within, the key turned in the lock, and the door was flung open.

"All right, Pug," said Pinkie Bonn, "I--"

The man's words ended in a gasp of surprised amazement. With a quick
step forward, Rhoda Gray was in the room. Her revolver, suddenly
outflung, covered the other; and her free hand, reaching behind her,
closed and locked the door again.

There was an almost stupid look of bewilderment on Pinkie Bonn's face.

Rhoda Gray threw back her veil.

"My Gawd!" mumbled Pinkie Bonn--and licked his lips. "The White Moll!"

"Yes!" said Rhoda Gray tersely. "Put your hands up over your head and go
over there and stand against the wall--with your face to it!"

Pinkie Bonn, like an automaton moved purely by mechanical means, obeyed.

Rhoda Gray followed him, and with the muzzle of her revolver pressed
into the small of the man's back, felt rapidly over his clothes with her
left hand for the bulge of his revolver. She found and possessed herself
of the weapon, and, stepping back, ordered him to turn around again.

"I haven't much time," she said icily. "I'll trouble you now for the
cash you took from Marny Day and French Pete."

"My Gawd!" he mumbled again. "You know about that!"

"Quick!" she said imperatively. "Put it on the table there, and then go
back again to the wall!"

Pinkie Bonn fumbled in his pocket. His face was white, almost chalky
white, and it held fear; but its dominant expression was one of helpless
stupefaction. He placed the sheaf of banknotes on the table, and
shuffled back again to the wall.

Rhoda Gray picked up the money, and retreated to the door. Still facing
the man, working with her left hand behind her back, she unlocked the
door again, and this time removed the key from the lock.

"You are quite safe here," she observed evenly, "since there appears to
be no window through which you could get out; but you might make it a
little unpleasant for me if you gave the alarm and aroused the other
occupants of the house before I had got well away. I dare say that was
in your mind, but"--she opened the door slightly, and inserted the key
on the outer side--"I am quite sure you will reconsider any such
intentions--Pinkie. It would be a very disastrous thing for you if
I were caught. Somebody is 'wanted' for the murder of Marny Day at
Charlie's a little while ago, and a jury would undoubtedly decide that
the guilty man was the one who broke in the door there and stole the
money. And if I were caugh