The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-11

| fere in his life.''
"I interfered, as you put it.
| in Bills life a a time when he
| was in desperate straits, just
after his mother died."
GIVE always wondered why
you waited that long to step in, -
said Cathy frankly. "You were
right here in town; you knew
that he and Bill were having
a pretty grim time of it. I won
der that the luxury and comfort
you were enjoying while t. j
starved didn't seem to bother
you a bit"
Mrs. Kendall's plump chin
went up and her eyes were fros-
ty.
"Bill's mother was foolish
ly proud. She would accept moth
ing from my husband"
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't
believe that.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't
believe that"
Mrs. Kendall's face became
congested with angry color.
do you dare call me a iar?''
she gasped in outrage.
"I'm afraid Pm not very inn
pressed by your efforts to hep
Bill and his MOTHER" said
Cathy. "And I'm not too inn
pressed by the fact that you are
demanding the right to twist his
whole life to suit your selfish
ends, just because you have
shared with him money tn
should have been his rightfully,
with no strings attached to it. y
Mrs. Kendall painted. But she
fought down her fury so that she
coud speak at last, her voice
low-pitched, thin-edged, shaking
a little with her outrage.
81 do not have to answer to
you for anything l have ever
done or said. You are to un-
important. l am merely warn
ing you that you are making a
fool of yourself, and that Bill is
going to be guided by my
wishes. He will mar Elaine
most suitable marriage.
And if you keep on running aft
er him, you're going to look
very silly indeed when that hap
pens.
Cathy said coolly, "When that
happens.
"Why, you little upstart!" "
Edith Kendall famed -- but at
that moment the door was
thrust open and a chattering
group of women came in look
ing little startled at the sight
of the two women drawn ur
against each other, both pale,
both with flashing eyes.
Cathy chose the opportunity
to escape a scene that was rap
idly getting out of hand. She
was sick with disgust and shak-
en- with the ugliness Of the scene
through which she had passed.
But even as she losed the door
behind her, she heard Mrs Ken
dali saying something that
sought to smooth over the sit
uation, and the other women
politely abetting her.
Cathy's one desire was to es-
cape, to get away from the club
But she remembered Mark ano
Maggie, and knew that they
must be wondering bout her.
|She had been unbearably rude
to Mark, whose guest she was;
she must make amends. And sc
she pulled herself together with
an effort and went quickly back
into the dining room, whose
wide doors opened on to t h {
dance floor. The floor was
crowded just now, for the or
chestra was playing a sentiment
tai old-fashioned waltz and the
older members of the Club were
taking zestful advantage of it.
AS Cathy threaded her way
back to her table, she saw Mag
gle and Mark dancing. Maggie's
color was high and her eyes
were bright and Mark was
smiling down at her with warm
affection. Cathy knew how
much this evening meant to
Maggie and not for anything in
the world would she have done
anything to spoil it.
She made her way back to
the table and sank gratefully IN
to her chair; grateful for it's
support because her knees were
shaking. Grateful for the fact
that Mark and Maggie were
dancing, and that she had a
badly needed moment to collect
herself before they came back.
She saw, when her eyes had
cleared a little and she could
be aware of what was going on
about her, that Bill was dancing
with Elaine. Elaine had tucked
her head a little against hi
shoulder, and they were not
talking. Bills eyes were search
ing for Cathy, and as he found
her, someone tapped him on the
shoulder and he relinquished
Elaine to her new partner and
came straight to Cathy.
(TO Be COntinueO
Production OF commercial oxy-
gen in the United States now