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scarcely open at all； and fluttered continually。 One nostril of
his nose was entirely closed； and his mouth seemed to be twisted
out of shape； so that； even when in repose； the lips never entirely
met at one corner。 And his ears； what she could see of them in the
poor light； and on account of the slouch hat； seemed to bear out the
low…type criminal impression the man gave her； in that they lay flat
back against his head。
She turned her eyes away with a little shudder of repulsion； and
gave her attention to an inspection of the room。 There was no
window； except a small one high up in the right…hand partition wall。
She quite understood what that meant。 It was common enough； and all
too unsanitary enough； in these old and cheap tenements； the window
gave； not on the out…of…doors； but on a light…well。 For the； rest；
it was a room she had seen a thousand times before … carpetless；
unfurnished save for the barest necessities； dirt everywhere；
unkempt。
Pinkie Bonn broke in abruptly upon her inspection。
〃That's all right！〃 he announced airily。 〃We'll let Nan in on it；
too。 The Pug an' me figures she can give us a hand。〃
Shluker's wizened little face seemed suddenly to go purple。
〃Are you tryin' to make a fool of me？〃 he half screamed。 〃Or can't
you understand English？ D'ye want me to keep on tellin' you till
I'm hoarse that there ain't nobody goin' in with you； because you
am't goin' in yourself！ See？ Understand that？ There's nothing
doin' to…night for anybody … and that means you！〃
〃Aw； shut up； Shluker！〃 It was the Pug now； a curious whispering
sibilancy in his voice； due no doubt to the disfigurement of his
lips。 〃Give Pinkie a chance to shoot his spiel before youse injure
yerself throwin' a fit！ Go on； Pinkie； spill it。〃
〃Sure！〃 said Pinkie eagerly。 〃Listen； Shluk！ It ain't any crib
we're wantin' to crack； or nothin' like that。 It's just a couple
of crooks that won't dare open their yaps to the bulls； 'cause what
we're after 'll be what they'll have pinched themselves。 See？〃
Shluker's face lost some of its belligerency； and in its place a
dawning interest came。
〃What's that？〃 he demanded cautiously。 〃What crooks？〃
〃French Pete an' Marny Day；〃 said Pinkie … and grinned。
〃Oh！〃 Shluker's eyebrows went up。 He looked at the Pug； and the
Pug winked knowingly with his half…closed left eyelid。 Shluker
reached out for a chair； and； finding it suspiciously wobbly；
straddled it warily。 〃Mabbe I've been in wrong；〃 he admitted。
〃What's the lay？〃
〃Me；〃 said Pinkie； 〃I was down to Charlie's this afternoon havin'
a little lay…off； an'〃
〃One of these days；〃 interrupted Shluker sharply； 〃you'll go out
like〃 … he snapped his fingers … 〃that！〃 〃Can't you leave the stuff
alone？〃
〃I got to have me bit of coke；〃 Pinkie answered； with a shrug of
his shoulders。 〃An'； anyway； I'm no pipe…hitter。
〃It's all the same whatever way you take it！〃 retorted Shluker。
〃Well； go on with your story。 You went down to Charlie's dope
parlors； and jabbed a needle into yourself； or took it some other
old way。 I get you！ What happened then？〃
〃It was about an hour ago；〃 resumed Pinkie Bonn with undisturbed
complacency。 〃Just as I was beatin' it out of there by the cellar；
I hears some whisperin' as I was passin' one of the end doors。
Savvy？ I hadn't made no noise； an' they hadn't heard me。 I gets
a peek in； 'cause the door's cracked。 It was French Pete an' Marny
Day。 I listens。 An' after about two seconds I was goin' shaky for
fear some one would come along an' I wouldn't get the whole of it。
Take it from me； Shluk； it was some goods！〃
Shluker grunted noncommittingly。
〃Well； go on！〃 he prompted。
〃I didn't get all the fine points；〃 grinned Pinkie； 〃but I got
enough。 There was a guy by the name of Dainey who used to live
somewhere on the East Side here； an' he used to work in some
sweat…shop； an' he worked till he got pretty old； an' then his
lungs； or something； went bad on him； an' he went broke。 An' the
doctor said he had to beat it out of here to a more salubrious
climate。 Some nut filled his ear full 'bout gold huntin' up in
Alaska； an' he fell for it。 He chewed it over with his wife； an'
she was for it too； 'cause the doctor 'd told her her old man would
bump off if he stuck around here； an' they hadn't any money to get
away together。 She figured she could get along workin' out by the
day till he came back a millionaire； an' old Dainey started off。
〃I dunno how he got there。 I'm just fillin' in what I hears French
Pete an' Marny talkin' about。 I guess mostly he beat his way there
ridin' the rods； but； anyway； he got there。 See？ An' then he goes
down sick there again； an' a hospital； or some outfit； has to take
care of him for a couple of years； an' back here the old woman got
kind of feeble an' on her uppers； an there was hell to pay； an' …〃
〃Wot's bitin' youse； Nan？〃 The Pug's lisping whisper broke sharply
in upon Pinkie Bonn's story。
Rhoda Gray started。 She was conscious now that she had been leaning
forward； staring in a startled way at Pinkie as he talked； conscious
now that for a moment she had forgotten … that she was Gypsy Nan。
But she was mistress of herself on the instant； and she scowled
blackly at the Pug。
〃Mabbe it's me soft heart dat's touched！〃 she flung out acidly。
〃Youse close yer trap； an' let Pinkie talk！〃
〃Yes； shut up！〃 said Pinkie。 〃What was I sayin'？ Oh； yes！ An'
then the old guy makes a strike。 Can you beat it！ I dunno nothing
about the way they pull them things； but he's off by his lonesome
out somewhere； an' he finds gold； an' stakes out his claim； but
he takes sick again an' can't work it； an' it's all he can do to
get back alive to civilization。 He keeps his mouth shut for a
while； figurin' he'll get strong again； but it ain't no good； an'
he gets a letter from the old woman tellin' how bad she is； an'
then he shows some of the stuff he'd found。 After that there's
nothing to it！ Everybody's beatin' it for the place； but； at that；
old Dainey comes out of it all right； an' goes crazy with joy
'cause some guy offers him twenty…five thousand bucks for his claim；
an' throws in the expenses home for good luck。 He gets the money
in cash； twenty…five one…thousand…dollar bills； an' the chicken
feed for the expenses； an' starts for back here an' the old woman。
But this time he don't keep his mouth shut about it when he'd have
been better off if he had。 See？ He was tellin' about it on the
train。 I guess he was tellin' about it all the way across。 But；
anyway； he tells about it comm' from Philly this afternoon； an'
French Pete an' Marny Day happens to be on the train； an' they
hears it； an' frames it up to annex the coin before morning； 'cause
he's got in too late to get the money into any bank to…day。〃
Pinkie Bonn paused； and stuck his tongue significantly in his cheek。
Shluker was rubbing his hands together now in a sort of unctuous
way。
〃It sounds pretty good；〃 he murmured； 〃only there's Danglar …〃
〃Youse leave Danglar to me！〃 broke in the Pug。 〃As soon as we
hands one to dem two boobs an' gets de cash； Pinkie can beat it
back he