Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-04
The Sealed Trunk
BY Henry KitchsII Webster
Copyright ~ The Ronbs Msrrni c. VIM Service

be some mistake about Il. Noting
the black hat and the dark blue
dress didn't altogether do away
with II. either. She'd expected a
very different-looking person This
woman looked-rather nice. She
had delicate features and blue
eyes. and you'd guess her are tn
the early twenties-well. twenty
ive-or not much over.
The instant she saw Rhoda she
got up and came around the table
10 meet her. I'D know you any
where. Miss Mcfarland she said.
II was sure 7 wasn't mistaken.
You're your fathers daughter. all
right
There flashed into Rhoda's mem-
ory something Martin had said
about the oma nc the Alhambra:
thar sire looked younger. somehow.
than her voice sounded. II settled
any possible doubt ahaut her iden-
tity. This woman's voice was hard
and metallic. with the silver plat
ing worn of In spotS-She mustn't
be thinking things Ike thisl She
must talki She had a rehearsed
line that would do. Its perfectly
marvellous 70 meet some one who
knew my father" she said
lets not try "a talk" the won
an suggested cozily. until we've
settled the important question Of
lunch"
Her manners. Rhoda reflected. be-
Ionged with her voice rather than
with her looks. She insisted on or
dering an extravagant lunch. and
the way she OVERRIDE Rhoda's pro
test was rather too Self-satisfed.
III guess the first thing vou'Tl
want to know" she began as soon
IA they we're rid or the waiter. "is
how I found you II was pure luck
IF there Is such a thing as luck.
really. saw you the other night
az the Alhambra-that Is. 7 thought
ii was you. only Il seemed too
good TO be true. You were dane
inr with a gentleman I know. Mr..
Max Lewis. and as soon a. I got a
chance I asked him about you. But
III turned out he didn't know very
much about you. himself. 50 | told
him he'd cot 70 find out for me. and
Yesterday he SEN me your address.
7 don't know yet how he found It
out"
Rhoda heard an edge IN the hard
voice that suggested she wanted TO
know. "Oh, Babe must have told
him." she said. He brought her
home that night We live together.
you see
Then, with a rush. she went on
into another speech she'd rehearsed.
n was better to get II ever with.
you must be wondering Why I
changed my name. You see. I
wasn't OF age when nv father died.
And I didn't want a lot Of people
~bothering and interfering-telllng
me what 7 could do and what I
couldn't. And 7 thought II would
b. easier 20 be let alone II
changed 10 Rhoda White. r could
change back now. OK course. az
course, only there isn't any reason
why I should
Wei. I'm glad II didn't bother
you that I knew - (She wasn't
Her voice gave her away every
time. It was fat now with dlsap-
polntment over the loss OF q
weapon she'd counted on.) you
won't mind. then. II I call you Miss
M~cFarland?'
"Not a bitl Ay best friends
know It's my real name.-Oniy, why
don't you call me Rhoda7T She
hoped her voice didn't give her
away, too. The next moment she
had I % manage to call her compan-
ion Claire
I'm a working girl. myself" said
Claire, -or I have been until lately.
Are you a stenographer7 That's
what I was There may be ways
that look easier. but IN the long run
they don't pay. Whereas now you
take me. I was never out OF q good
Job. and the last man I worked for
gave me q tip on the stock market
that I made enough out OF so that
I don't have to work any more
ever. unless I like. he owed II 70
me. all right. I'd made him more
than that. I'D practically managed
ALI his affairs for six years III
was easy, though: didn't take near