Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-24

recently In a San Francisco paper
an advertisement for your where
abouts- Seeing that / came 20 the
conclusion that a certain contract
which your father had enclosed
with his letter might have n value
for you. and that you ought TO be
found"
Good lord!" Martin exclaimed.
do you mean 70 say you've got the
contract that everybody has been
trying 70 steal7 Did You see Fors-
ter this afternoon and tell him you
had IT."
" refer" said Uncle William ma
j~eStically. ITO a contract which nv
late brother-in-law entered into with
c. J. Forster. I was speaking TO
my niece. I cannot see that II con.
Germs you In any way
Everything that concerns Rhoda
concerns me- Martin told him.
she and I are engaged 70 Be mar
RED"
"Humph 7" snorted Uncle william
He was a perfectly terrible per-
son. Martin didn't wonder that
poor Rhoda had changed her name
and hidden herself away from him
like a frightened little rabbit.
Martin could zee him now males
tically pausing before be hurled o
t~hunderbolt.
eff" he said. ~your matrimonial
intentions toward my niece are IA
anyway predlcated upon your knowi-
edge OF the existence or that con
tract, ! think II only right to tell
you that II Is OF small value and
doubtful validity"
That's what Forster told MS
this evening"" Martin observed.
He said he had told you that II
wasn't worth a nickel"
"Tll have no more OF this I'm
pertlnence." Uncle William roared.
You can't marry my niece She's
still q minor. and I shall never con-
sent '"
Look here" Martin interrupted
him, we don't like each other at
all. but there's NJ good In our
~quarreling unless we have some
thing 10 quarrel about. And un-
less you're Rhoda's legal guardian
] can't see that we have. Are
your"
I'm her natural guardian" said
Uncle william.
"Not her legal one then" Mar
tin observed. But as be turned TO
Rhoda he saw q panic awake once
more IL her eyes. I'VE won't have
any more OF this tonight" he went
on. "Rhoda's had a terrible day.
and she's come clear to the end of
It. I'm going 20 ask Babe TO put
her 10 bed M once Ill 70 back
with you TO your hotel and put you
abreast Of the situation
This vas a NapoleonIc move.
Babe came into actto1 Instantly.
Before he finished speaking she
was leading Rhoda toward the lit
tie stairway that went up e the
loft where their bedrooms were.
Martin followed along to the
foot OF the stairz Shes net to
get W In the morning" he told
Babe as II be were q doctor giving
q nurse instructions about an IN
conscious patient, at least not
until late. Ill come around some
time after ten with the documents
and we'll 20 down the baggage
master and get her trunk"
Then, ceasing TO treat Rhoda as
II she were unconscious. he kissed
her and she heard him murriur, his
lips so close 70 her ear that II
tickIed. Don't you worry, darling.
The bunch Is coming along al
right. You leave Uncle william
to me-"
Evidently Martin was the right
sort Of person TO leave him 10. Her
last glimpse from the balcery was
of her uncle. smoldering and FUN
ing like Vesuvius getting ready for
an eruption but going out just the
same through the door Martin held
open. obedient after all.
When Rhoda really walked I'd
the next morning-rather a long
process after an unusually solid
nights sleep-she felt very adult
and sensible. She didn't precisely
regret her childish terror OF the
night before, since Ii had brought
out once more what a peach Mar
tin was. She didn't believe I've Rfked
her the less for it. either. He was
like that. He understood things
But her line with him when Ne
came this morning t. take her
down TO the station and get the
trunk must Be one OF sturdy SOM
mon sense Above all she must let
him z instantly that she took
their pretended engagement as a
brilliantly clever maneaver Tor out
zanking Uncle william and nothing
else. II would be terrible N ne
were left to think frr a single min
nte that she thought that he meant
it seriously.
GTo nw coFrrNUEDy