The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-24

she came back and said brisk
ly, cts for you, but they
wouldn't give a name. I don't
know who it is"
"Well, don't look so surprised.
I do have a friend or two here,
you know" Cathy assured her
loftily and went out into the
hall.
A cool voice said, "Miss
ILayne? Just moment, please.
Mrs. Kendall wants to speak to
you"
Cathy stood quite still. shak-
en-, until a carefully cultured,
determinedly musical voice
said, "Miss Layne! How nice
you're back. I'm sure you must
have had some very exciting
adventures overseas. I do want
to hear about them. Shall we
say tea this afternoon? At four
thirty, I think. That will give us
a chance for a bit of a talk. !"
"That would be very nice,
Mrs. Kendall said Cathy when
she had chance to speak.
'Then I shall expect you at
four-thirty," said Mrs. Kendall
and the telephone clicked down.
Cathy stood for a mo-
ment eyeing the telephone with
frank suspicion before she went
back to the kitchen.
Maggie looked up at her and
rose to pour fresh coffee.
$50 the Dowager Queens 60
ing into action-but fast" she
commented dryly.
''But why? I mean, I've never
been there to tea before. Mrs
Kendall's never given me a Sec
ond glance, said Cathy, uneasy
even while she admitted that
such feeling was absurd.
"Well, maybe she never knew
before that Bill's intentions to-
ward you were strictly matri-
monial," observed Maggie tart
ly.
Cathy's eyes widened little
"You think maybe Bill told
her that he wanted to marry
me?" she wondered aloud.
"I think it's highly likely.
don't you?" asked Maggie, and
grinned impishly. "After all, if
I ever saw matrimony sticking
out of a mans eyes it was last
night when Bill came galloping
up the walk"
Cathy absent-mindedly ac-
cepted the cup of fresh coffee
Maggie put before her, and
brought a package of cigarettes
out of her shirt pocket and lit
one.
"I'.n afraid she's not going to
be pleased" she said at last.
Maggie snorted. can under
statement, if I ever heard one
and I've heard plenty. She's 60
ing to have to be scraped off
the ceiling. she'll hit it so hard
But what the heck? Bills twen-
tv-eight, and you're twenty-four
I'd say there was nobody could
stop you if your mind was made
up"
Cathy laughed.
"Oh, she can't stop us, of
course.'' she dismissed the
thought. cts only that - well,
she has been good to Bill"
ooh, she's nuts about Bill,
Of course" admitted Mag
gle. Though I'd think some of
it was conscience. After all, the
Kendall money is only hers by
marriage; she wasn't born a
Kendall, much as she'd like
everybody to believe she was.
Half of the money should by
rights be Bill's. If his grandfath-
er hadn't blown sky-high be-
cause Bills mother ran away
and married the man she loved
instead of the - the - hand
picked galoot the old man Sc
1ected for her, the old man
wouldn't have disinherited her.
All the money went to William,
Junior, and he was so hen
pecked and browbeaten that he
was glad to die and leave the
whole thing to the Dowager
Queen. No wonder her con-
science bothered her when Bills
mother starved to death and
Bill was a penni1ess orphan"
II know all that, Maggie, but
after all, there was no legal
claim Bill could have made. His
grandfather had a right to leave
his money anyway he chose"
Cathy pointed out.
"Sure, but the Dowager
Queen dearly loves to look well
in the public esteem; she
couldn't take it, knowing til a t
people were criticizing her for
not looking after Bill. And then,
too, having lost her favorite
football, her husband, she just
naturally had to ave somebody
to pick on-so she picked Bill" |"
san Maggie strongly.
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