Herflashlightstabbedthroughthedarkness。Narrowstairsimmediatelyinfrontofherledupward；atherrightwasaconnectingdoortothesecondhandshop。Withoutaninstant’shesitationsheranupthestairs。Therewasnoneedtoobservecautionsincetheplacewastemporarilyuntenanted；therewasneedonlyofhaste。Sheopenedthedoorattheheadofthestairs，and，withaquick，eagernodofsatisfaction，astheflashlightswepttheinterior，steppedoverthethreshold。Itwastheroomshesought-oldLuertz’sbedroom。
Andnowtheflashlightplayedinquisitivelyabouther。Thebedoccupiedapositionbythewindow；acrossonecorneroftheroomwasacretonnehanging，thatevidentlydidserviceasawardrobe；
acrossanothercornerwasalargeanddilapidatedwashstand；therewereafewchairs，andathreadbarecarpet；and，oppositethebed，anotherdoor，closed，whichobviouslyledintothefrontroom。
RhodaGraysteppedtothisdoor，openedit，andpeeredin。Shewasnotconcernedthatitwasevidentlyusedforkitchen，dining-roomandthestowageofeverythingthatoverflowedfromthebedroom；shewasconcernedonlywiththefactthatitofferednoavenuethroughwhichanyaddedriskordangermightreachher。Sheclosedthedoorasshehadfoundit，andgaveherattentionnowtothewallsofoldLuertz’sbedroom。
Shesmiledalittlewhimsically。TheCrabhadusedasomewhatdignifiedtermwhenhehadreferredto“panels。“True，the，wallswereofstainedwood，butthewoodwasofthecheapestvarietyofmatchedboards，andthestainwasofbutasinglecoat，andaverymeageroneatthat！Thesmilefaded。Therewereagoodmanyknots；
andtherewerefourcornerstotheroom，andthereforeeightboards，eachoneofwhichwouldanswertothedescriptionofbeingthe“sixthpanel。“
Shewenttothecornernearesther，anddroppeddownonherknees。
Aswellstartwiththisone！ShehadnotdaredpressDanglar，orDanglar’sdeformedbrother，formoredefinitedirections，hadshe？
Shecountedtheboardsquicklyfromthecornertoherright；andthen，theflashlightplayingsteadily，shebegantopressfirstoneknotafteranother，intheboardbeforeher，workingfromthebottomup。Thereweremanyknots；shewentovereachonewithinfinitecare。Therewasnoresult。
Sheturnedthentothesixthboardfromthecornertoherleft。Theresultwasthesame。Shestoodup，herbrowspuckered，asenseofanxiousimpatiencecreepinguponher。Shehadbeenquiteawhileovereventhesetwoboards，anditmightbeanyoneoftheremainingsix！
Hereyestraversedtheroom，followingtherayoftheflashlight。
Ifsheonlyknewwhichone，itwould-Wasitaninspiration？Hereyeshadfixedonthecretonnehangingacrossoneofthefarcornersfromthedoor，andshemovedtowarditnowquickly。Thehangingmightverywellserveforanotherpurposethanthatofmerelyawardrobe！Itseemedsuddenlytobethemostlikelyofthefourcornersbecauseitwasingeniouslyconcealed。
Shepartedthehanging。Aheterogeneouscollectionofclothinghungfrompegsandnails。Eagerly，hastilynow，shebrushedtheseaside，and，closetothewall，droppeddownonherkneesagain。Theminutespassed。Twiceshewentoverthesixthboardfromthecornertoherright。Shefeltsosurenowthatitwasthiscorner。
Andthen，stilleagerly，sheturnedtothecorrespondingboardatherleft。
Itwaswarmandclosehere。Theclothinghangingfromthepegsandnailsenvelopedher，and，withthecretonnehangingitself，shutouttheair，whatlittleofittherewas，thatcirculatedthroughtheroom。
Overtheboard，fromthetiniestknottothelargest，herfingerspressedcarefully。Hadshemissedoneanywhere？Shemusthavemissedone！Shewassurethepanelinquestionwasherebehindthishanging。Well，shewouldtryagain，and……
Whatwasthat？
Inaninstanttheflashlightinherhandwasout，andshewaslisteningtensely。Yes，therewasafootstep-twoofthem-notonlyonthestairs，butalreadyjustoutsidethedoor。Itseemedasthoughadeadlyfear，coldandnumbing，settleduponherandrobbedherofeventhepowerofmovement。Shewascaught！IfitwasPinkieBonnandthePug，andifthiscornerhidthesecretpanelasshestillbelieveditdid，thiswasthefirstplacetowhichtheywouldcome，andtheywouldfindherhereamongsttheclothing-whichhadevidentlybeenthecauseofdeadeninganysoundonthosestairsoutthereuntilitwastoolate。
Sheheldherbreath，herhandstightuponherbosom。Therewasnotimetoreachthesanctuaryoftheotherroom-thefootstepswerealreadycrossingthethresholdfromtheheadofthestairs。
Andthenavoicereachedher-thePug’s。ItwasthePugandPinkieBonn。
“Strikealight，Pinkie！Dere’snousemessin’aroundwidaflash。Deoldgeezer’11bebackondehopdeminutehefindsouthe’sbeenbunked，an’dequickerweworkdebetter。“
Amatchcrackledintoflame。Anair-chokedgasjet，withaprotestinghiss，waslighted。AndthenRhodaGray’sdrawnfacerelaxedalittle，andastrange，mirthlesssmilecamehoveringoverherlips。Whatwassheafraidof？ThePugwastheAdventurer，wasn’the？Thiswasoneoftheoccasionswhenhecouldnotescapetheentanglementsofthegang，andmustworkfortheganginsteadofappropriatingallthelootforhisownpersonalandnefariousends；buthewastheAdventurer。TheWhiteMollneednotfearhim，eventhoughheappeared，linkedwithPinkieBonn，intheroleofthePug！SotherewasonlyPinkieBonntofear。
RhodaGraytookherrevolverfromherpocket。Shewaswellarmed-andinmorethanamaterialsense。TheAdventurerdidnotknowthatshewasawareofthePug’sidentity。Hersmile，stillmirthless，deepened。Shemighteventurnthetablesuponthem，andstillsecurethestolenstones。ShehadturnedthetablesuponPinkieBonnlastnight；to-night，ifsheusedherwits，shecoulddoitagain！
Andthen，suddenly，shestifledanexclamation，asthePug’svoicereachedheragain:
“Wotareyousegapin’about？Dereain’tanythingelseworthpinchin’
aroundhereexceptwot’sindeoldgent’ssafetyvault。Getamoveon！Weain’tgotallnight！It’sdecornerbehinddewashstand。
Giveusahandtomovedefurniture！“
Itwasn’therebehindthecretonnehanging！RhodaGraybitherlipsinacrestfallenlittleway。Well，hersuppositionhadbeennaturalenough，hadn’tit？Andshewouldhavetriedeverycornerbeforeshewasthroughifshehadhadtheopportunity。
Shemovednowslightly，withoutasound，partingtheclothingawayfrominfrontofher，andmovingthecretonnehangingbythefractionofaninchwhereittouchedthesidewalloftheroom。AndnowshecouldseethePug，withhisdirtyanddiscoloredcelluloideye-patch，andhisingeniouslycontortedface；andshecouldseePinkieBonn’spasty-white，drug-stampedcountenanceItwasnotalargeroom。Thetwomenintheoppositecorneralongthewallfromherwerescarcelymorethantenfeetaway。Theyswungthewashstandoutfromthewall，andthePug，goinginbehindit，begantoworkononeofthewallboards。PinkieBonn，anunlightedcigarettedanglingfromhislip，leanedoverthewashstandwatchinghiscompanion。
Aminutepassed-another。Itwasstillintheroom，exceptonlyforthedistantsoundsoftheworldoutside-aclatterofwheelsuponthepavement，themuffledroaroftheelevated，theclangofatrolleybell。AndthenthePugbegantomuttertohimself。RhodaGraysmiledalittlegrimly。Shewasnottheonlyone，itwouldappear，whoexperienceddifficultywitholdJakeLuertz’scraftyhidingplace！
“Say，disisdelimit！“thePuggrowledoutsuddenly。“Dere’smoredamnedknotsindisboarddanIeversaveinanypieceofwoodinmelifebefore，an’-“Hedrewbackabruptlyfromthewall，twistinghisheadsharplyaround。“D’yeheardat，Pinkie！“hewhisperedtensely。“Quick！Putoutdelight！Quick！Dere’ssomeonedownatdefrontdoor！“
RhodaGrayfeltthebloodebbfromherface。Shehadheardnothingsavetherattleandbumpofawagonalongthestreetbelow；butshehadhadreasontoappreciateonacertainoccasionbeforethatthePug，aliastheAdventurer，waspossessedofasenseofhearingthatwasabnormallyacute。Ifitwassomeoneelse-whowasit？Whatwoulditmeantoher？Whatcomplicationhereinthisroomwouldresult？What……
Thelightwasout。PinkieBonnhadsteppedsilentlyacrosstheroomtothegasjetnearthedoor。Hereyes，strained，shecouldjustmakeouttheAdventurer’sformkneelingbythewall，andthen-wasshemad！Wasthefaintnight-lightofthecityfilteringinthroughthewindowmockingher？TheAdventurer，hiddenfromhiscompanionbythewashstand，wasworkingswiftlyandwithoutasound-orelseitwasaphantasmofshadowsthattrickedher！
Adoorinthewallopened；theAdventurerthrustinhishand，drewoutapackage，and，leaningaround，slippeditquicklyintothebottomofthewashstand，where，withitslittledoors，therewasamostconvenientandverycommodiousapartment。Heturnedagainthen，seemedtotakesomethingfromhispocketandplaceitintheopeninginthewall，andthenthepanelclosed。
Ithadtakenscarcelymorethanasecond。
RhodaGraybrushedherhandacrosshereyes。No，itwasn’taphantasm！ShehadmisjudgedtheAdventurer-quitemisjudgedhim！
TheAdventurer，evenwithoneofthegangpresent-tofurnishanunimpeachablealibiforhim！-waspluckingthegang’sfruitagainforhisownandundividedenrichment！
PinkieBonn’svoicecameinaguardedwhisperfromthedoorway。
“Idon’thearnothin’！“saidPinkieBonnanxiously。
ThePugtiptoedacrosstheroom，andjoinedhiscompanion。Shecouldnotseethemnow，butapparentlytheystoodtogetherbythedoorlistening。Theystoodthereforalongtime。Occasionallysheheardthemwhispertoeachother；andthenfinallythePugspokeinalessguardedvoice。
“Allright，“hesaid。“Iguessmenervesaregettin’decreeps。
