Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-21

it for you TIN be in a sealed envelope,
won't IL, with your name written on ftp"
NO" Claire said shortly. II don't
think 1t will. At least, 1t wasn't that
way when I gave it to HIM wanted
him to read it, himself. you see"
What sort of paper was it,"
The woman, despite her pretended
heSitationS and reluctances, was per-
fectly ready with her answer. Rhoda
listened tntently for a sentence or two
and then more or less switched of her
mind to other things. It was glaringly
evident she was lying.
The gist of the short story was that
a man had wronged her years ago when
she was mere girl. The paper was. 1t
seemed. a sort of confession which
she had, somehow, forced him to give
her. Its value to her was that it showed
her to have been really innocent. Her
reason for wanting her paper so desper-
ately after all these years was not the
least remarkable part of the narrative.
She was planning to be married, and
she had reason to believe that her
enemy meant to try to prevent it by
telling the man some lies about her.
But If she had his confession to con-
front him with he wouldn't dare say
word to her f1ance.
The maddening thing about it all to
Rhoda was that 1t seemed to be getting
IlCI IiO GFGtl W u DLduSlOLC Sur"
mise as to what the woman was really
after. Could there possibly be some
thing in that old hat trunk that these
people wanted? She bitterly regretted
that she hadn't sat up all last night
going through it. Shed considered
doing that, but the thought Of Babe
and to what furious pitch her curiosity
would be reused by such a procedure
had served her as an excuse for not
doing it.
But even If there were something
or If they believed there was, which
would come to the same thing-how
could they expect to get it by telling
her so far-fetched a story. She hoped
her face looked as if she were believing
it all, but she was afraid it didn't.
IT can see how badly you must want
it," she said. when the story was nm
ished. IN try my best to find it for
you"
will it take very long?" Claire asked.
Before you can start looking for it, I
mean. OF course, you can't tell how
long 1t will take you to find it,
mo-" Rhoda assured her. I'll 60 at
it as soon as get home this after
noon"
"That certainly is mighty sweet of
you" Claire burst out, with a sudden
suffusion of warmth. "It seems O
shame to make you so much trouble
I'll tell you what we might do" she
added. Let me go along with you and
help you look. I could probably find It
quicker than you could, because ] know
Just what to look for"
The attempted casualness Of the sug-
gestion may have been little overdone.
Whether for that reason or another
there flashed into Rhoda's memory, as
clearly as if she were hearing 1t over
the radio, q question Martin had asked
her that morning: what does she
want to do; go over your fathers papers
and pick out what she lkes?" It was
moment before she could trust her voice
to answer, and even then it didn't
sound quite right.
"Oh, that won't be necessary" she
said. Pm sure can find it If it's
there. And 1t won't be any trouble at
| ALL
Claire forbore to press the matter.
and indeed Rhoda couldn't be sure that
she really showed any disappointment.
| Suddenly Claire glanced at her watch
and started q little. will you excuse
me a moment, dearie?" she said. "I
| told friend of mine that I didn't know
whether I had q date for lunch today
or mott didn't, OF course, until knew
| whether you'd come-and I said I'd
call them up before l o'clock and let
them know
Continued in Tomorrow's Star.)