Evening star., 1929-12-08
RHODA
A ARed-HeadedGirl
By Henry Kitchell Webster
CopyiEht iS3 North American Alliance
Metropolitan
copyriEht is2o North American Newspaper Alliance and
Metropolitan Newspaper Service.

ITS all right" Martin said. Its just
another knockout, guess. must have
caught him on the jaw, too. He'll start
coming to in minute and then we can
beat it out of here"
"Yes," Rhoda agreed, that's what
we'll do. I'm sure he'll be all right in
a minute
Rhoda. Martin noticed, was getting
rather white. BY way of diversion he
asked, why do you suppose they keep
this place locked up? There's nothing
here but a couple of overcoats and this
cane hit him with"
when he opened the door," Rhoda
said, "he was coming straight toward
me, as If he knew I'd be standing right
here. But he didn't know, because he
jumped when he saw me. Martin,
can't stand it like this. Let's do some
thing. Can't we open the door?"
He didn't answer instantly, or move.
He was looking at the outlined panel in
what appeared to be the wall behid her
She Swayed slightly and caught for sup
port at the nearest of the clotheS-hooks
then uttered a cry of astoniShment as
she started to fall, not forward but
back. The thing she was leaning against
was door and it was swinging open
behind her.
Martin sprang over Conley and caught
her. Without a word the two of them
stood staring into the strange little
chamber which the opened door re-
vealed.
The first thing Martin did was to
reach back and switch off the closet
light, for there was plenty of light of
a diffused sort, in that strange little
| chamber. It was as If they were stand
ing in the wings of theater, looking
out on very shallow stage. It was
higher than the floor they were stand
ing on. flight of three steps leading up
to 1t, and 1t had an opening like small
proScenium arch into an audience room.
At their right, in the same wall with
the proScenlum arch, but before you
went up the stairs, was a narrow door.
The place was oddly furnished, too,
in manner that suggested a stage set.
1t comprised one Solid-looking black
oak, leather r-seated chair in the mission
style, more or less, small square oak
stool that evidently served the occu-
pant to put his feet on, an oak table
with telephone of the new cradle type
on 1t, and an aSh-tray. The proScenium
arch, which wasn't an arch but an OBJ
long opening, didn't come clear to the
floor of the stage. 1t stopped 80 inches
above 1t, and it wasn't an opening since
1t was filled by an enormous sheet of
plate glass.
Rhoda, to Martins CONSERVATION
said, Il know what this is" walked
boldly onto the stage and beckoned him
imperatively to come.
He was more deeply mystified after
he had obeyed her gesture and stood
beside her, for it seemed to him that the
man she was gazing at-an old bird
who, Martin decided, was Forster
would see them as plainly as they saw
him the moment he turned his head
their way. He was sitting sidewise to
his desk in a high-backed, leather
cushioned, Swivel-chair, reading a doc
ument of some sort.
Isn't it great?" Rhoda whispered
He can't see us, no matter how hard
he looks"
How do you know he can't?"
Martin had pitched the question low
but it wasn't voiceless, and she shot an
apprehensive glance at the man in the
swivel-chair. II don't believe he can
hear us, either" she said, but we'd
better be careful. Why, I know be-
cause was in there-hours-this after
noon. This thing we're looking through
Is the picture over the fireplace. Con-
ley must have been in here all the time
why he always came in at the right
time. I thought he was listening, but
he must have been watching instead.
That's why there's an imitation fire in
the crate instead of real one. It's in
this box"
She put her hand as she spoke on a
wooden protuberance that was where
the prompter's box would have been if
this had been a grand opera stage. II
thought" she added, that that picture
looked sort of like stage scenery, but