The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-02-27

she were believing it all, but she was
afraid 1t didn't
IT can see how badly you must want
it," she said, when the story was
/ finished. "rll try my best to find it
for you"
"Will it take very long" Claire
asked. Before you can start looking
for it, / mean. OF course you can't
tell how long it will take you to find
It."
"No," Rhoda assured her. "Ill go
at 1t 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 q
shame to make you so much trouble
I'll tell you what we might do" she
added. "Let me 80 along with you
and help you look. 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 over
done. Whether for that reason or an
other there flashed into Rhoda's mem
DRY, as clearly as If she were hearing
1t over radio, a question Martin had
asked her that morning: "What does
she want to do; go over your fathers
papers and pick out what she likes?"
1t was moment before she could
trust her voice to answer and even
then 1t didn't sound quite right.
"Oh, that won't be necessary" she
said. I'm sure I can find 1t If it's
there. And 1t won't be any trouble
at ALL"
Claire glanced at her watch and
started little. "Will you excuse me
moment, dearie?" she said. II told
a friend Of mine that / didn't know
whether had a date for lunch today
or not. / didn't, of course, until
knew whether you'd come. And said
I'd call them up before one o'clock
and let them know"
Her departure worried Rhoda a
little, principally because she had only
two dollars with her. What II Claire
had fled and left her with that enor-
nous lunch to pay for! Really Claire
wasn't gone very long but her return
when she came was such a relief that
for a moment Rhoda almost thought
she liked her.
But that state Of feeling didn't last
long. Claire's manner had changed a
little and had become vaguely dis
quieting. She talked between and DUR
ing mQuthfuls all through the rest Of
the meal, about anything or nothing.
The meal seemed interminable. 1t
dragged to an end at last. But when,
having set down her empty demi-
tasse, Rhoda moved back her chair
little as preliminary to saying she
must go. Claire suddenly found that
she had something left to say.
II said in my letter." she began,
shat If any stranger tried to COM
municate with you in any way,
hoped you wouldn't answer him until
you'd had this talk with me. You
haven't have your"
"No, / guess not" Rhoda told her,
alert again and answering as casually
as she could. II don't believe know
what you mean. What sort of COM
munication?"
"You haven't seen 1t, them" Claire
said, with a sigh Of relief, cor you'd
know. 1t was just a guess Of mine
and maybe I'm all wrong. This dirty
old goat that I've been telling you
about, the one that made me all my
trouble-rve sort of got him on the
brain, ] guess. - This much Of.
what she, was saying, Rhoda reflected,
was probably true. The hatred in the
woman's voice sounded genuine, any
how.
maybe he isn't doing It," Claire
went on, "but it's exactly the kind Of
thing he would do. He's old and he's
got rheumatism so bad he can't walk
without two canes, but bet he still
likes young girls as much as he ever
did. He always has got them when
ever he could"
Rhoda found herself getting fright
ened. The old man who had given her
and Babe lift this morning had two
canes with him in the car. There was
some horrifying admixture of truth In
the lies the woman was telling her.
HE must know about you," Claire
went on smoothly, because he was in
business, in way, with your father.
don't know very much about that
except that he played your father
about the dirtiest trick that a man
could play on another man. For any
thing know he may think your father
left you something that he wants
something among his papers-but I
don't believe it's that. think it's be-
cause he knows you're young, and
pretty, and have no one to look after
you. Anyhow. when saw the ad in
the paper for Rhoda Mcfarland, 1t
came over me like second sight that
that must be Forster up to his old
tricks again."
"Forster?" Rhoda asked. Her lips
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