Evening star., 1929-11-25

I'm putting It right in your hands. All
Martin stayed in his booth until he'd
seen her 20 back into the restaurant.
Then he came out and turned little
uncertainty to the telephone directory.
Max wasn't in 1t, he knew, for he'd
tried to look him up. Rhoda had told
him the woman's last name: Cleveland,
that was 1t. Probably Max was in her
apartment now.
His thoughts were racing as he
turned the pages Of the directory. He'd
have to be quick. but he mustn't waste
time making any false moves. He
couldn't have misunderstood the pur-
port of the woman's message. Heavens,
he'd seen the trunk himself. That little
hat trunk, with the lid gummed down
with strips of paper-to keep the moths
out, he'd thought.
Here the address was-Claire Cleve-
land. That was one OF those streets
out near the Alhambra. That's how
she'd happened to see Rhoda turning
in. Lucky, just now, 1t was so far out.
He could get Rhoda's fiat before Max
could, provided Max was starting from
place for him to CO. Just what he'd do
when he got there wanted a little
| thinking about. But he could decide
that in the taxi.
He wondered If that lock would be
easy to open with q knife. It might
turn out q little awkward II he we're
digging away at the lock when Max
came up the stairs. It might not be
any too pleasant, even after he was
fully established inside: Max was q
powerful looking brute. Martin remem-
bered the solidity Of that arm Of his.
And 1t would be Just like him to come
armed with a gun, and, II he were
desperate enough, to use 1t.
They'd sounded rather deSperate-at
least the woman had-both night be-
fore last at the Alhambra and over
the telephone today-relentleSs, any
how-and Max would try to carry out
over him. "You know you can't argue
with me and you know why" He was
too much afraid Of her probably to be
afraid of any one else.
Would he be shrewd enough to guess,
the question was, that Martin was as
much a lawbreaker in that flat as he
was? 1t might turn out an ugly sort
of encounter II he did. Was there any
way to avoid It? Suppose he stole the
trunk himself? Got clean away with
it before Max arrived and left him to
search in vain. No, that wouldn't do.
He couldn't be sure Of getting clean
away. He might meet Max on the
sairs. And even II he did get away he'd
have no means Of guarding or Of warm
ing Rhoda. She might come In and
find Max there.
No, he'd have to break in, and then
he'd have to trust to luck to being able
to bluff Max out. Max hadn't liked the
Job very well, himself. That had been
plain enough from the way the woman
had talked to him. Then, she'd spoken
Of his being yellow, as II it were a
phenomenon she was acquainted with.
But why had Max been eager to do
the job yesterday Martin sat forward
on his seat and thumped his knee with
that was why. He'd gone there in de-
fiance Of Clafre'S orders looking for
"it"-whatever it was. He hadn't found
1t, and he'd been afraid to tell Claire.
But then it was he who had found
Rhodas money and taken 1t. That was
a queer thing for q rich man to do.
But how did he know that Max
was rich? He was rich mans nephew.
esnecisI1y IS sn De is 'S uncle eoS had uuarreied
with him. Three hundred dollars might
make q tremendous difference to man
in q really deep hole and held down In
1t under the thumb Of harpy like that
Cleveland woman.
His taxi turned the corner of Rhoda's
street and he dismissed this train OF
thoughet with a jerk, though he was
aware he hadn't quite got to the termi-
nus. A hundred yards up the long
block and, as well as he could guess,
right in front of Rhoda's number, an
other taxi was pulled up at the curb.
Had Max got here ahead of him after
all? He couldn't have come all the way
in from Claire Cleveland's fiat as quick
ly as that, but 1t was no more than an
unscrutinized assumption of Martins
that he had started from there.
Pull up here and wait q minute"
Martin told his chauffeur. It was not,
he was aware, the heroic order to give,
but, being no hero, only q thoroughly
pragmatic reporter, he required time to
think.
II Max was already in the fiat there
was nothing to be gained by following
him. Even unarmed, Max could beat