The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-04-03
CHAPTER X-Continued

$50 you helped her buy her ticket
and check her trunk and then you saw
ner off on the train. And now you've
heard my trunk has been stolen you
think that must be the one you
checked?"
"Well, It seems kind Of queer, her
going off to New York like that with
put letting you know anything about
1t. You said you'd lost some money,
iidn't you? She's got that, too, If you
ask me. She certainly talked as If
she had plenty. She told me she was
taking her vacation late so that the
pig burg would be running full time
when she got there"
Involuntarily Rhoda started at that.
Babe had been talking about that sort
Of vacation ever since she and Rhoda
mad begun living together. Shed used
that very phrase. Max couldn't have
made it up. He had met Babe at the
station then and she had made him
think she was going to New York.
why? Why had she gone to the sta
ton? Why, for that matter. had Max
gone there himself? Had he meant
to go to New York on that train?
With her three hundred dollars and
her trunk?
Well, how about Claire? Where did
she come in? Or didn't she come in?
Had he ditched Claire, or tried to?
Was that what the telephone message
had been about? Never mind that
now. Whatever Max had tried to do
he'd failed. Rhoda remembered how
he'd looked when he came into the
room.
II wish you'd tell me-" she said,
looking at him in as childlike man
ner as she could manage what the
terrible thing was that Babe did to
you"
Never mind about that !" he growled
at her. 'Get off 1t It's no business
of yours. You've got enough to worry
about with what she did to you."
81 don't think" she told him cheer
fully, ''that I've anything to worry
about at all. think she's got my
trunk back. You see was talking to
her on the telephone just now, when
you came in here"
This proved one dart too many and
he came for her; not blindly either.
He seized her arm with wrench that
made her want to cry out, and jerked
her to her feet.
sect out of here!"' he said. ''Pll
make it worth your while to talk to
al no ont
now before my uncle finds you here"
For an instant she stared up at him
hlankly. the realization breaking over
her that he didn't know she'd already
seen his uncle; that he thought she
was voluntarily waiting for him. "All
right" she said, 'I'll go. But you'll
have to show me the way out"
He didn't altogether release her. but
his grip on her arm relaxed as he
started leading her toward the door
she had come In by. Halfway to 1t
they were halted by Conley's voice
He had come In by one of the smaller
doors.
Conley came up to them briskly.
''Let the girl alone" he continued.
''She's no affair Of yours. Mr.. Forster
wants her to wait here"
Now Max did let go her arm, but it
wasn't in obedience to Conley's order.
"Lay OF it," he said. "You aren't in
on this. This young lady's friend of
mine and now she's talked to me she
doesn't want to see c. j.
Conley agreed with grin. st guess
she doesn't But she don't leave this
room until the boss comes back"
CHANGING up at Max, Rhoda could
see that that word. ''back" troubled
!. him, though he hadn't yet made out
the Implication in it.
Rhoda started for the door. and she
kept on going, though Conley barked
at her, "Come back here, you'll" She
was aware that Max interposed to
check Conley's rush for her. The last
thing she heard before she closed the
door after her was the thud Of heavy
blow, and she inferred from the fact
that she wasn't Immediately pursued
and dragged back. that the recipient
of it must have been Conley.
She walked-it seemed safer some
how than breaking into rundown
the broad corridor and around the cor
ner. retracing her way in, although 1t
was a stairway she hoped to find
rather than~the elevator However, by
almost unbelievable good luck, she
found the elevator there waiting for
her, with both its own door and the
outer guard gate standing wide open.
There was no attendant there. 1t
was one Of those mysterious little ele-
vators you were supposed to run your
self. She swiftly scrutinized the little
row of push buttons, and pressed the
one marked "Down." There was a
faint, protesting buzz, but nothing
happened. In less desperate haste she
might have reflected that an auto
matte elevator which could descend its
shaft while its guard gate stood open
would be veritable death-trap, but
on the verge Of panic as she was, she
couldn't think at all.
Then she heard door open some