The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-05-10
b. MARION WHITE
CAST OF CHARACTERS

JOAN BARRETT, heroine, sec.
rotary to John Hendry.
JOHN HENDRY, mining in.
vestment head.
BOB ANDREWS, Hendry's ju-
nior partner and Joan's fance.
SYBIL HENDRY, socialite,
John Hendry's niece and Joan's
rival in love.
PHILIP HENDRY, sybil's
brother.
DOROTHY sTARKE, Joan's
girlhood friend.
CHARLES NORTON, Califor-
MIA mining promoter.
= 1"
Yesterday: Joan is left alone in
the office with Charles Norton
who recognizes her as having once
lived in California. Trembling,
Joan denies this.
CHAPTER XVII
Eventually, Joan met Dorothy
for lunch, though it was long aft
er one o'clock, and Dorothy had
been waiting half an hour.
81 had the most awful time get
ting here" she cried breathlessly.
"That Norton man-Mr. Hendry's
friend from California-kept me,
pretending he had some work .
He is the most horrible person"
"Why didn't you walk out on
him."
81 did, finally. However," she
reported more cheerfully, 81 have
the afternoon off. Mr.. Hendiy
told me to go shopping"
Dorothy smiled. SIS he an un-
derstanding man"
Joan did not think of Norton
again that afternoon; they were
both too absorbed in the JOY OF
buying in sheer extravaganza.
With three hundred dollars to
spend - one hundred on lingerie
alone, if she wanted to-Joan felt
as if she owned the world.
1t was not until late that night,
after Joan had tried on the last
silky, slithering nightie, that Dor
othy remarked, wickedly:
"You are the prettiest thing,
Joan don't wonder that old
Norton tried to make up to you
Look out! You've dropped that
lovely nightie on the floor"
She looked up quickly, wonder
ing what had startled Joan so,
"What's the natter she asked
lightly.
Joan rubbed hand over her
forehead. T'm tired, guess. And
I'd forgotten all about Norton"
Dorothy laughed. Surely you're
not afraid of him, are your"
81 think | am :"
"You goose! With Bob and Mr.
Hendry in the same Officer
"It's not that. He's a link-tc
California. | can't be sure wheth'
er he knows or not"
"Fiddlesticks" Dorothy eX
claimed lightly. Don't worry
about it." But her eyes clouded
and for a moment she sat on the
bed quietly turning the matter
over in her mind.
"Joan," she said finally, edo 20,
mind if | ask you about it,"
Joan looked up in mild surprise
"About my father, you mean?'
eyes" ,,
81 don't mind, Dorothy. Wha'
is it," g.
"Was he guilty." She asked i
timidly, knowing how painful the
question might be. -. :,
Joan, however, did not finch
Her voice, when she replied, was
sad, but still quiet. She had an
swered the question so man!
times, in her own heart as well al
to other people.
"He never killed man, Doro
thy" she said simply. =" know
it means nothing for me to sa!
that. He said it so often--ane
my mother said it. But nobody
believed them. know that ne
was innocent, just as you woulc
have known it of your father, JuS'
as | know now that Bob coult
never do anything like that. :,
Didn't you ever want to dc
anything about ito prove nj
innocence" -,
"What good would that do now
Fathers gone; mothers gone,
Nothing would bring them back.
"You might save your owr
peace of mind"
Joan sat on the tiny boudoil
chair staring at the pattern in the
rug. "Tt's too late, now" she
argued. Everything was done
that could have been done. MY
grandfather was man of good
standing and moderate wealth; nc
spent every penny he had - fol
lawyers, detectives, new trials; II
did no good. Grandfather died
from the worry, ] guess, before
before father did"
"The evidence was all clrcum'
stantial, of course"
Joan nodded. "Diabolicaliy So
I guess even the jury couldn't be-
lieve otherwise. The murder was
$3.50 cold-blooded, ! remember
raadino about &c in the papers