been　here；　and　…？　　She　shook　her　head　suddenly　with　a　quick；
  emphatic　gesture　of　dissent。　　The　door　was　still　locked；　she
  could　see　the　key　on　the　inside；　and；　besides；　as　a　theory；　it
  wasn't　logical。　　They　wouldn't　have　taken　her　revolver　and　left
  her　placidly　asleep！
  The　loss　of　the　revolver　was　a　vital　matter。　　It　was　her　one
  safeguard；　the　one　means　by　which　she　could　first　gain　and
  afterwards　hold　the　whip…hand　over　Danglar　in　the　interview　she
  proposed　to　have　with　him；　the　one　means　of　escape；　the　last　resort；
  if　she　herself　were　cornered　and　fell　into　his　power。　　It　had
  sustained　her　more　than　once；　that　resolution　to　turn　it　against
  herself　if　she　were　in　extremity。　　It　meant　everything　to　her；　that
  weapon；　and　it　was　gone　now；　but　the　panic　that　had　seized　upon　her
  was　gone　too；　and　she　could　think　rationally　and　collectively　again。
  Last　night；　or　rather　this　morning；　when　she　had　made　her　way　back
  to　the　shed　out　there　in　the　lane　behind　the　garret；　she　had　been
  in　a　state　of　almost　utter　exhaustion。　　She　had　changed　from　the
  clothes　of　the　White　Moll　to　those　of　Gypsy　Nan；　but　she　must　have
  done　so　almost　mechanically　for　she　had　no　concrete　recollection　of
  it。　　It　was　quite　likely　then；　even　more　than　probable；　that　she
  had　left　the　revolver　in　the　pocket　of　her　other　clothes；　for　she
  had　certainly　had；　not　only　her　revolver；　but　her　flashlight　and　her
  skeleton　keys　with　her　when　she　had　visited　old　Luertz's　place　last
  night；　and　later　on　too；　when　she　had　jumped　into　that　automobile
  in　front　of　the　Silver　Sphinx；　she　had　had　her　revolver；　for　she
  had　used　it　to　force　the　chauffeur　out　of　the　car　…　and　she　had　no
  one　of　those　articles　now。
  Of　course！　　That　was　it！　　She　stepped　impulsively　to　the　door；　and；
  opening　it；　made　her　way　quickly　down　the　stairs　to　the　street。　　The
  revolver　was　undoubtedly　in　the　pocket　of　her　other　skirt；　and　she
  felt　a　surge　of　relief　sweep　upon　her；　but　a　sense　of　relief　was　far
  from　enough。　　She　would　not　feel　safe　until　the　weapon　was　again　in
  her　possession；　and　intuitively　she　felt　that　she　had　no　time　to
  lose　in　securing　it。　　She　had　already　been　left　too　long　alone　not
  to　make　a　break　in　that　unaccountable　isolation　they　had　accorded
  her　as　something　to　be　expected　at　any　moment。　　She　hurried　now　down
  the　street　to　the　lane　that　intervened　between　Gypsy　Nan's　house
  and　the　next　corner；　glanced　quickly　about　her；　and；　seeing　no　one
  in　her　immediate　vicinity；　slipped　into　the　lane。　　She　gained　the
  deserted　shed　some　fifty　yards　along　the　lane；　entered　through　the
  broken　door　that　hung；　half　open；　on　sagging　hinges；　and；　dropping
  on　her　knees；　reached　in　under　the　decayed　and　rotting　flooring。
  She　pushed　aside　impatiently　the　package　of　jewels；　at　whose
  magnificence　she　had　gazed　awe…struck　and　bewildered　the　night
  before；　and　drew　out　the　bundle　that　comprised　her　own　clothing。
  Her　hand　sought　the　pocket　eagerly。　　Yes；　it　was　here　…　at　least
  the　flashlight　was；　and　so　were　the　skeleton　keys。　　That　was　what
  had　happened！　　She　had　been　near　utter　collapse　last　night；　and　she
  had　forgotten；　and　…　Rhoda　Gray；　unconscious　even　that　she　still
  held　the　clothing　in　her　hands；　rose　mechanically　to　her　feet。
  There　was　a　sudden　weariness　in　her　eyes　as　she　stared　unseeingly
  about　her。　　Yes；　the　flashlight　and　the　keys　were　here　…　but　the
  revolver　was　not！　　Her　brain　harked　back　in　lightning　flashes　over
  the　events　of　the　preceding　night。　　She　must　have　lost　it　somewhere；
  then。　　Where？　　She　had　had　it　in　the　automobile；　that　she　knew
  positively；　but　after　that　she　did　not　remember；　unless　…　yes；　it
  must　have　been　that！　　When　she　had　jumped　from　the　car　and　flung
  herself　down　at　the　roadside！　　It　must　have　fallen　out　of　her
  pocket　then。
  Her　heart　seemed　to　stand　still。　　Suppose　they　had　found　it！　　They
  would　certainly　recognize　it　as　belonging　to　Gypsy　Nan！　　They　were
  not　fools。　　The　deduction　would　be　obvious　…　the　identity　of　the
  White　Moll　would　be　solved。　　Was　that　why　no　one　had　apparently
  come　near　her？　　Were　they　playing　at　cat…and…mouse；　watching　her
  before　they　struck；　so　that　she　would　lead　them　to　those　jewels
  under　the　flooring　here　that　were　worth　a　king's　ransom？　　They
  certainly　believed　that　the　White　Moll　had　them。　　The　Adventurer's
  note；　so　ironically　true；　that　he　had　intended　as　an　alibi　for
  himself；　and　which　he　had　exchanged　for　the　package　in　old　Luertz's
  place；　would　have　left　no　doubt　in　their　minds　but　that　the　stones
  were　in　her　possession。　　Was　that　it？　　Were　they　…　　She　held　her
  breath。　　It　seemed　as　though　suddenly　her　limbs　were　refusing　to
  support　her　weight。　　In　the　soft　earth　outside　she　had　heard　no
  step；　but　she　saw　now　a　shadow　fall　athwart　the　half…open　door…way。
  There　was　no　time　to　move；　even　had　she　been　capable　of　action。　　It
  seemed　as　though　even　her　soul　had　turned　to　stone；　and；　with　the
  White　Moll's　clothes　in　her　hands；　she　stood　there　staring　at　the
  doorway；　and　something　that　was　greater　than　fear；　because　it
  mingled　horror；　ugly　and　forbidding；　fell　upon　her。　　It　was　still
  just　light　enough　to　see。　　The　shadow　moved　forward　and　came　inside。
  She　wanted　to　scream；　to　rush　madly　in　retreat　to　the　farthest
  corner　of　the　shed；　but　she　could　not　move。　　It　was　Danglar　who　was
  standing　there。　　He　seemed　to　sway　a　little　on　his　feet；　and　the　dark；
  sinister　face　seemed　blotched；　and　he　seemed　to　smile　as　though
  possessed　of　some　unholy　and　perverted　sense　of　humor。
  She　was　helpless；　at　his　mercy；　unarmed；　saved　for　her　wits。　　Her　wits！
  Were　wits　any　longer　of　avail？　　She　could　believe　nothing　else　now
  except　that　he　had　been　watching　her　…　before　he　struck。
  〃What　are　you　doing　here；　and　what　are　those　clothes　you've　got　in
  your　hands？〃　he　rasped　out。
  She　could　only　fence　for　time　in　the　meager　hope　that　some　loophole
  would　present　itself。　　She　forced　an　assumed　defiance　into　her　tones
  and　manner；　that　was　in　keeping　with　the　sort　of　armed　truce；　which；
  from　her　first　meeting　with　Danglar；　she　had　inaugurated　as　a　barrier
  between　them。
  〃You　have　asked　me　two　questions；〃　she　said　tartly。　　〃Which　one　do
  you　want　me　to　answer　first？〃
  〃Look　here；〃　he　snapped；　〃you　cut　that　out！　　There's　one　or　two
  things　need　explaining　…　see？　　What　are　those　clothes？〃
  Her　wits！　　Perhaps　he　did　not　know　as　much　as　she　was　afraid　he　did！
  She　seemed　to　have　become　abnormally　contained；　her　mind　abnormally
  acute　and　active。　　It　was　not　likely　that　the　woman；　his　wife；　whom
  he　believed　she　was；　had　worn　her　own　clothes　in　his　presence　since
  the　day；　some　two　years　ago；　when　she　had　adopted　the　disguise　of
  Gypsy　Nan；　and　she；　Rhoda　Gray；　remembered　that　on　the　night　Gypsy
  Nan；　re…assuming　her　true　personality；　had　gone　to　the　hospital；　the
  woman's　clothes；　like　these　she　held　now；　had　been　of　dark　material。
  It　was　not　likely　that　a　man　would　be　able　to　differentiate　between
  those　clothes　and　the　clothes　of　the　White　Moll；　especially　as　the
  latter　hung　folded　in　her　hands　now；　and　even　though　he　had　seen
  them　on　her　at　the　Silver　Sphinx　last　night。
  〃What　clothes　do　you　suppose　they　are　but　my　own？　…　though　I　haven't
  had　a　chance　to　wear　them　much　lately！〃　she　countered　crisply。
  He　scowled　at　her　speculatively。
  〃What　are　you　doing　with　them　out　here　in　this　hole；　then？〃　he
  demanded。
  〃I　had　to　wear　them　last　night；　hadn't　I？〃　she　retorted。　　〃I'd　have
  looked　well　coming　out　of　Gypsy　Nan's　garret　dressed　as　myself　if　any
  one　had　seen　me！　　She　scowled　at　him　in　turn。　　She　was　beginning　to
  believe　that　he　had　not　even　an　inkling　of　her　identity。　　Her　safest
  play　was　to　stake　everything　on　that　belief。　　〃Say；　what's　the　matter
  with　you？〃　she　inquired　disdainfully。　　〃I　came　out　here　and　changed
  last　night；　and　I　changed　into　these　rags　I'm　wearing　now　when　I　got
  back　again；　and　I　left　my　own　clothes　here　because　I　was　expecting　to
  get　word　that　I　could　put　them　on　again　soon　for　keeps　…　though　I
  might　have　known　from　past　experience　that　something　would　queer　the
  fine　promises　you　made　at　Matty's　last　night！　　And　the　reason　I'm　out
  here　now　is　because　I　left　some　things　in　the　pocket；　amongst　them〃
  …　she　stared　at　him　mockingly　…〃　my　marriage　certificate。〃
  Danglar's　face　blackened。
  〃Curse　you！〃　he　burst　out　angrily。　　〃When　you　get　your　tantrums　on；
  you've　got　a　tongue；　haven't　you！　　You'd　have　been　wearing　your
  clothes　now；　if　you'd　have　done　as　you　were　told。　　You're　the　one
  that　queered　things　last　night。〃　　His　voice　was　rising；　he　was
  rocking　even　more　unsteadily　upon　his　feet。　　〃Why　in　hell　weren't
  you　at　the　Silver　Sphinx？〃
  Rhoda　Gray　squinted　at　him　through　Gypsy　Nan's　spectacles。　　She　knew
  an　hysterical　impulse　to　laugh　outright　in　the　sure　consciousness　of
  supremacy　over　him　now。　　The　man　had　been　drinking。　　He　was　by　no
  means　drunk；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　he　was　by　no　means　sober　…　and
  she　was　certain　now　that；　though　she　did　not　know　how　he　had　found
  her　here　in　the　shed；　not　the　slightest　suspicion　of　her　had　entered
  his　mind。
  〃I　was　at　the　Silver　Sphinx；〃　she　announced　coolly。
  〃You　lie！〃　he　said　hoarsely。　　〃You　weren't！　　I　told　you　to　be　there
  at　eleven；　and　you　weren't。　　You　lie！　　What　are　you　lying　to　me　for