Page:Frank Packard - The White Moll.djvu/171

 at 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