Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-23

Tt seemed like listening Co me. I
can read lips. you see. Martin.
dear. don't you remember long ago
at the Alhambra. how I saw you
ask me III I didn't want to be res
cued7 And you asked me after
ward how I knew the exact words
you said, and I laughed and told you
II was telepathy7 7 lost some OF
Il tonight. OF course. when they
turned their faces away. But when
ever / could see their faces I could
hear Just as well as II I'd been IN
the room"
He sat silent for q while after
that. not exactly thinking, but en-
joying the SAVIOR OF the term OF en-
dearmenf. she had unconSciously
used. When his mind got back on
the rails he took up the kink In
Forster's explanation. which he had
been conscious OF not straIghten-
ing out at the time Forster made Il.
What the old man had said about
the contract seemed straight
enough. and squared with the facts
as Martin knew them. II Rhoda's
father had died. as apparently he
had before completing his dis
covery, II was obvious that the con
tract vas Of no value. Claire.
though. apparently thought 1t was
valuable. There seemed 20 be nc
doubt that 1t was the thing she'd
been trying all the time 10 steal. IL
wasn't incredible that II Forster
knew she'd failed TO get IL (since
be knew In whose hands il actually
was) he might have offered her a
hundred thousand dollars for II In
pure Malice, as he said. But Forster
did think that IL was Claire who'd
stolen Rhoda's trunk, and unless
Rhoda's observation had been at
fault. he had held his breath while
he waited to see whether she would
rise TO bis bait or not.
He knew the contract wasn't In
the trunk. but didn't he believe that
something else was, something that
he wanted very much. something
perhaps he felt he couldn't be
happy without?
That seemed highly probable 10
Martin. Why. unless there was
something among her fathers pa
pers that he wanted. had he spent
all those weeks advertising for
Rhodal Why had he sent hls man
Conley 70 run down the tip Babe
Jennings had given him over the
telephone7 Why had he himself
taken the trouble 10 lie in wait out
side the studio in order 10 identify
Rhoda for himself and find out
where she worked?
The only answer Martin could see
to air these questions was that Fors-
ter believed Rhoda had something
he wanted. He looked up AZ her
doubtfully, torn between his impa-
tience to examine the contents OF
that little trunk tonight and his re-
l~uctance, after all she'd been
through today. te subject her to
any more experiences. possibly har-
howing. To his surprise he found
her looking at him, with eyes aught
and q faint flush Of color In her
cheeks.
Martin" she asked, win you DO
something for me tonight I know
it's getting Late and you must be
tired !"
I'll do anything" he said.
"Rhodn. dearest, y0u know I will.
ANY possible thing that you want
me to do"
what I want to do" she said,
"1s TO write the whole story to-
night: what they did 20 father six
years ago. Forster and Stafford and
Claire, 10 that it can be Inn tcgnor-
rows paper" The look IN his face
must have answered her. for a.
lsthat point she broke or 20 ask in
credulouSly. ~Why mott Martin,
do you mean you wont even write
1t tomorrow
7 can't write IT, he said "0r
II I did the boss wouid kll IT.
"WhyT she asked blankly.
st isn't news News 10 what
happened today. IL there's n peg
TO hang u or you can 20 back.
But there's only a peg ] can think
or strong enough 70 hold that story:
II we could 10 before the grand jury
and get Forster and Claire Indicted
for conspiracy but i don't believe
we could Get the states attorney 10
listen to It. Claire couldn't testify
against Forster without incr1m-
mating herself. and he couldn't tes-
uy against her without inerim-
mating himself. 10 the fact that
they hate each ether doesn't do us
any good And the g0-between Is
dead IL we ran the story without
someahhng defnite Hhe that 70 hang
on we'd be In for q miliion-dolar
1bel suit before night. His shoot
iag her would make it news H she'd
talk; but she won't She's got him
las long rs she keeps still"
Rhcda didn't protest nor argue
the Mntteg with him. but I'M anw