第1章

Itwaslikesomeshadowypantomime:Thedarkmouthofanalleywaythrownintomurkyreliefbytheraysofadistantstreetlamp……theswift，forwardleapofaskulkingfigure……agirl’sformswayingandstrugglingintheman’sembrace。Then，apantomimenolonger，therecameahalfthreatening，halftriumphantoath；andthenthegirl’svoice，quiet，strangelycontained，almostimperious:

“Now，givemebackthatpurse，please。Instantly！“Theman，alreadyretreatingintothealleyway，pausedtoflingbackajeeringlaugh。

“Say，youse’vegotyernerve，ain’tyouse！“

Thegirlturnedherheadsothattheraysofthestreetlamp，faintastheywere，fellfulluponher，disclosingasweet，ovalface，outofwhichthedarkeyesgazedsteadilyattheman。

Andsuddenlythemanleanedforward，staringforaninstant，andthenhishandwentawkwardlytotouchhiscap。

“DeWhiteMoll！“hemumbleddeferentially。Hepulledthepeakofhiscapdownoverhiseyesinasortofshame-facedway，asthoughtoavoidrecognition，and，steppingnearer，returnedthepurse。

“’Scuseme，miss，“hesaiduneasily。“Ididn’tknowitwasyouse-honesttoGawd，Ididn’t！’Scuseme，miss。Good-night！“

Foramomentthegirlstoodtheremotionless，lookingdownthealleywayaftertheretreatingfigure。Fromsomewhereinthedistancecametherumbleofanelevatedtrain。Itdrownedoutthepoundoftheman’sspeedingfootsteps；itdiedawayitself-andnowtherewasnoothersound。Apucker，strangelywistful，curiouslyperturbed，cameandfurrowedherforeheadintolittlewrinkles，andthensheturnedandwalkedslowlyonalongthedesertedstreet。

TheWhiteMoll！Sheshookherheadalittle。Theattackhadnotunnervedher。Whyshouldit？Itwassimplythatthemanhadnotrecognizedheratfirstinthedarkness。TheWhiteMollhereatnightinoneoftheloneliest，aswellasoneofthemostviciousandabandoned，quartersofNewYork，wasassafeandinviolateas-as-Sheshookherheadagain。Herminddidnotinstantlysuggestacomparisonthatseemedwhollyadequate。Thepuckerdeepened，butthesensitive，delicatelychiseledlipspartednowinasmile。Well，shewassaferherethananywhereelseintheworld，thatwasall。

Itwasthefirsttimethatanythinglikethishadhappened，and，fortheveryreasonthatitwasunprecedented，itseemedtostirhermemorynow，andawakenadormanttrainofthought。TheWhiteMoll！Sherememberedthefirsttimeshehadeverbeencalledbythatname。Ittookherbackalmostthreeyears，andsincethattime，hereinthissordidrealmofcrimeandmisery，thenameofRhodaGray，herownname，heractualidentity，seemedtohavebecomelost，obliteratedinthatoftheWhiteMoll。A“dip“

hadgivenittoher，andtheunderworld，quickandtrenchantinits“monikers，“hadinstantlyratifiedit。Therewasnotacrookordenizenofcrimeland，probably，whodidnotknowtheWhiteMoll；

therewas，probably，notoneto-daywhoknew，orcared，thatshewasRhodaGray！

Shewenton，traversingblockafterblock，enteringalessdeserted，thoughnolessunsavory，neighborhood。Here，asaloonflungasuddenglowofyellowlightathwartthesidewalkasitsswingingdoorsjerkedapart；andaformlurchedoutintothenight；there，fromadance-hallcametherattleofatinnypiano，thesqueakofaraspyviolin，ahigh-pitched，hecticburstoflaughter；while，flankingthestreetoneachside，likeinterjectedinanimateblotches，rowsofsqualidtenementsandcheap，tumble-downframehousessilhouettedthemselvesinbroken，jaggedpointsagainstthesky-line。Andnowandthenamanspoketoher-hisuntrainedfingersfumblinginclumsyhomageatthebrimofhishat。

Howstrangeathingmemorywas！Howstrange，too，thecoincidencesthatsometimesrouseditintoactivity！Itwasaman，athief，justlikethemanto-night，whohadfirstbroughtherhereintothisshadowlandofcrime。Thatwasjustbeforeherfatherhaddied。Herfatherhadbeenaminingengineer，and，thoughanAmerican，hadbeenformanyyearsresidentinSouthAmericaastherepresentativeofalargeEnglishconcern。Hehadbeeninillhealthforayeardownthere，when，actingonhisphysician’sadvice，hehadcometoNewYorkforconsultation，andshehadaccompaniedhim。Theyhadtakenalittleflat，theengineerhadplacedhimselfinthehandsofafamousspecialist，andanoperationhadbeendecidedupon。Andthen，afewdayspriortothedatesetfortheoperationandbeforeherfather，whowasstillabletobeabout，hadenteredthehospital，theflathadbeenbrokenintoduringtheearlymorninghours。Thethief，obviouslynotcountingontheengineer’swakefulness，hadbeencaughtred-handed。Atfirstdefiant，themanhadfinallybrokendown，andhadtoldamiserablestory。Itwashackneyedpossibly，thesamestorytoldbyathousandothersasalastdefenseinthehopeofinducingleniencythroughanappealtopity，butsomehowtoherthatnightthestoryhadrungtrue。PeteMcGee，aliastheBussard，themanhadsaidhisnamewas。Hecouldn’tgetanywork；therewastheshadowofalongabodeinSingSingthatlayuponhimasacurse-ajobhereto-day，hisrecorddiscoveredto-morrow，andthenextdayoutonthestreetagain。Itwasveryold，verythreadbare，thatstory；therewereeventhesickwife，thehungry，unclothedchildren；buttoherithadrungtrue。Herfatherhadnotplacedtheslightestfaithinit，andbutforherinterventiontheBussardwouldhavebeenincontinentlyconsignedtothemerciesofthepolice。

Herfacesoftenedsuddenlynowasshewalkedalong。Sherememberedwellthatscene，when，attheend，shehadwrittendowntheaddressthemanhadgivenher。

“Fatherisgoingtoletyougo，McGee，becauseIaskhimto，“shehadsaid。“Andto-morrowmorningIwillgotothisaddress，andifIfindyourstoryistrue，asIbelieveitis，IwillseewhatI

candoforyou。“

“It’strue，miss，sohelpmeGod！“themanhadansweredbrokenly。

“Yousecomean’see。I’llbedere-an’-an’-Godblessyouse，miss！“

Andsotheyhadletthemangofree，andherfather，withawhimsical，tolerantsmile，hadshakenhisheadather。“You’llneverfindthataddress，Rhoda-orourfriendtheBussard，either！“

ButshehadfoundboththeBussardandtheaddress，anddestitutionandasqualorunspeakable。Patheticstill，butthevernacularoftheunderworldwheremencalledtheirwomenbynomoregraciousnamesthan“molls“and“skirts“nolongerstrangetoherears，therecametoheragainnowtheBussard’swordsinwhichhehadpaidhertributeonthatmorninglongago，andwithwhichhehadintroducedhertoashrunkenformthatlayuponadirtycotinthebareflooredroom:

“MeetdemollIwastellin’youseabout，Mag。She’swhite-alldewayup。She’swhite，Mag；she’sawhitemoll-takeitfromme。“

TheWhiteMoll！

Thefirmlittlechincamesuddenlyupward；butintothedarkeyesunbiddencameasuddenfilmandmist。Herfather’shealthhadbeentoofarundermined，andhebadbeenunabletowithstandtheshockoftheoperation，andhehaddiedinthehospital。Thereweren’tanyrelatives，exceptdistantonesonhermother’sside，somewhereoutinCalifornia，whomshehadneverseen。Sheandherfatherhadbeenallinalltoeachother，chums，pals，comrades，sincehermother’sdeathmanyyearsago。Shehadgoneeverywherewithhimsavewhenthedemandsofhereducationhadnecessarilykeptthemapart；shehadhuntedwithhiminSouthAmerica，riddenwithhiminsectionswherecivilizationwasstillinthemaking，sharedthecrude，roughlifeofminingcampswithhim-andithadseemedasthoughherlife，too，hadgoneoutwithhis。

Shebrushedherhandhastilyacrosshereyes。Therehadn’tbeenanyfriendseither，apartfromafewofherfather’scasualbusinessacquaintances；nooneelse-excepttheBussard。Itwasverystrange！Herrewardforthatonefriendlyacthadcomeinamannerlittleexpected，andithadcomeveryquickly。Shehadsoughtandfoundagenuinerelieffromherownsorrowindoingwhatshecouldtoalleviatethemiseryinthatsqualid，one-roomhome。Andthenthesphereofheractivitieshadbroadened，slowlyatfirst，notthroughanypreconceivedintentiononherpart，butnaturally，andasalmostaninevitablecorollaryconsequentuponherrelationswiththeBussardandhisill-fortunedfamily。

TheBussard’scircleofintimateswasamongstthosewholayoutsidethelaw，thosewhogambledfortheirlivelihoodbystakingtheirwits，towinagainstthetoilsofthepolice；andso，moreandmore，shehadcomeintocloseandintimatecontactwiththecriminalelementofNewYork，untilto-day，throughoutitslengthandbreadth，shewasknown，and，shehadreasontobelieve，waslovedandtrustedbyeverycrookintheunderworld。Itwasastrangeeulogy，self-pronounced！Butitwasnonethelesstrue。Then，shehadbeenRhodaGray；now，eventheBussard，doubtless，hadforgottenhernameintheonewithwhichhehimself，atthatqueerbaptismalfontofcrimeland，hadchristenedher-theWhiteMoll。Itevenwentfurtherthanthat。Itembracedwhatmightbecalledtheentourageoftheunderworld，thepoliceandthesocialworkerswithwhomsheinevitablycameincontact。These，too，hadlongknownherastheWhiteMoll，andhadcome，sinceshehadvolunteerednofurtherinformation，tacitlytoacceptherassuch，andnothingmore。

Againsheshookherhead。Itwasn’taltogetheranormallife。Shewasonlyawoman，withalltheaspirationsofawoman，withalltheyearningofyouthforitsmeasureofgayetyandpleasure。True，shehadnotmadearecluseofherselfoutsideherwork；but，equally，ontheotherhand，shehadnotmadeanyintimatefriendsinherownstationinlife。Shehadneverpurposedcontinuingindefinitelytheworkshewasdoing，nordidshenow；but，littlebylittle，ithadforceditsclaimsuponheruntilthoseclaimswerenoteasytoignore。Eventhoughthecircumstancesinwhichherfatherhadleftherwerebarelymorethansufficientforamodestlittleflatuptown，therewasstillalwaysalittlesurplus，andthatsurpluscountedincertainquartersforverymuchindeed。Butitwasn’tonlythat。

Thesmallamountofmoneythatshewasabletospendinthatwayhadlittletodowithit。Thebondswhichlinkedhertothesordidsurroundingsthatshehadcometoknowsowellwerestrongerfarthanthat。Therewasn’tanymoneyinvolvedinthisvisit，forinstance，thatshewasgoingnowtomaketoGypsyNan。GypsyNanwas……

RhodaGrayhadhaltedbeforethedoorwayofasmall，hovel-like，two-storybuildingthatwasjammedinbetweentwotenements，which，relatively，intheirownclass，wereevenmoredisreputablethanwasthelittleframehouseitself。Asecondhand-clothesstoreoccupiedaportionofthegroundfloor，andhousedtheproprietorandhisfamilyaswell，permittingtheroomsonthesecondfloortobe“rentedout“；thegarretabovewastheabodeofGypsyNan。

Therewasaseparateentrance，apartfromthatintothesecondhand-clothesstore，andshepushedthisdooropenandsteppedforwardintoanabsolutelyblackandmusty-smellinghallway。Byfeelingwithherhandsalongthewallshereachedthestairsandbegantomakeherwayupward。ShehadfoundGypsyNanlastnighthuddledinthelowerdoorway，andapparentlyinaconditionthatwasverymuchtheworseforwear。Shehadstoppedandhelpedthewomanupstairstohergarret，whereuponGypsyNan，inlanguagefarmoreferventthanelegant，hadorderedhertobegone，andhadslammedthedoorinherface。

RhodaGraysmiledalittlewearily，as，onthesecondfloornow，shegropedherwaytotherear，andbegantomountashort，ladder-likeflightofstepstotheattic。GypsyNan’slackofcordialitydidnotabsolveher，RhodaGray，fromcomingbackto-nighttoseehowthewomanwas-tocrowdonemorevisitonheralreadyover-expandedlist。ShehadneverhadanypersonalknowledgeofGypsyNanbefore，but，inasense，thewomanwasnostrangertoher。GypsyNanwasacharacterknownfarandwideintheunder-worldasonepossessinganinsatiableandunquenchablethirst。Astowhoshewas，orwhatshewas，orwhereshegothermoneyfortheginshebought，itwasnotintheethicsoftheBadLandstoinquire。ShewasjustGypsyNan。Sothatshedidnotobtrudeherselftooobviouslyupontheirnotice，thepolicesufferedher；sothatshegavetheunderworldnoreasonforcomplaint，theunderworldacceptedheratfacevalueasoneofitsown！