“AndsoIcameEastagain。Irememberedyou，Danglar-thatonseveraloccasionswhenIhadcomeuponDeemerunawares，you，sometimesaccompaniedbyawoman，andsometimesnot，hadbeenlurkinginthebackground。IwenttoCloran，thehousedetectiveatthehotelhereinNewYorkwhereDeemerwasmurdered。Hedescribedthewoman。Shewasthesamewomanthathadbeenwithyou。Iwenttotheauthoritiesandshowedmycredentials，withwhichtheyoungrajahhadseentoitIwassuppliedfromveryhighsourcesindeed。Ididnotwishtointerferewiththeauthoritiesintheirhandlingofthecase；but，ontheotherhand，Ihadnowishtositdownidlyandwatchthem，anditwasnecessarythereforethatIshouldprotectmyselfinanythingIdid。Ialsomade。myselfknowntooneofNewYork’sassistantdistrictattorneys，whowasanoldfriendofmyfather’s。Andthen，Danglar，Istartedoutafteryou。
“Idiscoveredyouafteraboutamonth；thenIwormedmyselfintoyourgangasthePug。Thattookaboutayear。Iwasalmostanotheryearwithyouasanacceptedmemberofthegang。Youknowwhathappenedduringthatperiod。AlittlewhileagoIfoundoutthatthewomanwewanted-withyou，Danglar-wasyourwife，livinginhidinginthisgarretasGypsyNan。Butthejewelsthemselveswerestillmissing。To-nighttheyarenot。A-afriendofmine，oneverymuchmisjudgedpublicly，Imightsay，hasthem，andhastoldmetheywouldbehandedtothepolice。
“Andso，Danglar，aftercominghereto-night，IsenttheSparrowouttogathertogetherafewoftheauthoritieswhoareinterestedinthecase-myfriendtheassistantdistrictattorney；Cloran，thehousedetective；RoughRorkeofheadquarters，whoononeoccasionwasverymuchinterestedinGypsyNan；andenoughmentomaketheroundofarrests。Theyshouldbeconvenientlyhiddenacrosstheroadnow，andwaitingformysignal。Myidea，yousee，wastoallowMrs。Danglartoenterherewithouthavinghersuspicionsaroused，andtoseethatshedidnotgetawayagainifshearrivedbeforethosewhoaredulyqualified-whichIamnot-toarrestherdid；
also，inviewofwhattranspiredearlierthisevening，ImustconfessIwasalittleanxiousaboutthoseseveralyears’
accumulationofstolenfundsupthereintheceiling。AsIsaidatthebeginning，Ihardlyexpectedthelucktogetyoubothatthesametime；thoughweshouldhavegotyou，Danglar，andeveryoneoftherestofthegangbeforemorning，and-“
“You，“RhodaGraywhispered，“you-arenotathief！“Brainandsoulseemedonfire。Itseemedasthoughshehadstriventovoicethosewordsadozentimessincehehadbeenspeaking，butthatshehadbeenafraid-afraidthatthiswasnottrue，thisgreat，wonderfulthing，thatitcouldnotbetrue。“You-youarenota-athief！“
TheAdventurer’sfacelostitsimmobility。Hehalfrosefromhischair，staringatherinastartledway-butitwasDanglarnowwhospoke。
“It’salie！“hescreamedout。“It’salie！“Theman’sreasonappearedtobealmostunhinged；amadterrorseemedtopossesshim。
“It’sallalie！Ineverheardofthisrajahbunkbeforeinmylife！IneverheardofDeemer，oranyjewelsbefore。Youlie！I
tellyou，youlie！Youcan’tproveit；youcan’t-“
“ButIcan，“saidRhodaGrayinalowvoice。Theshawlfellfromhershoulders；fromherblouseshetookthepackageofjewelsandheldthemouttotheAdventurer。“Herearethestones。IgotthemfromwhereyouhadputtheminoldLuertz’sroom。Iwashiddenthereallthetimelastnight。“Shewasremovingherspectaclesandherwigoftangledgrayhairasshespoke，andnowsheturnedherfacefulluponDanglar。“IheardyoudiscussDeemer’smurderwithyourbrotherlastnight，andplantogetridofCloran，whoyouthoughtwastheonlyexistingwitnessyouneedfear，and-“
“GreatGod！“TheAdventurercriedout。“You-Rhoda！TheWhiteMoll！I-Idon’tunderstand，thoughIcanseeyouarenotthewomanwhooriginallymasqueradedasGypsyNan，forIknewher，asIsaid，bysight。“
Hewasonhisfeetnow，hisfaceaflamewithagreatlight。Hetookasteptowardher。
“Wait！“shesaidhurriedly。SheglancedatDanglar。Theman’sfacewasblanched，hisbodyseemedtohaveshriveledup，andtherewasalightinhiseyesastheyhelduponherthatwasneartotheborderlandofinsanity。“ThatnightatSkarbolov’s！“shesaid，andtriedtoholdhervoiceincontrol。“GypsyNan，thisman’swife，diedthatnightinthehospital。Ihadfoundherheresick，andIhadpromisednottodivulgehersecret。Ihelpedhergettothehospital。Shewasdying；shewaspenitentinaway；
shewantedtopreventacrimethatshesaidwastobeperpetratedthatnight，butshewouldnotinformonheraccomplices。Shebeggedmetoforestallthem，andreturnthemoneyanonymouslythenextday。
ThatwasthechoiceIhad-eithertoallowthecrimetobecarriedout，orelsesweartoactaloneinreturnfortheinformationthatwouldenablemetokeepthemoneyawayfromthethieveswithoutbringingthepoliceintoit。I-Iwascaught。You-yousavedmefromRoughRorke，buthefollowedme。IputonGypsyNan’sclothes，andmanagedtooutwithim。Ihadhadnoopportunitytoreturnthemoney，whichwouldhavebeenproofofmyinnocence；theonlywayI
couldproveit，then，wastotryandfindtheauthorsofthecrimemyself。I-IhavelivedsincethenasGypsyNan，fightingthishideousgangofDanglar’sheretotryandsavemyself，and-andto-nightIthoughtIcouldseemywayclear。I-Iknewenoughatlastaboutthismantomakehimgivemeawrittenstatementthatitwasapre-arrangedplantorobSkarbolov。Thatwouldsubstantiatemystory。And“-shelookedagainatDanglar；themanwasstillcrouchedthere，eyingherwiththatsamemadlightinhiseyes-“andhemustbemadeto-todoitnowfor-“
“Butwhydidn’tyouaskme？“criedtheAdventurer。“YouknewmeasthePug，andthereforemusthavebelievedthatI，too，knowallaboutit。“
“Yes，“shesaid，andturnedherheadawaytohidethecolorshefeltwasmountingtohercheeks。“I-Ithoughtofthat。ButIthoughtyouwereathief，and-andyourtestimonywouldn’thavebeenmuchgoodunless，withit，Icouldhavehandedyou，too，overtothepolice，asIintendedtodowithDanglar；and-and-I-Icouldn’tdothat，and-Oh，don’tyousee？“sheendeddesperately。
“Rhoda！Rhoda！“Therewasaglad，buoyantnoteintheAdventurer’svoice。“Yes，Isee！Well，Icanproveitforyounowwithoutanyofthosefearsonmybehalftoworryyou！IwenttoSkarbolov’smyself，knowingtheirplans，todoexactlywhatyoudid。Ididnotknowyouthen，and，asRoughRorke，whowastherebecause，asI
heardlater，hissuspicionshadbeenarousedthroughseeingsomeoftheganglurkingaroundthebackdoorinthelanethenightbefore，hadtakentheactualmoneyfromyou，Icontrivedtoletyougetaway，becauseIwasafraidthatyouweresomenewfactorinthegame，somememberofthegangthatIdidnotknowabout，andthatI
mustwatch，too！Don’tyouunderstand？Thejewelswerestillmissing。Ihadnotgotthegeneralwarningthatwassentouttothegangthatnighttolaylow，foratthelastmomentitseemsthatDanglarherefoundoutthatRoughRorkehadsuspicionsaboutSkarbolov’splace。“Hecameclosetoher-andwiththemuzzleofhisrevolverhepushedDanglar’shuddledfigurebackalittlefurtheragainstthewashstand。“Rhoda-youareclear。TheassistantdistrictattorneywhohadyourcaseistheoneIspokeofafewminutesago。ThatnightatHayden-Bond’s，thoughIdidnotunderstandfully，Iknewthatyouwerethebravest，truestlittlewomanintowhomGodhadeverbreathedthebreathoflife。
Itoldhimthenextdaytherewassomemistake，somethingstrangebehinditall。ItoldhimwhathappenedatHayden-Bond’s。Heagreedwithme。Youhaveneverbeenindicted。Yourcasehasnevercomebeforethegrandjury。Anditneverwillnow！Rhoda！
Rhoda！ThankGodforyou！ThankGodithasallcomeoutright，and-“
Apealoflaughter，mad，insane，horribleinitspervertedmirth，rangthroughthegarret。Danglar’shandswerecreepingqueerlyuptohistemples。Andthen，obliviousevidentlyinhisfrenzyoftherevolverintheAdventurer’shand，andhiseyecatchingtheweaponsthatlayuponthecot，hemadeasuddendashinthatdirection-andRhodaGray，divininghisintention，sprangforthecot，too，atthesametime。ButDanglarneverreachedhisobjective。
AsRhodaGraycaughtuptheweaponsandthrustthemintoherpocket，sheheardDanglar’sfurioussnarl，andwhirlingaround，shesawthetwomenlockedandstrugglingineachother’sembrace。
TheAdventurer’svoicereachedher，quick，imperative:
“Showthecandleatthewindow，Rhoda！TheSparrowiswaitingforitintheyardbelow。Thenopenthedoorforthem。“
Asuddenterrorandfearseizedher。TheAdventurerwasnotfit，afterwhathehadbeenthroughto-nighttocopewithDanglar。Hehadbeenlimpingbadlyevenafewminutesago。Itseemedtoher，assherushedacrossthegarretandsnatchedupthecandle，thatDanglarwasgettingthebestofitevennow。AndtheAdventurercouldhaveshothimdown，andbeenwarrantedindoingit！Shereachedthewindow，wavedthecandlefranticallyseveraltimesacrossthepane，thensettingthecandledownonthewindowledge，sheranforthedoor。
Shelookedbackagain，assheturnedthekeyinthelock。Withacrash，pitchingoverthechair，bothmenwenttothefloor-andtheAdventurerwasunderneath。Shecriedoutinalarm，andwrenchedthedooropen-andstoodforaninstantthereonthethresholdinastartledway。
Theycouldn’tbecomingalready！TheSparrowhadn’thadtimeeventogetoutoftheyard。Buttherewerefootstepsinthehallbelow，manyofthem。Shesteppedoutonthelanding；itwastoodarktosee，but……
Asuddenyellassheshowedeveninthefaintlightoftheopengarretdoor，thequickerrushoffeet，reachedherfrombelow。
“TheWhiteMoll！That’sher！TheWhiteMoll！“Sheflungherselfflatdown，wrenchingboththeautomaticandtherevolverfromherpocket。Sheunderstoodnow！ThatwasPinkieBonn’svoice。Itwasthegangarrivingtodivideupthespoils，nottheSparrowandthepolice。Hermindwasracingnowwithlightningspeed。Iftheygother，theywouldgettheAdventurerinthere，too，beforethepolicecouldintervene。Shemustholdthislittlelandingwhereshelaynow，holdthoseshort，ladder-likestepsthattheoncomingfootstepsfrombelowtherehadalmostreached。
Shefiredonce-twice-again；buthigh，overtheirheads，tochecktherush。
Yellsansweredher。Avicioustongue-flamefromarevolver，anotherandanother，leapedoutatherfromtheblackbelow；thespat，spatofbulletssoundedfrombehindherastheystruckthewalls。
Againshefired。Theywereatleastmorecautiousnowintheirrush-nooneseemedanxioustobefirstuponthestairs。Shecastawildglancethroughtheopendoorintothegarretatherside。Thetwoformsinthere，ontheirfeetagain，werespinningaroundandaroundwiththestrange，lurchinggyrationsofautomatons-andthenshesawtheAdventurerwhipaterrificblowtoDanglar’sface-andDanglarfallandliestill-andtheAdventurercomeleapingtowardher。
