The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-04-24

E1G Sdlu AOWy Az OOVAhhASf VOASCp
II don't want the details at this or at
any time. There's no possible good to
be gained by raking up that old story.
And 1t could do harm In more ways
than one. The scandal hurt the uni
versity at the time. It's forgotten
now, and president Of the board Of
trustees, which I happen to be, I
should be unwilling to see it revived"
"Revived" Rhoda blazed at him.
eve aren't going to revive It; we're
going to kill it. We're going to prove
that 1t wasn't true"
you're going to attempt to prove
that it wasn't true" Uncle William
answered, "and that, my dear child,
is very difficult thing. Your father
is dead. Technically there is no stain
on his character. since the jury ac-
quilted him. Any attempt to go be-
yond that, even il there were no other
aspects Of the affair to be considered.
would be most unwise."
Rhoda, turning desperately away
from him, saw harbor and went to 1t,
in Babes arms. She heard what Will
liam Royce went on saying, but with
no other emotion than passionate
wish that he would stop talking.
"Your father wrote to me shortly be-
fore his death requesting me to take
care of you and look after your in
terests. I couldn't find you at that
time. The management Of the hotel
where you had lived informed me that
you had gone to live with friends In
Denver. L assumed you were in good
hands and there seemed to be moth
ing more for me to do in the matter
until saw recently in San Fran
cisco paper an advertisement for your
whereabouts. Seeing that, came to
the conclusion that certain contract
which your father had enclosed with
his letter might have value for you,
and that you ought to be found"
"Good lord !" Martin exclaimed. ''Do
you mean to say you've got the con-
tract that everybody has been trying
to steal? Did you see Forster this
afternoon and tell him you had it?"
81 refer" said Uncle William ma
jestically, ito contract which my late
brother-in-law entered into with G. J.
Forster. I was speaking to my niece.
I cannot see that it concerns you in
any way"
Everything that concerns Rhoda
concerns me-" Martin told him. "She
and l are engaged to be married"
"Humph !'' snorted Uncle William.
He was a perfectly terrible person.
Martin didn't wonder that poor Rhoda
had changed her name and hidden her.
self away from him like frightened
little rabbit. Martin could see him
now majestically pausing before he
hurled thunderbolt.
If" he said, ''your matrimonial in
tentions toward my niece are In any
way predicated upon your knowledge
of the existence of that contract, I
think it only right to tell you that it
Is Of small value and doubtful
validity"
"That's what Forster told us this
evening"" Martin observed. "He said
he had told you that it wasn't worth
nickel"
"Ill have no more Of this i'm
pertinence," Uncle William roared.
"You can't marry my niece. She's
still a minor, and l shall never con-
sent ;"
.Look here" Martin interrupted
him, I'VE don't like each other at all,
but there's no good in our quarreling
unless we have something to quarrel
about. And unless you're Rhoda's
legal guardian I can't see that we
have. Are your
"I'm her natural guardian" said
Uncle William.
"Not her legal one, then" Martin
observed. But as he turned to Rhoda
he saw a panic awake once more in
her eyes. 1--WE won't have any more
Of this tonight" he went on. "Rhoda's
had terrible day, and she's come
clear to the end Of 1t. I'm going to
ask Babe to put her to be bed at once.
I'll go back with you to your hotel and
put you abreast of the situation"
This was a Napoleonic move. Babe
came into action instantly. Before he
finished speaking she was leading
Rhoda toward the little stairway that
went up to the loft where their bed
rooms were.
Martin followed along to the foot Of
the stairs. "She's not to get up in the
morning." he told Babe as il he were
a doctor giving a nurse instructions
about an unconscious patient, Sat
least not until late. I'll come around
some time after ten with the docu-
ments and wen go down to the bag
gage master and get her trunk"
Then, ceasing to treat Rhoda as IL