第9章 II SEVEN--THREE--NINE(5)

Will you promise not to snitch if I tell you how to stop it, even if you don't go there yourself? I'm offering you a chance to stop a twenty-thousand-dollar haul. If you don't promise it's got to go through, because I've got to stand by the ones that were in it with me. I - I'd like to make good - just - once. But I can't do it any other way. For God's sake, you see that, don't you?"

"Yes," said Rhoda Gray in a low voice; "but the promise you ask for is the same as though I promised to try to get the money you speak of. If I knew what was going on, and did nothing, I would be an accomplice to the crime, and guilty myself."

"But I can't do anything else!" Gypsy Nan was speaking with great difficulty. "I won't get those that were with me in wrong - I won't!

You can prevent a crime to-night, if you will - you - you can help me to - to make good."

Rhoda Gray's lips tightened, "Will you give me your word that I can do what you suggest - that it is feasible, possible?"

"Yes," said Gypsy Nan. "You can do it easily, and - and it's safe.

It - it only wants a little nerve, and - and you've got that."

"I promise, then," said Rhoda Gray.

"Thank God!" Gypsy Nan pulled fiercely at Rhoda Gray's wrist.

"Come nearer-nearer! You know Skarbolov, old Skarbolov, who keeps the antique store - on the street - around the corner from my place?"

Rhoda Gray nodded.

"He's rich!" whispered Gypsy Nan. "Think of it! Him - rich! But he gets the best of the Fifth Avenue crowd just because he keeps his joint in that rotten hole. They think they're getting the real thing in antiques! He's a queer old fool. Afraid people would know he had money if he kept it in the bank - afraid of a bank, too.

Understand? We found out that every once in a while he'd change a lot of small bills for a big one - five-hundred-dollar bills - thousand-dollar bills. That put us wise. We began to watch him.

It took months to find where he hid it. We've spent night after night searching through his shop. You can get in easily. There's no one there - upstairs is just a storage place for his extra stock.

There's a big padlock on the back door, but there's a false link in the chain - count three links to the right from the padlock - we put it there, and -"

Gypsy Nan's voice had become almost inaudible. She pulled at Rhoda Gray's wrist again, urging her closer.

"Listen - quick! I - my strength! she panted. "An antique he never sells - old escritoire against rear wall - secret drawer - take out wide middle drawer - reach in and rub your hand along the top - you'll feel the spring. We waited to - to get - get counterfeits - put counterfeits there - understand? Then he'd never know he'd been robbed - not for a long time anyway - discovered perhaps when he was dead - old wife - suffer then - I - got to make good - make good - I -" She came up suddenly on both her elbows, the dark eyes staring wildly. "Yes, yes!" she whispered. "Seven-three-nine! Look out!" Her voice rang with sudden terror, rising almost to a scream. "Look out! Can't you understand, you fool! I've told you! Seven-three-nine!

Seven-three...

Rhoda Gray's arms had gone around the other's shoulders. She heard the door open-and then a quick, light step. There wasn't any other sound now. She made way mechanically for the nurse. And then, after a moment, she rose from her knees. The nurse answered her unspoken question.

"Yes; it's over."