e way or other, see that the police were
tipped off to the fact that it was French Pete and Marny Day who had
taken the old couple's money. Those two old faces rose before her again
now--blotting out most curiously the face of Pinkie Bonn just in front
of her. She felt strangely glad--glad that she had heard all of old
Dainey's story, because she could see now an ending to it other than
the miserable, hopeless one of despair that she had read in the Daineys'
faces just a little while ago. "Sure, I'm sure!" she repeated with
finality.

"How long ago was it?" prodded Pinkie.

"I dunno," she answered. "I just went to Shluker's, an' den we comes
over here. Youse can figure it fer yerself."

And then Rhoda Gray stared at the other--with sudden misgiving. Pinkie
Bonn's face was suddenly wreathed in smiles.

"I'll answer you now, Shluk," he grinned. "What do you think? That
we're nuts, me an' Pug? Well, forget it! We didn't have to stick around
watchin' Pete an' Marny; we just had to wait until they had collected
the dough. That was the most trouble we had--wonderin' when that
would be. Well, we don't have to wonder any more. We know now that the
cherries are ripe. See? An' now we'll go an' pick 'em! Where? Where d'ye
suppose? Down to Charlie's, of course! I hears 'em talkin' about that,
too. They ain't so foolish! They're out for an alibi themselves. Get the
idea? They was to sneak out of Charlie's without anybody seem' 'em,
an' if everything broke right for 'em, they was to sneak back again an'
spend the night there. No, they ain't so foolish--I guess they ain't!
There ain't no place in New York you can get in an' out of without
nobody knowin' it like Charlie's, if you know the way, an--"

"Aw, write de rest of it down in yer memoirs!" interposed the Pug
impatiently--and moved toward the door. "It's all right, Shluker--all
de way. Now, everybody beat it, an' get on de job. Nan, youse sticks wid
Pinkie an' me."

Rhoda Gray, her mind in confusion, found herself being crowded hurriedly
through the doorway by the three men. Still in a mentally confused
condition, she found herself, a few minutes later--Shluker having parted
company with them--walking along the street between Pinkie Bonn and
the Pug. She was fighting desperately to obtain a rip upon herself. The
information she had volunteered had had an effect diametrically opposite
to that which she had intended. She seemed terribly impotent; as though
she were being swe