Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-02-20
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Twenty-F ousth lnstallment
Forster was still In his swivel
chair sitting almost as he had sat
when Martin looked az him before.
but Ii the act Of relaxing back
into II as II he had Just meant to
get I'D and then had changed his
mind The Cleveland woman had
only that moment seated herself IN
a chair at the end of the desk
which faced the fireplace and the
two watchers behind the glass.
-She's looking wicked" Martin
commented w eat do you suppose
she's up ter
Rhoda squeezed bis hand hard
and said. Don't talk Lstenr-
And though this struck him ms alb
surd. her e~arnestness enforced ODE
dience.
The woman was worth watching.
anyhow. II was his first good look
&c her. She was dressed ~ she'd
been when he'd seen her descend
upon Max and Babe IN the station
that afternoon She had put on
her hat and coat since leaving Max
Lewis sitting room. and rs she sat
down In the chair she opened her
wrist bag before she put II down
tn her lap. There was something
SO insolently and viciously feline in
her look-like a cat with its ears
back-that Martin didn't wonder
at old Forster's cringing in his
chair and shooting 4 look at the
picture behind which he must %tll
suppose his spy TO be on watch
However, IL she had n revolver
In the bag she was content to leave
ii there for the present. What she
produced from 1t now was a long
amber cigarette holder and q pack
age OF cigarettes. one OF which.
very deliberately but with rather
shaky hands, she proceeded TO light.
IL appeared that these preliminaries
irritated Forster. for be spoke
with an impatient jerk or the head.
telling her. 10 doubt. 70 state her
business and be quick about II.
Her only response to this was q
theatrical laugh. not very convinc-
Inc. and an elaboration or the proc
eSses or making herself comfortable
n the chair. When presently she
did begin to talk X was with an ar
fectation or lazy good humor. her
eyes not upon him but upon the
shred or blue smoke from the
cigarette
But It vas Forsters face that
Martins gaze rested upon. He APP
peared at first 10 be genuinely,
eve blankiy. puzzled as co what
the woman vas getting nc. and he
broke In upon her two or three
times with sharp impatient ques-
fions to which she paid no atten-
ton whatever. continuing TO eye
the cigarette and to 20 evenly on
with her narrative, II that were
what Ii was. But it wasn't long be-
fore Forster's appearance changed.
His BODY was rigid I'm his easy
chair. and the laugh BY which be
attempted to dismiss something she
said ms an absurdity was . CHASTITY
failure.
Now though. Martins attention
was sharply diverted from both
actors in the play to a sob from
Rhoda- Turing TO her IN conster-
nation he saw her trying vainly Ia
blink away the tears that were
blurring her vision. She said M
riously when be asked her what
the matter was. Don't talk Give
me q handkerchief. Ii you've got
one"
lie had a fresh "a In his pocket
and be was handing 1t over To her
with dignity. inclined 10 feel d lit
tie hurt by the way she was treat
Ing him. when. with a suddenness
that literally almost took him or
his feet she flung herself upon him.
put her head down upon his chest
and Rugged him an hard M she
could This amazing and blIssful
state OF things lasted whfla she
vas drawing about three long
breaths and then. Just as Suddenly,
she went. 80 to speak, into reverse
again. flung herself away from him,
snatched bis handkerchief. dried
her eyes and began watching the
scene through the glass with the
most intense concentration.
The woman had abandoned her
adectation OF lRzymamusement and
at something he must have eaid 10