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to get him loose before the bulls got there。 So Danglar told them
to beat it； and he handed the cops the story that was in the papers。
He got away with it； all right； and they let go him to…day； but he
phoned a little while ago that they were still stickin' around kind
of close to him； and that I was to pass the word that the lid was to
go down tight for the next few days； and …〃
Shluker stopped abruptly as the telephone rang； and reached for the
instrument。
Rhoda Gray fumbled unnecessarily with her shawl； as the other
answered the call。 Failure！ A curious bitterness came to her。 Her
plan then； for to…night it least； was a failure。 Shluker did not
know where Danglar was。 She was quite convinced of that。 Shluker
was … She glanced suddenly at the wizened little old man。 From an
ordinary tone； Shluker' s voice had risen sharply in protest about
something。 She listened now：
No； no； it does not matter what it is！
What？。。。No！ I tell you； no！ Nothing！ Not to…night！ Those are
the orders。。。。No； I don't know！ Nan is here now。。。。Eh？。。。。You'll
pay for it if you do！〃 Shluker was snarling threateningly now。
〃What？。。。。Well； then； wait！ I'll come over。。。。No； you can bet I
won't be long！ You wait！ Understand？〃
He banged the receiver on the hook； and got up from his chair
hurriedly。
〃Fools！〃 he muttered savagely。 〃No； I won't be long gettin' there！〃
He grabbed Rhoda Gray's arm。 〃Yes； and you come； too！ You will
help me put a little sense into their heads； if it is possible … eh？
The fools！〃
The man was violently excited。 He half pulled Rhoda Gray down the
length of the shop to the front door。 Puzzled； bewildered； a little
uneasy； she watched him lock the door； and then followed him across
the courtyard； while he continued to mutter constantly to himself。
〃Wot's de matter？〃 she asked him twice。
But it was not until they had reached the street； and Shluker was
hurrying along as fast as he could walk； that he answered her。
〃It's the Pug and Pinkie Bonn！〃 he jerked out angrily。 〃They're
in the Pug's room。 Pinkie went back there after telephonin'。
They've nosed out something they want to put through。 The fools！
And after last night nearly havin' finished everything！ I told 'em
… you heard me … that everybody's to keep under cover now。 But
they think they've got a soft thing； and they say they're goin' to
it。 I've got to put a crimp in it； and you've got to help me。
Y'understand； Nan？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said mechanically。
Her mind was working swiftly。 The night； after all； perhaps； was
not to be so much of a failure！ To get into intimate touch with
all the members of the clique was equally one of her objects； and；
failing Danglar himself to…night； here was an 〃open sesame〃 to the
re…treat of two of the others。 She would never have a better chance；
or one in which risk and danger； under the chaperonage； as it were；
of Shluker here； were； if not entirely eliminated； at least reduced
to an apparently negligible minimum。 Yes； she would go。 To refuse
was to turn her back on her own proposed line of action； and on the
decision which she had made herself。
XII。 CROOKS Vs。 CROOKS
It was not far。 Shluker； hastening along； still muttering to
himself； turned into a cross street some two blocks away； and from
there again into a lane； and； a moment later； led the way through
a small door in the fence that hung； battered and half open； on
sagging and broken hinges。 Rhoda Gray's eyes traveled sharply
around her in all directions。 It was still light enough to see
fairly well； and she might at some future time find the bearings
she took now to be of inestimable worth。 Not that there was much
to remark！ They crossed a diminutive and disgustingly dirty
backyard； whose sole reason for existence seemed to be that of a
receptacle for old tin cans； and were confronted by the rear of
what appeared to be a four…story tenement。 There was a back door
here； and； on the right of the door； fronting the yard； a single
window that was some four or five feet from the level of the ground。
Shluker； without hesitation； opened the back door； shut it behind
them； led the way along a black； unlighted hall； and halting before
a door well toward the front of the building； knocked softly upon
it … giving two raps； a single rap； and then two more in quick
succession。 There was no answer。 He knocked again in precisely
the same manner； and then a footstep sounded from within； and the
door was flung open。 〃Fools！〃 growled Shluker in greeting； as they
stepped inside and the door was closed again。 〃A pair of brainless
fools！〃
There were two men there。 They paid Shluker scant attention。 They
both grinned at Rhoda Gray through the murky light supplied by a
wheezy and wholly inadequate gas…jet。
〃Hello； Nan！〃 gibed the smaller of the two。 〃Who let you out？〃
〃Aw； forget it！〃 croaked Rhoda Gray。
Shluker took up the cudgels。
〃You close your face； Pinkie！〃 he snapped。 〃Get down to cases！ Do
you think I got nothing else to do but chase you two around like a
couple of puppy dogs that haven't got sense enough to take care of
themselves？ Wasn't what I told you over the phone enough without
me havin' to come here？〃
〃Nix on that stuff！〃 returned the one designated as Pinkie
imperturbably。 〃Say； you'll be glad you come when we lets you in
on a little piece of easy money。 We ain't askin' your advice； all
we're askin' you to do is frame up the alibi； same as usual； for me
an' the Pug here in case we wants it。〃
Shluker shook his fist。
〃Frame nothing！〃 he spluttered angrily。 〃Ain't I tellin' you that
the orders are not to make a move； that everything is off for a few
days？ That's the word I got a little while ago； and the
Seven…Three…Nine is goin' out now。 Nan'll tell you the same thing。〃
〃Sure！〃 corroborated Rhoda Gray； picking up the obvious cue。 〃Dat's
de straight goods。〃
The two men were lounging beside a table that stood at the extreme
end of the room； and now for a moment they whispered together。 And；
as they whispered； Rhoda Gray found her first opportunity to take
critical stock both of her surroundings and of the two men
themselves。 Pinkie； a short； slight little man； she dismissed with
hardly a glance； he was the common type； with low； vicious cunning
stamped all over his face … an ordinary rat of the underworld。 But
her glance rested longer on his companion。 The Pug was indeed
entitled to his moniker！ His face made her think of one。 It seemed
to be all screwed up out of shape。 Perhaps the eye…patch over the
right eye helped a little to put the finishing touch of repulsiveness
upon a countenance already most unpleasant。 The celluloid eye…patch；
once flesh…colored； was now so dirty and smeared that its original
color was discernible only in spots； and the once white elastic cord
that circled his head and kept the patch in place was in equal
disrepute。 A battered slouch hat came to the level of the eye…patch
in a forbidding sort of tilt。 His left eyelid drooped until it was
scarcely open at all； and fluttered continually。 One nostril of
his nose was entirely closed； and his mouth seeme