The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1921-04-18
A NEW FRIEND.
Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.

Synopsis OF Preceding Chapters.
Ruth O'Niel and Myra Weed have
been chums from childhood and plan
when they are Is to go to the city
together, Myra frankly wishing to en-
JOY herself, and Ruth to take busi-
ness course. Ruth knows she must
support her family, and the little town
she lives in offers no opportunity.
But the little money necessary to
send her to the city must be used for
her father. who is i'll, and Ruth has to
eacrifice her trip and her chance to
etudy Myra goes. however. Tim
Turner. a nice boy in the village. asks
Ruth to marry him, but though she
loves him very much she refuses be-
cause neither has any money.
Tim goes to the city to make his
fortune, and while there falls in love
with Myra. Ruth is heartbroken when
she hears of their engagement, and
,eels that not only her chance to learn
and to work but the chance to be hap
py has gone. Then her Aunt Sarah
visits them and takes Ruth to the city
With her. The girl must now watch
the happiness of her two friends, While
she stands aside neglected.
Chapter 43.
When Ruth pulled herself away
from Tins embrace and rushed up the
stairs, he stood for a moment looking
after her through the glass OF the door,
TOO upset to move. Someone ratified
a latchkey outside of the pavement,
and remembering that his position in
the dim vestibule was curious, he
opened the front door and went out
on the street. His head was down and
he walked slowly not thinking where
he was going.
He did love Ruth. There was no
doubt about that. 1t was an irreslst.
ible impulse that made him suddenly
gather her into his arms and try to
comfort her. And Ruth loved him. 1t
was in her eyes. 1t was on her lips
when she yielded for the moment to
his kisses.
But Myra loved him also, and he
loved her! And Tim was a little
pleased that two such attractive girls
should care for him in spite of his
real concern over all that had hap
pened. He had feeling that he had
not played fair with Ruth. He should
have broken it to her gently as, during
the winter, his affection for Myra
grew.
He was not very happy young
man. But Tim had the very pleasant
ability of casting off any thoughts thai
Worried him, SO he now put both
girls out of his mind and went on
down to his own lodgings.
And he never slept more soundly
than he did that night.
But that could not be said OF the
high-strung girl whom he had left.
Ruth closed the door of her room and
stood leaning against it, breathless,
frightened, glad, angry, and broken
nearted-a complication of emotions
that any woman very much in love is
capable of achieving. Breathless from
her run up the stairs and her fright,
clad he had wanted her and that for
one brief moment. in his arms she
had forgotten the whole unhappy af-
rair-broken-hearted AS the reality
eame back to her, and angry, growing
anerier every moment, that he had
confessed his love for another woman
md then had kissed her and claimed
no loved her too. How could he love
both. if his affection for either was
real?
1t was too complicated for her to
r~ason out After a bit she calmed
down. ard went to bed.
But not to sleep. Not even he!
Natural health and her fatigue from
the days experience could bring thai
relief.
She slept most of the next day, how
ever and for several days after that
she wandered about the city alone
She felt she would not see Tim again.
She was glad of that, at least.
During the day she "eXplored," as
she called it to herself and in a short
time she had been all over the city.
She went alone one day through
Brooklyn, to the much-heard-of Coney
Island, and while the tawdriness of the
place revolted her (for an amusement
park out of season is the dreariest
place in the world. her first view OF
the ocean was an immense delight.
She bought sandwiches and spent the
long spring day walking up and down
the beach and shifting the salty air,
In the evenings she was afraid to go
about alone, and as she knew no one
and had made no friends in the little
boarding house, she got into the habit
of going down to the library and
spending her whole evening reading.
She felt like millionaire with so
many thousands of books that were
hers for the asking-lovely books her
father had talked about, which the
small library at home did not have.
Then one day she received a note
in s,ange hand. 1t read
Dear Miss ONiel:
I'm giving a little party for Myra' :
birthday on Thursday, and want you
TO come AS I'm working, it can't be
until after the show. so come at II
o'clock and I'll see that there is some
one to take YOU safely home"
II was signed Gabrielle CarteZ."
Ruth smiled with pleasure. She did
not want to see Myra particularly
She still felt that her chum had been
unfair. But after all, she had to see
her sometime again, and she had to
see Tim with her, and it might as we'll
be with party on 20 distract her at