The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-06-17
yNnsna0x Nveetheozt1 By Mabel McEIIiott
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SYNOPSIS


 arine's father Is rich and her stcpnlother is snObbish.
 Michael becomes engaged to SALLY MOON local coQuette due to SaIly's schemmg. In spite of this. Michael asks Katharine to marry him and, impulsively, she agrees. The marriage takes place in an obscure little town. Kath. arine and Michael each go to their own homes. Almost imme. diateIy Michael learns he has in- heritcd a fortune and title. He goes to New York to see the lawyer in charge and is injured in traffic accident.
 Sally, unaware of MlchaeFs marriage to Katharine, locates him in a hospital and takes charge of the situation.
 CHAPTER xXXI
 No woman in all the world had ever been so grievously humiliated. Katharine Strykhurst was certain of that.
 An older indeed, wiser and less sensitive woman-would have taken affairs into her own hands This breeding girl knew nothing to do but wait. She had no weapons with which to battle the problem that faced her. All she knew was that gay, handsome, reckless youth had bidden her come and she had gone. Like the merest will-o'- th'.wisp. she had followed him to marry him, only to be cast aside.
 This much she knew. Michael Heatheroe had married her and then had gone away. The newspa- pers a day or two later had an- nounced the news of his inheri- tance, Katharine had waited every day for a sign from him. None had come. Later she had heard, through some casual gossip, the story of his accident. Now" she said to herself, with a fast-beating heart, "now at last he will send for me-"
 But there was only silence. Si- lence and the growing conviction of fearful wrong done.
 She had confded in Violet Mer- ser in the first flush of her anger. Violet had advised her to wait and see what happened. This Kath- arine had done. And nothing had happened not thing to reas- sure her. Not one message had come through from the man whose hard she had taken that day in a sleepy Connecticut town.
 Her ring she had given to him.
 She had not a shadow of proof, Not, she reminded herself hotly and proudly, that she wanted any. Oh. but 1t had been wanton joke 10 play on her! She who had kept herself so cool and remote all these years at last had given her heart to the hawks.
 She writhed at the thought.
 Violet watched her through the days with a growing anxiety. There was a savage pity in the eyes she turned to the fair-haired girl. Long ago Violet, too, had suffered just such a hurt and 1t had embit- tered her earlier years. It was grievous shame, thought the older woman.
 There was such a thing as an- nuiment, aKtharine unused duly one sunny afternoon.
 "of course. I wondered when you'd think of that" said Violet, consolingly. She had not dared to mention the word herself.
 "But the publicity" Katharine, groaning, buried her face in her hands. To think that her defeat, her folly should be dragged into the open for all the world to see! Violet suggested that these things were often handled discreetly so that no least word was printed In the newspapers. She had known once of such case.
 The girl, listening, lifted hag- gard face.
 "Why don't you go to New Mex leo, as Evelyn asked you tor" Vio- let asked reasonably. "Put the thing into the hands of some law yer who can be trusted and go away and think no more of it."
 It was, however, more easily said than done. Victor Strykhurst him. self, Katharine reminded her friend, was a lawyer. To whom could they go? No one, assuredly. in their group of acquaintances that startled her nearer.
 Leave 1t to me- Violet said.
 Evelyn Vincent was going to New Mexico to stay with some friends who Kept an informal sort of inn there. She had suggested weeks before that Katharine ac- company her. At the time the plan had seemed far away and nebulous to the girl. Now 1t seemed a God given way out of her difficulties. She could bring her painting things, Evelyn said. The colors and shapes of things on the desert were truly divine.
 Bertine vetoed the plan at once. Katharine, sick with fury and de- spair, turned to her father.
 .sBertine doesn't want you to go off God-knows-where with this woman," he fumed. We've never heard of her." Something in the white haggardness of the girls face stirred him. He said suddenly, "You're not i'll, are your"
 s'No. Mo-" She clasped and un- ! cIasped her hands. But feel ned and want a change. Miss Vim cent Is a friend of the Merser's."
 His face altered. "WShose?"
 That nice woman in whose house I stayed when ."
 ''Yes, yes. remember" He said the words hastily. You've made friends with them?"
 Katharine's darkening eyes roved to the window. The tn- terview was exhausting all her feeble strength. She so seldom slept these nights. The hours from dark to daylight were her particu- lar scourge, so difficult to be got through.
 T like her. yes. She's been very kind to me-
 "Well-well." he promised to think 1t over. It was maddening, the girl decided, going out into the toolness of the garden, to be de- pendent on anyone. Next spring