The Project Gutenberg EBook of The White Moll, by Frank L. Packard

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Title: The White Moll

Author: Frank L. Packard

Posting Date: November 23, 2008 [EBook #1741]
Release Date: May, 1999

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE MOLL ***

Produced by Polly Stratton

THE WHITE MOLL

By Frank Packard

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. NIGHT IN THE UNDERWORLD

II. SEVEN-THREE-NINE

III. ALIAS GYPSY NAN

IV. THE ADVENTURER

V. A SECOND VISITOR

VI. THE RENDEZVOUS

VII. FELLOW THIEVES

VIII. THE CODE MESSAGE

IX. ROOM NUMBER ELEVEN

X. ON THE BRINK

XI. SOME OF THE LESSER BREED

XII. CROOKS vs. CROOKS

XIII. THE DOOR ACROSS THE HALL

XIV. THE LAME MAN

XV. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER

XVI. THE SECRET PANEL

XVII. THE SILVER SPHINX

XVIII. THE OLD SHED

XIX. BREAD UPON THE WATERS

XX. A LONE HAND

XXI. THE RECKONING

I. NIGHT IN THE UNDERWORLD

It was like some shadowy pantomime: The dark mouth of an alleyway thrown
into murky relief by the rays of a distant street lamp...the swift,
forward leap of a skulking figure...a girl's form swaying and struggling
in the man's embrace. Then, a pantomime no longer, there came a half
threatening, half triumphant oath; and then the girl's voice, quiet,
strangely contained, almost imperious:

"Now, give me back that purse, please. Instantly!" The man, already
retreating into the alleyway, paused to fling back a jeering laugh.

"Say, youse've got yer nerve, ain't youse!"

The girl turned her head so that the rays of the street lamp, faint as
they were, fell full upon her, disclosing a sweet, oval face, out of
which the dark eyes gazed steadily at the man.

And suddenly the man leaned forward, staring for an instant, and then
his hand went awkwardly to touch his cap.

"De White Moll!" he mumbled deferentially. He pulled the peak of his
cap down over his eyes in a sort of shame-faced way, as though to avoid
recognition, an