Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-12
The Sealed Trunk
BY Henry KitchelI Webster
Copyright b. The BObbs- AEerrni CO wNU Service

though. / even saw you q few times
out walking with him. ] remember
your red hair. That's how I c
ognized you this morning. and I'm
glad ! found you az last There
have been times when / was about
ready to give it up"
Why" she asked. were you 50
anxious 10 find met"
"Why?" he echoed. "Of course
I wanted to find you. I'D never
have lost you II I hadn't been sick
myself when your father died /
was a mighty good friend TO your
father. You might say l was the
only one he had. He was a fine
q Smart. too. there's no deny
ing that. Only not practical. and
smartness don't get you anywhere
without that.
but what I want TO tell you Is
that you've found a friend. that's
the long and short OF it. I'm an
old man, old enough TO be your
grandfather. and I'm stiIl an old
bachelor without chick or child OF
my own. So I want You should
feel You can come to me with any
OF your troubles. Ask me for any
thing you want-within reason.
that is
I'm give you a better job than
you've cot down there with the
newspaper. where you'd get more
money and wouldn't have to work
50 hard. You could come here and
do secretary work FOR me-. Settle
down and live right here, too. /
mean that You can 20 home and
pack your trunks and move In here
this afternoon. The fact Is. II
would suit me II you did that very
thing"
Rhoda had TO admit to herself
that this was. i~ntrinsacally. q good
plausible explanation OF his search
for her. She had. as II proceeded
found herself wondering why she
wasn't believing a word OF II. She
had known nothing OF the nature
OF her fathers actual labors, but
she did know the passion that had
inspired them and the hope or sud
den great fortune that had still
been burning I'm him the very night
he died He begged the doctor
for enough OF the drug to keep him
going a few hours more Those
memories couldn't be reconcIled
with the sort Of job this man was
talking about. Why was he try
ing to make II look like that7 Why
had he gone out OF his way to
lie about it7 That was the question
N her mind when he wound up his
speech. with the suggestion that she
pack up her trunks and move in
to this palatial apartment OF his
this very afterno0n-and the word
trunk struck a spark from It.
1T may be- Claire had said at
lunch. In discussing Forsters rea-
son for advertising for her. that
he thinks you've rot some paper OF
your fathers that he wants" Had
Rhoda's father been as near sue
the night he died as be be-
lieved he was7 That would ac-
count for Forster's lying about his
job. for bis belittling " all he
could.
There was N paper, then. and
Forster knew II and had been try
Ing for nobody knew how long to
get t. But Claire knew about II,
too. and Claire had found her hrst.
Caire's scheme for getting the pa
per had failed. probably through
the treachery OF her confederate,
Max.
But Forster hadn't cot IL either.
or he wouldn't be sitting there now
her how kind he meant to
be TO her. urging her to 20 home
and pack her trunks and come and
have her home with him.
She looked up at him now and
found him staring at her with a
look OF CONSERVATION.
What's got into your" ne asked.
What are you thinking about. all
OF q sudden What makes You look
like THAR
Il was thinking" she said, shat
even n I I'D come here to live |