The times-news., 1937-05-04
hg MARION WHITE

CAST OF CHARAC IEKS
JOAN BARRETT, heroine, sec
rotary to John Hendry.
JOHN HENDRY, mining IN
vestment head.
BOB ANDREWS, Hendry's ju
nior partner and Joan's hance.
SYBIL HENDRY, soeialite
John Hendry's niece and Joan''
rival in love.
PHILIP HENDRY, Sybil''
DOROTHY STARKE, Joan''
girlhood friend.
CHARLES NORTON, Califor
MIA mining promoter.
Yesterday: Bob returns iron
California and Joan is herself
again. On their way home from a
party Bob places a diamond on
Joan's hand.
CHAPTER XII
The following Saturday, Doro'
thy followed up Sybil Hendry'S
precedent and gave a tea herself
for Joan. To it she invited all OF
the smart young things who had
been at SybiPs, as well as several
of the young married women
whom Joan had not met. Doro-
thy, to be sure, was also strang-
er in Green Hills, but she had
visited her cousin at frequent In
tervals, and she knew the impor-
tant people in town. So, recalling
Sybil's tactics, she made up her
invitation list wisely and shrewd-
ly.
Sybil swallowed bitter pill the
day Joan moved into the Downs
home. Here was this little no.
body-this ordinary little stenog'
rapher whom she had planned SC
carefully to discredit before the
world-being publicly accepted as
the guest of one of the commun-
ity's leading families. 1t took the
entire situation out of SybiPS cap
able management.
She fretted over Philips slow
ness in sending her some sort OF
news. If only he could discover
before the girl was too well estab,
lished in Green Hills, just what
this background of hers was, ther
Sybil would have a definite point
of attack. She had no doubt now
that the story would be startling
The words she had heard on the
porch that night at the inn still
rang in her ears, and as the days
passed, they lost none of the in
tensity, none of the tragedy, with
which they had been spoken
Later events, moreover, had borne
the mout. At tea on Wednesday
for example, Joan Barrett wa:
frightened to her very soul at the
sight of this girl from Seattle
Sybil remembered how her face
had paled, how the cocktail glas:
had fallen from her lifeless fin
gers. She was not deceived by
Dorothy Starke's quick handling
of the situation; she was too aler'
for just such details.
That was another angle ovel
which Sybil fretted. Whatever the
secret was, Dorothy Star ke knew
it too. And Dorothy Starke was {
difficult opponent.
If only Philip could uneartF
something Soon--befOre Joan Bar
rett became too well acquainted
in Green Hills. Beforehand Sybi
quailed at the possibility - Bol
might marry her, From the wa!
her uncle had spoken lately, h'
was planning to do exactly that.
Sybips nerves were indeed sore
ly overtaxed. II was no actua
falsehood, therefore, when she de
clined Dorothy's invitation on the
plea of illness.
"What do you think of that'
Dorothy beamed when SybiP:
message was received. "We'v'
frightened off the scheming sirer
already"
Joan shuddered. 'T'm fright
ened TO death myself. Dorothy,
she confided. cts all so delib
crate E"
"Of course it is" Dorothy ad
mitted. Deliberate and ridicu
lous. But it's q form of socia
warfare that goes on in ever!
community. Sybil played prett!
deliberate hand, I'd say, trying t
make a monkey out of you. Ant
this afternoon I'm out to call he
cards" .,
"Why should Sybil dislike me?'
Joan asked thoughtfully, after
moment.
"I wondered that, too. But nov
I've found out"
"Why?"
"Sybil is in love with Bob An
drews." ~, -, :,
cried earnestly. ''Pm sure sh
couldn't be. Why, Sybil ha
known him for five years. II sh
wanted him. -
perhaps it's more matter o
Bob not wanting her.
Still Joan couldn't believe.
can't understand any man not
not wanting her. as you say. Syb
Is the most striking girl. :. Wha
made you think that, Dorothy.
al didn't think il myself. Mill
Sanders told me-