Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-09
the scene she was so absorbed in waite

the scene she was so absorbed in watch
ing.
Forster was still in his chair, sitting
almost as he had sat when Martin
looked at him before, but in the act OF
relaxing back into it, as if he had just
meant to get up and then had changed
| his mind. The Cleveland woman had
only that moment seated herself in a
chair at the end of the desk which
faced the fireplace and the two watch
erS behind the glass. From the way
that Rhoda reached out and squeezed
Martins hand when she saw Forster's
visitor coming to take this particular
chair Martin perceived that this choice
pleased her, though he didn't yet see
why.
she's looking wicked" he COM
mented. What do you suppose she's
up tor"
Rhoda squeezed his hand tighter and
said Don't talkl Listen!" And
though this struck him as absurd, her
earnestness enforced obedience.
The woman was worth watching, any
how. It was his first good look at her.
She had put on her hat and coat, and
as she sat down she opened her wrist
bag before she put it down in her lap.
There was something so inSolently and
viciously feline in her look-like cat
with its ears back-that Martin didn't
wonder at old ForSter's cringing in his
chair and shooting look at the picture
behind which he must still suppose his
spy to be on watch.
However, If she had a revolver in the
bag she was content to leave 1t there
for the present. Forster spoke with an
impatient jerk of the head, telling her,
no doubt, to state her business and be
quick about it.
IN NxJac
atrical laugh, not very convincing, and
an elaboration of the processes of max
ing herself comfortable in the chair.
When presently she did begin to talk, it
was with an affectation Of lazy good
humor.
But it was Forster's face that Mar
tins gaze rested upon. He appeared at
first to be genuinely, even blankly,
puzzled as to what the woman was get
ting at, and he broke in upon her two
or three times with sharp, impatient
questions, to which she paid no atten-
ton whatever, continuing to eye her
cigarette and to get on with her mar
rative, If that were what it was. But 1t
wasn't long before ForSterS appearance
changed. His body was rigid in his easy
chair, and the laugh by which he at
tempted to dismiss something she said
as an absurdity was a CHASTITY failure.
NOW MarClnS aCCenJlOn was SLldAPly
diverted from both actors in the play by
a sob from Rhoda. Turning to her IN
CONSERVATION he saw her trying vainly
to blink away the tears that were blur.
ring her vision. She said furiously when
he asked her what was the matter,
Don't talk! Give me a handkerchief,
if you've got one"
He had fresh one in his pocket and
he was handing it over to her with dig
nifty, inclined to feel a little hurt by
the way she was treating him, when,
with a suddenneSs that literally almost
took him off his feet, she flung herself
upon him, put her head down upon his
chest, and Rugged him as hard as she
could. This amazing and blissful state
of things lasted while she was drawing
about three long breaths and then, just
as suddenly, she went, so to speak, into
reverse again, flung herself away from
him, snatched his handkerchief, dried
her eyes, and began watching the scene
through the glass with the most intense
concentration.
He thought, during the instant before
his gaze followed hers, that nothing In
the world but Rhoda could be worth
looking at just then and nothing seemed
of any importance, except the question
how long 1t would be before she would
again come back into his arms. But he
did look through the glass, and what he