Aminute，two，anotherpassed。AndthenRhodaGray，tight-lipped，herfacedrawnhard，asherownheadlightssuddenlyedgedawayfromtheroadandopenedwhatlookedlikeadeepravineonherleft，whiletheroadcurvedtotheright，flungafrenziedglancebackofher。Itwasherchance-heronechance。Danglarwasperhapsalittlemorethanahundredyardsintherear。Yes-now！Hisheadlightswerestreamingoutonherleftashe，too，touchedthecurve。Theright-handsideofhercar，theright-handsideoftheroadwereinblackness。Shecheckedviolently，almosttoastop，theninstantlyopenedthethrottlewideoncemore，wrenchingthewheelovertoheadthemachinefortheravine；andbeforethecarpickedupitsmomentumagain，shedroppedfromtheright-handside，dartedtothefaredgeoftheroad，andflungherselfflatdownupontheground。
Thegreat，blackbodyofhercarseemedtosailoutintonothingnesslikesomeweirdaerialmonster，theheadlightsstreaminguncannilythroughspace-thenblackness-andaterrificcrash。
Andnowtheothercarhadcometoastopalmostoppositewhereshelay。Danglarandthetwochauffeurs，shoutingateachotherinwildexcitement，leapedoutandrushedtotheedgeoftheembankment。
Andthensuddenlytheskygrewredasagreattongue-flameshotupfrombelow。Itoutlinedtheformsofthethreemenastheystoodthere，until，abruptly，asthoughwithoneaccord，theyrushedpell-melldowntheembankmenttowardtheburningwreckage。AndastheydisappearedfromsightRhodaGrayjumpedtoherfeet，sprangforDanglar’scar，flungherselfintothedriver’sseat，andthecarshotforwardagainalongtheroad。
Ashout，awildchorusofyells，thereportsofafusilladeofshotsreachedher；shecaughtaglimpseofformsrunninginsanelyafterheralongtheedgeoftheembankment-thensilencesavefortheroarofthespeedingcar。
Shedroveonandon。Somewhere，nearingatown，shesawatraininthedistancecominginherdirection。Shereachedthestationfirst，andleftthecarstandingthere，and，withthetornveiloverherfaceagain，tookthetrain。
Shewasweak，undone，exhausted。Evenhermindrefuseditsfunctionsfurther。Itwasonlyinasubconsciouswaysherealizedthat，whereshehadthoughtnevertogotothegarretagain，thegarretandtheroleofGypsyNanwere，morethanevernow，hersolerefuge。TheplotagainstCloranhadfailed，buttheycouldnotblamethaton“Bertha’s“non-appearance；andsinceithadfailedshewouldnotnowbeexpectedtoassumethedeadwoman’spersonality。
True，shehadnot，ashadbeenarranged，reachedtheSilverSphinxateleven，buttherewereahundredexcusesshecouldgivetoaccountforherbeinglateinkeepingtheappointmentsothatshehadarrivedjustintime，say，toseeDanglardashwildlyinpursuitofawomanwhohadjumpedintothecarthatshewassupposedtotake！
Thegarret！Thegarretagain-andGypsyNan！Hersurroundingsseemedtobecomeablanktoher；heractionstobepromptedbysomepurelymechanicalsense。Shewasconsciousonlythatfinally，afteraninterminabletime，shewasinNewYorkagain；andafterthat，long，longafterthat，dressedasGypsyNan，shewasstumblingupthedark，ladder-likestepstotheattic。
Howherfootstepsdragged！Sheopenedthedoor，staggeredinside，lockedthedooragain，andstaggeredtowardthecot，anddroppeduponit；andthegraydawncameinwithniggardlylightthroughthegrimylittlewindowpanes，asthoughtimorouslyinquisitiveofthisshawledanddissolutefigureproneandmotionless，thisfigurewhoinotherdawnshadfoundneithersleepnorrest-thisfigurewholaytherenowasonedead。
RhodaGrayopenedhereyes，and，fromthecotuponwhichshelay，staredwithdrowsycuriosityaroundthegarret-andinanotherinstantwassittingboltupright，alertandtense，asthefullfloodofmemorysweptuponher。
Therewasstillameagerlightcreepinginthroughthesmall，grimywindowpanes，butitwasthelightofwaningday。Shemusthaveslept，then，allthroughthemorningandtheafternoon，sleptthedead，heavysleepofexhaustionfromthemomentshehadflungherselfdownhereafewhoursbeforedaybreak。
Sheroseimpulsivelytoherfeet。Itwasstrangethatshehadnotbeendisturbed，thatnoonehadcometothegarret！Therecollectionoftheeventsofthenightbeforewerecrowdingthemselvesuponhernow。Inviewoflastnight，inviewofherfailuretokeepthatappointmentintheroleofDanglar’swife，itwasverystrangeindeedthatshehadbeenleftundisturbed！
Subconsciouslyshewasawarethatshewashungry，thatitwaslongsinceshehadeaten，and，almostmechanically，shepreparedherselfsomethingnowfromthestorethegarretpossessed；but，evenassheate，hermindwasfarfromthoughtsoffood。Fromthefirstnightshehadcomehereandself-preservationhadthrustthismiserableroleofGypsyNanuponher，fromthatfirstnightandfromthefollowingnightwhen，tosavetheSparrow，shehadbeenwhirledintothevortexofthegang’scriminalactivities，hermindracedonthroughthesequenceofeventsthatseemedtohavespannedsomevast，immeasurablespaceoftimeuntiltheyhadbroughtherto-lastnight。
Lastnight！Shehadthoughtitwastheendlastnight，butinstead-Thedarkeyesgrewsuddenlyhardandintent。Yes，shehadcounteduponlastnight，when，withthenecessaryproofinherpossessionwithwhichtoconfrontDanglarwiththecrimeofmurder，shecouldwringfromthemanallthatnowremainednecessarytosubstantiateherownstoryandclearherselfintheeyesofthelawofthatrobberyatSkarbolov’santiquestoreofwhichshewasheldguilty-andinsteadshehadbarelyescapedwithherlife。Thatwasthestoryoflastnight。
Hereyesgrewharder。Well，thewaywasstillopen，wasn’tit？
Lastnighthadchangednothinginthatrespect。To-night，astheWhiteMoll，shehadonlytofindandcornerDanglarasshehadplannedtodolastnight。Shehadstillonlytogetthemanalonesomewhere。
RhodaGray’shandsclenchedtightly。Thatwasallthatwasnecessary-justthesubstantiationofherownstorythattheplottorobSkarbolovlayatthedoorofDanglarandhisgang；or，rather，perhaps，thattheplotwasinexistencebeforeshehadeverheardofSkarbolov。
Itwouldproveherownstatementofwhatthedyingwomanhadsaid。
Itwouldexonerateherfromguilt；itwouldprovethat，ratherthanhavinganyintentionofcommittingcrime，shehadtakentheonlymeanswithinherpowerofpreventingone。TherealGypsyNan，Danglar’swife，whohaddiedthatnight，bad，evenineleventh-hourpenitence，refusedtoimplicatehercriminalassociates。Therewasacrimeprojectedwhich，unlessshe，RhodaGray，wouldagreetoforestallitinpersonandwouldgiveheroathnottowarnthepoliceaboutitandsoputtheactualcriminalsinjeopardy，wouldgoontoitsfulfillment！
Sherememberedthatnightinthehospital。Thescenecamevividlybeforehernow。Thewoman’spleading，thewoman’sgrimloyaltyevenindeathtoherpals。She，RhodaGray，hadgivenheroath。
Itbecamenecessaryonlytosubstantiatethosefacts。Danglarcouldbemadetodoit。ShehadnowinherpossessiontheevidencethatwouldconvicthimofcomplicityinthemurderofDeemer，andforwhichmurdertheoriginalGypsyNanhadgoneintohiding；sheevenhadinherpossessionthemissingjewelsthathadpromptedthatmurder；shehad，too，theevidencenowtobringtheentiregangtojusticefortheirmyriaddepredations；sheknewwheretheirsecrethoardofill-gottengainswashidden-hereinthisattic，behindthatingeniouslycontrivedtrap-doorintheceiling。Sheknewallthis；andthisinformationplacedbeforethepolice，providingonlyitwasbackedbytheproofthattheschemetorobSkarbolovwastobecarriedoutbythegang，asshe，RhodaGray，wouldsaythedyingwomanhadinformedher，wouldbemorethanenoughtoclearher。ShehadnothadthisproofonthatfirstnightwhenshehadsnatchedatthemantleofGypsyNanasthesolemeansofescapefromRoughRorke，ofheadquarters；shedidnothaveitnow-butshewouldhaveit，stakeallandeverythinginlifeshehadtohaveit，forit，initself，literallymeanteverythingandall-andDanglarwouldmakeawrittenconfession，orelse-orelse-Shesmiledmirthlessly。Thatwasall！Lastnightshehadfailed。To-nightshewouldnotfail。Beforemorningcame，ifitwerehumanlywithinherpower，sheandDanglarwouldhaveplayedouttheirgame-totheend。
Andnowapuckercameandgatheredherforeheadintolittlefurrows，andanxietyandperplexitycreptintohereyes。Anotherthoughttormentedher。IntheexposurethatwastocometheAdventurer，aliasthePug，wasinvolved。Wasthereanywaytosavethemantowhomsheowedsomuch，thesplendidlychivalrous，high-couragedgentlemansheloved，thethiefsheabhorred？
Shepushedtheremainsofherfrugalmealawayfromher，stoodupabruptlyfromthericketywashstandatwhichshehadbeenseated，andcommencedtopacenervouslyupanddownthestark，baregarret。
Wherewasthelineofdemarcationbetweenrightandwrong？Wasitagrievoussin，oraninfinitelyhumanthingtodo，towarnthemansheloved，andgivehimachancetoescapethenetshemeanttofurnishthepolice？Hewasathief，evenamemberofthegang-thoughheusedthegangashispuppets。Didethicscountwhenonewhohadstoodagainandagainbetweenherandperilwashimselfindangernow？Woulditbearighteousthing，oranactofdespicableingratitude，totraphimwiththerest？
Shelaughedoutshortly。Warnhim！Ofcourse，shewouldwarnhim！
Butthen-what？Sheshiveredalittle，andherfacegrewdrawnandtired。Itwastheold，oldstoryofthepitcherandthewell。Itwasalmostinevitablethatsoonerorlater，forsomecrimeoranother，themanshelovedwouldbecaughtatlast，andwouldspendthegreaterportionofhisdaysbehindprisonbars。Thatwaswhatthelovethathadcomeintoherlifeheldasitspromisetoher！Itwasterribleenoughwithoutheragencybeingthemeansofplacinghimthere！
Shedidnotwanttothinkaboutit。Sheforcedhermindintootherchannels，thoughtheywerescarcelylessdisquieting。WhywasitthatduringthedayjustpasttherehadbeennotasignfromDanglaroranyoneofthegang，wheneveryplanoftheirshadgoneawrylastnight，andshehadfailedtokeepherappointmentintheroleofDanglar’swife？Whywasit？Whatdiditmean？SurelyDanglarwouldneverallowwhathadhappenedtopassunchallenged，and-wasthatsomeonenow？
Shehaltedsuddenlybythedoortolisten，herhandgoinginstinctivelytothewide，voluminouspocketofhergreasyskirtforherrevolver。Yes，therewasafootstepinthehallbelow，butitwasdescendingnowtothegroundfloor，notcomingup。Sheevenheardthestreetdoorclose，butstillshehungthereinastrained，tenseway，andintoherfacetherecamecreepingagraydismay。Herpocketwasempty。
Therevolverwasgone！Itsloss，pregnantwithahundredominouspossibilities，seemedtobringapanicfearuponher，holdingherforamomentinert-andthensherushedfranticallytothecot。
