Perhapsithadfallenoutofherpocketduringthehoursshehadlainthereasleep。Shesearchedthefoldsofthesoiledandcrumpledblanket，thatwasthecot’ssolecovering，thensnatchedtheblanketcompletelyoffthecotandshookit；andthen，downonherknees，shesearchedthefloorunderthecot。Therewasnosignoftherevolver。
RhodaGraystoodup，andstaredinastunnedwayabouther。Wasthis，then，theexplanationofherhavingseeminglybeenleftundisturbedhereallthroughtheday？Hadsomeone，afterall，beenhere，and-？Sheshookherheadsuddenlywithaquick，emphaticgestureofdissent。Thedoorwasstilllocked，shecouldseethekeyontheinside；and，besides，asatheory，itwasn’tlogical。Theywouldn’thavetakenherrevolverandleftherplacidlyasleep！
Thelossoftherevolverwasavitalmatter。Itwasheronesafeguard；theonemeansbywhichshecouldfirstgainandafterwardsholdthewhip-handoverDanglarintheinterviewsheproposedtohavewithhim；theonemeansofescape，thelastresort，ifsheherselfwerecorneredandfellintohispower。Ithadsustainedhermorethanonce，thatresolutiontoturnitagainstherselfifshewereinextremity。Itmeanteverythingtoher，thatweapon，anditwasgonenow；butthepanicthathadseizeduponherwasgonetoo，andshecouldthinkrationallyandcollectivelyagain。
Lastnight，orratherthismorning，whenshehadmadeherwaybacktotheshedoutthereinthelanebehindthegarret，shehadbeeninastateofalmostutterexhaustion。ShehadchangedfromtheclothesoftheWhiteMolltothoseofGypsyNan，butshemusthavedonesoalmostmechanicallyforshehadnoconcreterecollectionofit。Itwasquitelikelythen，evenmorethanprobable，thatshehadlefttherevolverinthepocketofherotherclothes；forshehadcertainlyhad，notonlyherrevolver，butherflashlightandherskeletonkeyswithherwhenshehadvisitedoldLuertz’splacelastnight，andlaterontoo，whenshehadjumpedintothatautomobileinfrontoftheSilverSphinx，shehadhadherrevolver，forshehadusedittoforcethechauffeuroutofthecar-andshehadnooneofthosearticlesnow。
Ofcourse！Thatwasit！Shesteppedimpulsivelytothedoor，and，openingit，madeherwayquicklydownthestairstothestreet。Therevolverwasundoubtedlyinthepocketofherotherskirt，andshefeltasurgeofreliefsweepuponher；butasenseofreliefwasfarfromenough。Shewouldnotfeelsafeuntiltheweaponwasagaininherpossession，andintuitivelyshefeltthatshehadnotimetoloseinsecuringit。Shehadalreadybeenlefttoolongalonenottomakeabreakinthatunaccountableisolationtheyhadaccordedherassomethingtobeexpectedatanymoment。ShehurriednowdownthestreettothelanethatintervenedbetweenGypsyNan’shouseandthenextcorner，glancedquicklyabouther，and，seeingnooneinherimmediatevicinity，slippedintothelane。Shegainedthedesertedshedsomefiftyyardsalongthelane，enteredthroughthebrokendoorthathung，halfopen，onsagginghinges，and，droppingonherknees，reachedinunderthedecayedandrottingflooring。