Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-02-20
JUST FOR
FRIENDSHIPS
SAKE
By MILDRED GooDRIDGE

But see the position II
places me In Myra, with
Wills Talcottp'
"Write him all about It,"
mo, no, never that" dissented Ruth
Borden positively. HE would never
consent. Besides, to be frank, he does
not like your brother, Herbert"
A slight palned shade crossed the
brow of Miss Myra Joyce. She was
not unused to hear her brother criti-
cised. His home record had been no
credit to him, he had Joined the fast
est set at college. Now he was COM
ing home for a two weeks vacation.
His mother and sister doubted II he
would remain there a day. They had
heard something Of a proposed pleas
ure jaunt with some wild young uni
verslty bloOds.
I'VE must head 1t off we must man.
age to keep Herbert home and re-
spectacle until his father comes back
from Europe" Mrs. Joyce had said.
And then she and daughter had de-
vised a great plot Ruth was the
bosom friend Of Myra. They had
sworn undylng devotion one to the
other Now Ruth was put to the test.
In plain words, knowing what
most charming enchantress Ruth was,
Myra had asked her to charm the way
ward Herbert
"You can do It, Ruth darling" as
serted Myra, "and It will be all an in
nocent Irritation. You can't hurt Her
berts heart permanently. You can
keep him on good behavior until
papa's iron rule is restored"
"That is, / am TO try and make your
brother fall in love with meT pro-
pounded Ruth obviously.
"N--no, not quite that, but you are
to make the time pass so pleasantly
that he will think your company a
lasting JOY"
swell, I'll try. Only hope Willis
doesn't come home while this innO-
cent Irritation, as you call it, is going
on. He is dreadfully jealousi"
SO that end of the plot was ar
ranged Meantime the object of all
this deep scheming and concern was
speeding by rail to his home town,
buoyed up over the assumption Of an
act Of heroism that would make the
quiet denizens of Mayville sit up and
take active notice !"
Circumstantially, this was what had
happened to Herbert Joyce: There
was another Herbert Joyce at a lake
resort he had stopped at on his way
home, a day labOrer. The latter, by
daring swimming feat, had rescued
four persons caught in a storm in a
leaking boat. A reporter had seized
upon the Herbert Joyce registered at
the hotel as the hero Of the occasion.
All over the country the news was
flashed and the rescue credited to
Joyce Of the university, Joyce of May
Vile.
The feather-bralned Joyce of our
story accepted the honor without qulb-
Bile. Thus was it that he was greeted
at his home town by honestly admiring
nelghbors. Even Ruth was in a way
| proud of him because he was the
brother of her dearest girl friend.
"You see, there is something good
in my boy, after ALL said Mrs. Joyce
! "And you must encourage him." dear
Ruth, advised Myra.
Ruth was less embarrassed thar
bored when she accepted an Invitation
from young Joyce to take an automo
bile spin the next day. She had NJ
fear in her mind that he would fall IL
love with her or become burdensom,
in his attentions-he was too full o
himself to waste emotion and senti
ment.
Like all cyclists, he had almost come
to believe that he was actually the
great hero the news journals had laud
ed. When he was not describing i'm
possible swimming feats he was boast
ing of his pre-eminence on the college
campus.
Ruth was very faithful to her prom
Use to Myra. She was at the Joyce
home most Of the time. She congrat
ulated herself that she was helping
to do some good in the world. In hel
letters to her fiance, Willis Talcott
however, she never so much as alluded
to Herbert Joyce.
The gloss of hero worship after {
few days began to wear off with Her
bert. He was growing FESTIVE ant
talked of pressing notes received from
his chums urging him to Join them
Ruth exceeded herself In graciousnes
and interest in his affairs. She wa
sorry for it, as during a whole day
however, she noticed new speculative
expression on the face Of her com
panion.
Several times he had passed a warn
compliment, he had even remarke,
that It would be time soon for him L
make up his mind as to whom of tn
many misses he knew he would homo
with his regular attentions.
They had started out in light skif
IN The little lake one afternoon. Ruth
little sister, Nellie, and the childrel
~ neighbor had come down to tn
beach with them. They left ther
playing on the sand while they drifte,
tlly along.
81 declare Miss Ruth" spoke Her
cert arising In the sklff and evldentl
Intending to move nearer to her." yo,
'onk fascinating but lonely plctur
sitting there in the stern
II am very comfortable. | assur
YOU" retorted Ruth and then sh
slrang suddenly to her feet with
| VIA ..rv Of terror.