Thelightfromthearclampwasshutofffromhernow，andtheywouldonlybeabletoseeher，sheknew，asadim，fleetingshadow。Wherewasthatironcasting？PrayGod，itwasheavyenough；andprayGod，itwasnottooheavy！Yes，hereitwas！Shepretendedtostumble-andcaughtthethingupinherarms。Anexultantcrywentupfrombehindherassheappearedtofall-oaths，achorusofthem，asshewentonagain。
Theyhadnotgainedonherbefore；butwiththeweightinherarms，especiallyasshewasobligedtocarryitawkwardlyinordertoshielditfromtheirviewwithherbody，shecouldnotrunsofastnow，andtheywerebeginningtocloseuponher。Butshewasonthewharfnow，andtherewasnotmuchfarthertogo，and-andsurelyshecouldholdalltheleadsheneededuntilshereachedtheedge。
Thelightfromthearclampheldherinviewagainouthereonthewharfwhereshewasclearoftheshed；butsheknewtheywouldnotfireatherexceptasalastresort。Theycouldnotaffordtosoundanalarmthatwouldattractnoticetothespot-whentheyhad，orbelievedtheyhad，boththeAdventurerandtheWhiteMollwithintheirgraspnow。
Shewasrunningnowwithshort，hard，pantinggasps。Therewerestillfiveyardstogo-three-one！Shelookedaroundherlikeahuntedanimalatbay，asshereachedtheendofthewharfandstoodtherepoisedattheedge。Yes，thankGod，theywerestillfarenoughbehindtogiveherthefewsecondssheneeded！Shecriedoutloudlyasthoughindespairandterror-andsprangfromtheedgeofthewharf。Andasshesprangshedroppedthecasting；butevenasitstruckthewaterwithaloudsplash，RhodaGray，infrantichaste，wascrawlinginthroughthelittlelocker-likeopeningunderthedecked-overbowofthehalfscow，halfboatintowhichshehadleaped。Andquickasaflash，huddledinside，shereachedoutanddrewtheheapofwhatprovedtobesailclothnearertohertocovertheopening-andlaystill。
Afewsecondspassed；thensheheardthemattheedgeofthewharf，andheardDanglarsvoice。
“Watchwhereshecomesup！Shecan’tgetaway！“
Aqueer，wansmiletwistedRhodaGray’slips。Thecastinghadservedherwell；thesplashhadbeenloudenough！Shelistened，strainingherearstocatcheverysoundfromabove。Itwasmiserablysmallthishidingplaceintowhichshehadcrawled，scarcelylargeenoughtoholdher-shewasbeginningtobepainfullycrampedanduncomfortablealready。
Anothervoice，thatsherecognizedasPinkieBonn’snow，reachedher:
“It’sdamnedhardtospotanythingoutthere；thewater’sblacker’nhell。“
CameasavageandimpatientoathfromDanglar。
“She’sgottocomeup，ain’tshe-ordrown！“herasped。“Maybeshe’sswumunderthewharf，ormaybeshe’sswumunderwaterfarenoughoutso’swecan’tseeherfromhere。Anyway，jumpintothatboatthere，andwe’llpaddlearoundtillwegether。“
RhodaGrayheldherbreath。Theboatrockedviolentlyas，oneafteranother，themenjumpedintoit。Herrighthandwasdoubledunderher，itwashardtoreachherpocketandherautomatic。Shemovedalittle；theywerecursing，splashingwiththeiroars，makingtoomuchnoisetohearanyslightrustlethatshemightmake。
Aminute，two，wentby。Shehadherautomaticnow，andshelaythere，grim-lipped，waiting。Eveniftheyfoundhernow，shehadherownwayout；andbynow，beyondanyquestion，theAdventurerandtheSparrowwouldhavereachedthestreet，and，eveniftheyhadtohideouttheresomewhereuntiltheAdventurerhadrecoveredtheuseofhislimbs，theywouldbesafe。
Shecouldnotsee，ofcourse。Oncetheboatbumped，andagain。
Theywereprobablysearchingaroundunderthewharf。Shecouldnothearwhattheysaid，fortheywerekeepingquietnow，talkinginwhispers-soasnottogiveherwarningoftheirwhereaboutsundoubtedly！
Thetimedraggedon。Hercrampedpositionwasbringingherexcruciatingagonynow。ShecouldunderstandhowtheAdventurer，infarworsecaseinthebrutalpositioninwhichtheyhadboundhim，hadfainted。Shewasafraidshewouldfaintherself-itwasnotonlythepain，butitwasterriblycloseintheconfinedspace，andherheadwasswimming。
Occasionallytheoarssplashed；andthen，afteraninterminabletime，themen，asthoughhopelessofsuccess，andasthoughcautionwerenolongerofanyservice，begantotalklouder。
ThethirdmanwasShluker。Sherecognizedhisvoice，too。
“It’snouse！“hesnarled。“Ifshe’sagoodswimmer，shecouldgetacrosstherivereasy。She’sgotaway；that’ssure。Whatthehell’sthegoodofthis？We’replayingthefool。Beatitback！Shewasnosingaroundtheshed。Howdoweknowshedidn’tletthePugloosebeforewesawher？“
PinkieBonnwhined:
“Ifhe’sgonetoo，we’recrimped！Thewholeworksisbustup！ThePugknowseverything，whereourmoneyis，an’everything。They’llhaveuscold！“
“Closeyourface，Pinkie！“ItwasDanglarspeaking，hisvoicehoarsewithuncontrollablerage。“Goonback，then，Shluker。Quick！“
RhodaGrayheardthehurriedsplashingoftheoarsnow；andpresentlyshefeltthebumpingoftheboatagainstthewharf，anditsviolentrockingasthemenclimbedoutofitagain。Butshedidnotmove-savewithherhandtopushthefoldsofsailclothacautiousinchortwoawayfromtheopening。Itdidnoteasetheagonyshewassufferingfromhercrampedposition，butitgaveherfresherair，andshecouldhearbetter-theringoftheirboot-heelsonthewharfabove，forinstance。
Thefootstepsdiedaway。Therewassilencethenforamoment；andthen，faintly，fromthedirectionoftheshed，therecameachorusofbaffledrageandexecration。Shesmiledalittlewearilytoherself。Itwasallright。Thatwaswhatshewantedtoknow。TheAdventurerhadgotaway。
Stillshelaythere。Shedarednotleavetheboatyet；butshecouldchangeherpositionnow。Shecrawledhalfoutfromunderthedocking，andlaywithherheadonthesailcloth。Itwasexquisiterelief！Theycouldnotcomebackalongthewharfwithoutherhearingthem，andshecouldretreatunderthedeckingagaininaninstant，ifnecessary。
Voicesreachedhernowoccasionallyfromthedirectionoftheshed。
Finallyasilencefell。Theminutespassed-ten-fifteen-twentyofthem。AndthenRhodaGrayclimbedwarilytothewharf，madeherwaywarilypasttheshed，andgainedtheroad-andthree-quartersofanhourlater，inanothershed，inthelanebehindthegarret，shewaschangingquicklyintotheragsofGypsyNanagain。
Itwasalmosttheendnow。To-night，shewouldkeeptheappointmentDanglarhadgivenher-andkeepitaheadoftime。Itwasalmosttheend。Herlipssettightly。TheAdventurerhadbeenwarned。
Therewasnothingnowtostandinthewayofhergoingtothepolice，saveonlythesubstantiationofthatonepointinherownstorywhichDanglarmustsupply。
Hertransformationcompleted，shereachedinundertheflooringandtookoutthepackageofjewels-theywouldhelpverymateriallywhenshefacedDanglar！-and，thoughitwassomewhatlarge，tuckeditinsideherblouse。Itcouldnotbenoticed。Theblack，greasyshawlhiditeffectively。
Shesteppedoutintothelane，andfromtheretothestreet，andbegantomakeherwayacrosstown。ShedidnothavetosearchforDanglarto-night。ShewastomeethimatMatty’satmidnight，anditwasnotmorethanhalfpastelevennow。Threehoursandahalf！
Wasthatallsinceateighto’clock，asnearlyasshecouldplaceit，hehadleftherinthelane？Itseemedasmanyyears；butitwasonlytwentyminutesaftereleven，shehadnoticed，whenshehadleftthesubwayonherreturnafewminutesago。Herhandclenchedsuddenly。ShewastomeethimatMatty’s-and，thereafter，ifittookallnight，shewouldnotleavehimuntilshehadgothimalonesomewhereanddisclosedherself。Themanwasacowardinsoul。ShecouldtrusttotheeffectuponhimofanautomaticinthehandsoftheWhiteMalltomakehimtalk。
RhodaGraywalkedquickly。Itwasnotveryfar。SheturnedthecornerintothestreetwhereDanglar’sdeformedbrother，Matty，cloakedtheexecutiveactivitiesofthegangwithhischeaplittlenotionstore-andhaltedabruptly。Thestorewasjustaheadofher，andDanglarhimself，comingout，hadjustclosedthedoor。
Hesawher，andsteppinginstantlytoherside，graspedherarmroughlyandwheeledherabout。
“Comeon！“hesaid-andaviciousoathbrokefromhislips。
Themanwasinatowering，ungovernablepassion。Shecastafurtiveglanceathisface。Shehadseenhimbeforeinanger；butnow，withhislipsdrawnbackandworking，hiswholefacecontorted，heseemedutterlybesidehimself。
“What’sthematter？“sheinquiredinnocently。“Wouldn’tthePugtalk，orisitacaseof’anotherhourorso，’and-“
Heswungonherfuriously。
“Holdyourcursedtongue！“heflared。“You’llsnickeronthewrongsideofyourfacethistime！“Hegulped，staredatherthreateningly，andquickenedhisstep，forcinghertokeeppacewithhim。Buthespokeagainafteraminute，savagely，bitterly，butmoreincontrolofhimself。“ThePuggotaway。TheWhiteMollqueeredusagain。Butit’sworsethanthat。Thegame’sup！
Itoldyoutobehereatmidnight。It’sonlyhalfpastelevenyet。
Ifiguredyouwouldstillbeoverinthegarret，andIwasgoingthereforyou。That’swherewe’regoingnow。There’snochanceatthoserajah’sjewelsnow；there’snochanceoffixingCloranso’syoucanswellitaroundintheopenagain-theonlychancewe’vegotistosavewhatwecanandbeatit！“
Shedidnotneedtosimulateeitherexcitementordisquiet。
“Whatisit？What’shappened？“sheaskedtensely。
“Thegang’sthrownusdown！“hesaidbetweenhisteeth。“They’rescared；they’vegotcoldfeet-they’regoingtoquit。ShlukerandPinkiewerewithmeattheironplant。WewentbacktoMatty’sfromthere。Matty’swiththem，too。TheysaythePugknowseveryoneofus，andeverygamewe’vepulled，andthatinrevengeforourtryingtomurderhimhe’llwiseupthepolice-thathecoulddoiteasilyenoughwithoutgettingnippedhimself，bysendingthemaletter，oreventelephoningthenamesandaddressesofthewholelayout。They’rescared-hecurs！Theysayheknowswhereallourcoinistoo；andthey’reforsplittingitupto-night，andduckingitoutofNewYorkforawhiletogetundercover。“Helaughedoutsuddenly，raucously。“Theywill-eh？I’llshowthem-theyellow-streakedpups！Theywouldn’tlistentome-anditmeantthatyouandIwerethrowndownforfair。Ifwe’recaught，it’sthechair。I’llshowthem！WhenIsawitwasn’tanyusetryingtogetthemtostick，Ipretendedtoagreewiththem。See？Isaidtheycouldgoaroundanddiguptherestofthegang，andiftheothersfeltthesamewayaboutit，theywerealltocomeovertothegarret，andI’dbewaitingforthem，-andwe’dsplituptheswag，andeverybody’dbeonhisownafterthat。“Againhelaughedoutraucously。“It’lltakethemhalfanhourtogettogether-butitwon’ttakethatlongforustograballthat’sworthgrabbingoutofthattrap-door，andmakingourgetaway。See？I’llteachthemtothrowPierreDanglardown！Comeon，hurry！“
