Evening star., 1935-08-26
CHAPTER %.

- his throat. He tapped the
pages Of the morning paper
- v.ndictively. Presently he went
on as if no silence had ensued.
Its this article. Libby. I can't
understand your generation-I can't
understand you. I thought you told
me that you intended keeping your
marriage a secret, that you would 60
on with your debut and be remarked
to Marshall afterward at brilliant
wedding at the cathedral. That no
one. not even your mother. would know
of the Rockville elopement. When I
gave Marshall that position the morn
ing you two came to me and told me
you were married-oh, never mind,
never mindI-that's not the point!
What want to know is, why did you
call the papers? Why today? You did
call, didn't you?" Edward Stockton
had a way Of throwing q question,
edged and intent as dagger.
For one moment Libby started to lie
about it. Then she dismissed her
fathers reactions to the truth as
trivial. She said:
"Yes, I called. What of it?"
"You must have had reason, Libby.
A very good reason"
Il had very good reason" she re-
peated equally.
"What?" His face darkened.
81 prefer not to tell"
A sense of indignation against his
daughter swept through him. He
started to speak. angry, vicious things
born Of his quick temper, but the
words died on his lips. If he had one
weakness in the world it was Libby.
With every one else he was power,
impenetrahle. an omnipotent man who
made men and broke them. Countries
as far distant as Siam, China and
Africa felt his power. With hand OF
iron he ruled his shipping lines, his
rubber plantation, his nitrate and min
ing interests, and through his inter-
locking directorates he controlled
banks and businesses. But he could
not lift finger to refuse bis daughter
anything, he could not cross her in
any way. A lion out of his home-an
inArticulate impotent lamb within it.
And he knew it.
At last he said, "I have feeling,
Libby, that that Seymour girl is mixed
up in your actions. In the interview
with the press you told the papers that
there would be no debut this afternoon.
That's why they published that sour
rilous article on Betsy Seymour-a
debutless debutante,' isn't it?" Another
dagger thrown and hitting the mark.
Libby looked up at him, startled. II
suppose so. What's so awful about
that?"
His tone was grim now.
Libby, your mother called all the
society editors and told them that she
was presenting Miss Seymour as previ-
ously announced. And she's had Mrs.
Lancaster, Reginald and several Of
her friends telephoning the entire guest
nst-some 900 persons, I think-cor-
recting that erroneous statement"
Libby jumped up from the chair.
why. that's .. that's preposterous!
c4AC NAASAt AASA CyOo 4oWAAAS.
She started toward the door that led
into her mothers suite, but Edward
Stockton caught her arm and held her.
mot so fast, young ladyl Your
mother knows why you did all this"
he said hoarsely. she knows you
took Marshall away from Betsy Sey-
mour, and to make her defeat complete
announced your marriage today. The
cancellation of the debut would have
made her rather a laughing stock
around Washington. You knew that,
didn't you? There would have been
whispers and gossip that would have
taken that girl years to live down. Your
mother knows this and she's E. she's
not in sympathy with your tactics, Lib
by. She well, frankly .. she said
you have a streak Of viciousness in you
that comes from my side Of the
family. And she's right. You come by
this sort of thing through me. I've
had to fight the temptation of under
handedness and trickery all my life,
and il I hadn't beaten it I wouldn't
stand where do today-rich, trusted,
respected" He paused for mo-
ment and then went on. 1.-THE sooner
you learn that"
Libby interrupted him, her eyes
darting green sparks Of anger. THAT
crime doesn't pay? You wouldn't fool
me, would you2" She shook her
fathers hand from her arm and hicked
the cigarette into the open fire. For a
few moments she paced up and down
the room. She picked up book from
the desk and slammed it back with a
reverberating bang, overturned an ash
tray, sloshing the ink out of its we'll.