Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-06

in a sickly way that made Rhoda
think OF lead poisoning.
She must get inside Clafre's door.
that was the first thing TO do, 40
she replied. not TO the question but
to the succeeding remark YES"
she replied, making her voice sound
as innocent and as amiable as she
could, at must seem rather sud
den"
At that Claire stepped back un-
willingly from the doorway. and
Rhoda followed her into the rather
large room thar seemed 10 be al
there was to the apartment. except
for the alcove that formed an T..
which she couldn't see into. That
was where Max was most likely.
Rhoda herself shut the door behind
her.
"Well7" Claire asked. Her man.
ner was openly hostile. They as
Rhoda. without speaking, took a de-
liherate look around the room. she
asked again. what do you want?
What's the matter with you.r
"Tve come" said Rhoda. TO get
my trunk"
Your trunkf Say, are you crazyf
What makes you think I've rot your
frunkTr She tried 10 laugh, but IL
only showed how frightened she
was.
Rhoda hesitated a little over her
answer to the woman's question. If
Max was In the alcove she wished
he'd come out. III was hard 60 know
where to begin unless she knew
whether he was there or not.
Her hesitation seemed to anger
Claire. or TO reassure her, she
couldn't be sure which. Look
here" she went on truculently.
you can't get away with stuff like
this. I don't even know what you're
talking about. Are you trying 10
tell me you've lost a trunk and you
think I've got it,
Might before last. at the Alham-
bra. when Max Lewis told you that
+ was the girl all right. because my
first name was Rhoda. you told him
70 find out where l lived"
4 told you that myself this
noon." Claire broke in. whats
that got 10 do with it7-
and you told him." Rhoda went
on, mot TO waste any time about
IT, because / might see Mr.. Forster's
advertisement any day and answer
g. RhcTn r0-fI go that thfr hFN
Of information startled her and she
went on a little more confidently.
He did find out where I lived Nv
going home that night with Babe.
and he found out that the studio
was empty all day because she told
him we both worked and the other
girls were away. He tried To find
out whether my name wasn't
Rhoda Mcfarland, but she didn't
tell him. Yesterday afternoon the
studio was broken into. The bur
glar didn't find any papers. because
he didn't know where TO look. But
he did find three hundred dollars
OF mine, and he took that. To
day." Rhoda went on, "after I'd told
you that my fathers papers were
In the trunk and sealed I'D, and
after you'd gone out and teie-
phoned !"
"You think Max went and cot the
trunk. do you. and that be brought
II here."
Yes" Rhoda said. -And / think
he's fn that alcove with IL now"
The woman gave a vicious laugh
"All right" she said. go and see
for yourself. IL you can find Max
or the trunk, you're welcome 10 both
OF thcm. Co and look. and then
get out I've been insulted about
long enough"
This wasn't the way Rhoda had
expected the scene 70 work ont.
She was assailed by a sudden doubt
that the trunk might not be In the
aleove after all. nor Max either.
She'd be In n hldeously uncomfort-
able position III she went and looked
and nothing was there let she
couldn't 20 away without looking
This might be nothing but a mag
nificent bluff by Claire.
Thank ycn." she said III win
70 and look" But II took all the
resolution she had 10 set her legs
In motion down the room.
The alcove contained a bed. a
tawdry. orientallooking affair. too
low for the trunk 70 be under. n
couple or chairs and n dressing ta-
bic. but no trunk. no litter of pa-
pers. and no Max.
go as far as you Ike said
Claire who had followed her. Per
haps they're hidden In my closet or
In the bathroom"
fTO Hm cnerTuTuMn1