestionthetruthofthewoman’swords，itwasinGypsyNan’seyes，inthestruggling，laboredvoice。
“Yes。“GypsyNanclutchedattheshawlaroundherneck，andshivered。“IthoughtImightbeallrightto-day，andthatI’dgetbetter。ButIdidn’t。AndnowI’vegotaboutachanceinahundred。Iknow。It’smyheart。“
“Youmeanyou’vebeenalonehere，sick，sincelastnight？“Therewasanxiety，perplexity，inRhodaGray’sface。“Whydidn’tyoucallsomeone？Whydidyouevenholdmebackafewminutesago，whenyouadmityourselfthatyouneedimmediatemedicalassistancesobadly？“
“Because，“saidGypsyNan，“ifI’vegotachanceatall，I’dfinishitforkeepsifadoctorcamehere。I-I’drathergooutthiswaythaninthathorriblethingtheycallthe’chair。’Oh，myGod，don’tyouunderstandthat！I’veseenpicturesofit！It’sahorriblething-ahorriblething-horrible！“
“Nan“-RhodaGraysteadiedhervoice-youredelirious。Youdonotknowwhatyouaresaying。Thereisn’tanyhorriblethingtofrightenyou。Nowyoujustliequietlyhere。I’llonlybeafewminutes，and-“Shestoppedabruptlyasherwristsweresuddenlyimprisonedinafranticgrip。
“Yousworeit！“GypsyNanwaswhisperingfeverishly。“Yousworeit！TheysaytheWhiteMollneversnitched。That’stheonechanceI’vegot，andI’mgoingtotakeit。I’mnotdelirious-notyet。
IwishtoGoditwasnothingmorethanthat！Look！“
Withalow，startledcry，RhodaGraywasonherfeet。GypsyNanwasgone。Asweepofthewoman’shand，andthespectacleswereoff，thegray-streakedhairatangledwiguponthepillow-andRhodaGrayfoundherselfstaringinanumbedsortofwayatadark-hairedwomanwhocouldnothavebeenmorethanthirty，butwhoseface，withitsstreaksofgrimeanddirt，lookedgrotesquelyandincongruouslyold。
