The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-04-17
CHAPTER xII-Continued


Forster was still in his swivel chair
sitting almost as he had sat when
Martin looked at him before, but In
the act Of relaxing back into it as If
he had just meant to get up and then
had changed his mind. The Cleveland
woman had only that moment seated
herself in chair at the end of the
desk which faced the fireplace and the
two watchers behind the glass.
"She's looking wicked" Martin COM
mented. "What do you suppose she's
up to?"
Rhoda squeezed his hand hard and
said, "Don't talk! Listen!" And
though this struck him as absurd, her
earnestness enforced obedience.
The woman was worth watching,
anyhow. 1t was his first good look at
her. She was dressed as she'd been
when he'd seen her descend upon Max
and Babe in the station that after
noon. She had put on her hat and
coat since leaving Max Lewis sitting
room, and as she sat down in the
chair she opened her wrist bag before
she put it down in her lap. There
was something so insolently and
viciously feline in her look-like cat
with its ears back-that Martin didn't
wonder at old Forsters cringing in his
chair and shooting look at the pic
ture behind which he must still sup
pose his spy to be on watch.
However, If she had revolver in
the bag she was content to leave 1t
there for the present. What she pro-
duced from it now was long amber
cigarette holder and package of
cigarettes, one of which, very DELHI
erately but with rather shaky hands,
she proceeded to light. 1t appeared
that these preliminaries irritated
Forster, for he spoke with an impa-
tient jerk of the head, telling her. no
doubt. to state her business and be
quick about 1t.
Her only response to this was
theatrical laugh, not very convincing,
and an elaboration of the processes Of
making herself comfortable in the
chair. When presently she did begin
to talk. it was with an effectation of
lazy good humor, her eyes not upon
him but upon the shred of blue smoke
from the cigarette.
But it was Forster's face that Mar
tins gaze rested upon. He appeared
at first to be genuinely, even blankly.
puzzled as to what the woman was
getting at, and he broke in upon her
two or three, times with sharp impa-
tient questions to which she paid no
attention whatever, continuing to eye
the cigarette and to go evenly on with
her narrative, If that were what it was.
But 1t wasn't long before Forster's ap-
pearance changed. His body was rigid
in his easy chair, and the laugh by
which he attempted to dismiss some
thing &c said as an absurdity was a
CHASTITY failure.
Now though, Martins attention was
sharply diverted from both actors in
the play to sob from Rhoda. Turning
to her in CONSERVATION he saw her try
ing vainly to blink away the tears
that were blurring her vision. She
said furiously when he asked her what
the matter was, Don't talk! Give me
handkerchief, If you've got one"
He had fresh one in his pocket
and he was handing it over to her with
dignity, inclined to feel little hurt
by the way she was treating him,
when, with a suddenness that literally
almost took him off his feet, she flung
herself upon him, put her head down
upon his chest, and Rugged him as
hard as she could. This amazing and
blissful state Of things lasted while she
was drawing about three long breaths
and then, Just as suddenly, she went,
so TO speak, into reverse again, flung
herself away from him, snatched his
handkerchief dried her eyes. and be-
gan watching the. scene through the
glass with the most intense concentra-
ton.
The woman had abandoned her af-
fectation Of lazy amusement and at
something he must have said to her.,
had burst into a rage. She had sprung
to her feet and was fairly pouring
vituperation over him by. the bucket
full. 1t was plain that he was terrified
of her. If she'd been less absorbed
in her own passion, she must have
seen that he was signaling for help,
for. feebly but with no concealment at
all. he was looking land waving his
shaky hand straight toward where
Martin and Rhoda stood.
There was comic element in this
scene which Martin had been enjoying,
but now the woman made move
which startled him. She stepped back
out of the possible reach of Forster's
hand and, snatching up her wristbag
from the corner CT the desk, jerked it
open.
IF she's got gun in that bag she'll
shoot him." Martin said to Rhoda, and
would have jumped for the little door
which led into the room If she hadn't
stopped him by clutching his arm.
mo. she WON'T" she told him. ITS
letter she's looking for. 1 wish she