The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-01-30

Martin Nodded Them a Cheerful
Farewell and Slipped Away Into
the Crowd.
out whether she was the one they
wanted. "She's the girl, all right"
Max had said. She was a "cagey
little brat" but he'd found out her
first name. And this, added to the
woman's Interrogation, he regarded
as conclusive. He wouldn't have said
that, wouldn't have gone through the
process at all, Martin reflected, had
the name under which the girl was in
troduced to him been that of the girl
he was looking for. The first name
fitted in, and the second one didn't:
Rhoda White, instead of Rhoda Nc
Farland.
His sensitive reporters nose had de-
tected the trail of story and mere
professional instinct started him off
planning how he could run it down.
Talk to Babe Jennings tonight and
find out how much she know about
the girl. She probably knew where
she lived, anyhow. Get at the adver-
Using file tomorrow morning and find
out who X-203 was. For guess, he'd
turn out to be the G. J. whom Max
and his lady friend were trying to take
advantage Of And then go through
all the McFarlands in the ''morgue" to
see If he could discover any reason
why Rhoda of that name should have
changed it for the colorless name
White, and disappeared.
His reporters mind went as far as
that point as easily as well-lubri-
Gated car rolls down hill. But at that
point it stopped with jolt that both
shocked and astonished him. He saw
her face smiling at him in friendly
confidence as she'd smiled when she'd
danced away with Higgins. He didn't
want story about her. He hated the
idea that there was story. If there
was one that for any reason she
wanted buried, buried it should remain
for all of him.
Something had happened to him.
He'd never felt like that before. But
now wasn't the time to so into that.
He must find Rhoda and tell her what
he'd overheard. Then if she needed
help, he'd help her.
The music stopped sooner than he'd
expected it to and he got up pre-
cipitately. If he'd seen Babe Jennings
coming along he'd have sat still for
another three seconds and let her
go by.
AS it was she saw him and sang
out to him as she approached.
"Hello, Marty! What have you done
with Red White?"
He could think Of nothing better to
do than stay where he was and an
swer her. II had to let her dance
away with another man." he said.
"But I've got the next one with her
and I'm going to find her now"
The thing he feared, but hadn't seen
how to avoid, happened. With a
mighty upheaval the big man on the
other sofa got to his feet and turned
around. Babe gave sort of gasp or
squeal of surprise, and then waited to
see what was going to happen.
"Oh, hello" Max Lewis said. II
didn't know you were here. Did
hear you say you were going to dance
this dance with Miss White"
II suppose that's what you heard"
Martin replied. II said it." Then he
had what he welcomed as an inspira-
ton. "Oh, I beg your pardon" he
went on, as If just awakened to his
social obligations. Miss Jennings,
will you let me introduce Mr.. Max
Lewis?"
Babe said she was delighted, and 1t
seemed to Martin that her enthusiasm
was unfeigned. Apparently Lewis
thought so, too. Anyhow, neither of
them objected when Martin nodded
them a cheerful farewell and slipped
away into the crowd.
(To BIZ coNTINUED.A