The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-16
CHAPTER All

Take pair like this, though They'd never have the tough breaks he and the MisSus had Pretty soft it was for some folks.
 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 Sybil's, as well as several of the young married women whom Joan had not met. Doro- thy, to be sure, was also a stranger in Green Hills, but she had visited her cousin at frequent intervals, and she knew the important peo- pie in town. So recalling Sybil's 'actics, she made up her invitation list wisely and shrewdly.
 Sybil. swallowed bitter pill the day Joan moved into the Downs home. Here was this little mo- body-this ordinary little stenog- rapher whom she had planned so carefully to discredit before the world-being publicly accepted as the guest of one of the commit nity's leading families. It took the entire situation out of Sybil's capable 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 eS- tablished in Green Hills, just what this background of hers was, then Sybil would have 8 definite point of attack. She had no doubt now that the story would be starting.
 The words she had heard oil the porch that night at the inn still rang in her ears, and as the days passed, they lost none of the intensity, none of the tragedy, with which they had been spoken. Later events, moreover, had borne them out. At tea on Wednesday, for example, Joan Barrett was frightened to her very soul at the sight of this girl from Seattle Sybil remembered how her face had paled, how the cocktail glass had fallen from her lifeIess fin gers. She was not deceived by Dorothy Starke's quick handling of the situation: she was too alert for just such details.
 That was another angle over which Sybil fretted. Whatever the secret was, Dorothy Starke knew it too. And Dorothy Starke was difficult opponent.
 
 If only Philip could unearth some thing soon - before Joan Barrett became too well acquainted in Green Hills. Before and Sybil quailed at the possibility-Bob might marry her! From the way her uncle had spoken lately, he was planning to do exactly that.
 Sybips nerves were indeed sore ly overtaxed. It was no actual falsehood, therefore. when she de- clined Dorothy'S invitation on the plea of illness.
 "What do you think of that?" Dorothy beamed when Sybils message was received. "We've frightened of the scheming siren already
 Joan shuddered. I'm fright ened to death myself, Dorothy" she confided. Its all so delib- crate :"
 of course it is," Dorothy ad- mitted. Deliberate and ridicu- lous. But it's form of social warfare that goes on in every community. Sybil played a pretty deliberate hand, I'd say, trying to make . monkey out of you. And this afternoon I'm out to call her cards"
 "Why should Sybii dislike me?" Joan asked thoughtfully, after a moment.
 T wondered that, too. But now I've found out"
 "Why?"
 "Sybil is in love with Bob An- drewS."
 Joan gasped. "Oh, no!' she cried earnestly. I'm sure she couldn't be. Why, Sybil has known him for five years. Ii she want
 "Perhaps it's more matter of Bob not wanting her."
 Still Joan couldn't believe it. T