Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-07-01
MORE
THAN OLD
PLAYFELLOWS
20. 1927. by d. ]. walsh. }

4 month OF her existence. Her
mother related laughlngly how
Mrs. Gordon had come with her baby
boy to call and how Angela and Keith
had stared at each other, gurgled, and
finally fought over pink teethlng-
ring.
Angela was now thirty-one but she
had no intention of marrying her old
playfellow. He was only Keith of the
teething-ring episode, Keith who had
been so handy making snow man,
Keith who had helped her in geome-
try, and Keith who was still so use
ful when 1t came to entertaining her
friends. There had never been any
body she liked better, but still she did
not like him enough. And Keith, she
was certain, felt the same way about
her. Neither did he make love to any
body else. No brother and sister
could ever have been more casually
devoted, more unsentimentally fond
Of each other.
If Keith dropped In for an evening
Angela did not find 1t necessary to
change her dress or rearrange her
hair for him. He took her as he
found her. Sometimes he played
chess with her father, sometimes he
gossiped with her mother, sometimes
the four Of them tried a game of
bridge Occasionally he took her
somewhere, but usually the whole
bunch" was included.
Altogether, she accepted Keith as
a comfortable bit of furniture in her
life. Ii he had not been there she
would have missed him. Seeing he
was always available she accepted
him as matter of course.
Tonight he had telephoned, asking
her to meet him at the Stockford at
seven for dinner and concert after
ward. She had accepted and then had
sat calmly down to chat with Mrs.
Galway, who had run in, and to en-
brOider bit of lingerie.
Mrs. Galway did not leave until six,
and then Angela had to make such
toilet as haste would permit. She
left her hair as 1t was, dabbed on
bit Of powder, slipped into her black
crepe-it wasn't the most becoming
frock she had, but 1t was the easiest
to don and she felt that 1t would
do. Her father, of course, would take
her to the Stockford; but her father
was late home from the office. There
was another delay, the car wouldn't
spark or something. But at last she
was on her way.
At 7:15 she walked into the Stock
ford, feeling sure that even though
Keith had waited he would not mind.
He was waiting, and she sailed
hastily up to him with q smile and
explanation.
1--WE got In a pocket at the corner
of Cherry and Market" she said
"rm sorry, Keith"
Nothing matters so long as you
have really arrived and safely" She
had expected that. All the same she
thought he seemed annoyed.
And then she saw that he was not
alone. The girl who stood near him
really belonged to him.
A lovely girl, she was, slender ex-
quisitely gowned every dark hair del
lcately in place, perfect Of polse as
one who Is entirely sure of her ap-
pearance.
Miss Mary Ives' Keith introduced
them gravely.
Mary Ives Not Don Ives little girl
grown into this vision Of young wom-
anhood Whyl Don had been some
thing Of beau to Angela when they
were fourteen.
II was shock, but she braced her
self TO meet the consequences. How
had Keith come by this girl, anyway?
"You didn't tell me- she muir
INJURED reprOachfully.
II didn't know Don telephoned
that he had business engagement
while In town and asked me to look
out for his little girl" He smiled at
the little girl and she smiled back
adorably-at him. Il had already
asked you so l thought that between
us we could give Mary a very good
time"
Angela was not sure of that. From
the look in Mary's eyes she was con-
vlnced that Mary could have had a
better time with Keith alone, and she |
began to feel uneaslly that Keith |
was going to enjoy Mary lot more |
than she wished he would. There was
another thing, too. She felt nightly |
uncomfortable when she saw herself |
presently IN the many mirrors Of the |
Stockford dining room. No doubt Of
1t, she looked tousled. The contrast |
was terrible-she was common in APP
pearance, Mary so fresh and charming
Everybody was looking at Mary;
Keith looked at her, too.
1t was a bitter hour for Angela and
growing more bitter with each mo-
ment. Mary could laugh and talk.
Mary-she knew with that sixth
sense of women-Mary loved to see
her squirm. And Keith did not know
she was squlrming; maybe he did
not care.
When she could not eat, Mary In
qured tenderly:
Headache, old dearT stresslng the
"Old" ever 50 little.
The concert afterward 1t seemed
Mary was studying music and she had
the patter Of the profession. Angela,
whose knowledge, though consider
able, lay In other directions, sat 81
lent, and distraught She began to
hate the blithesome Mary; she began
70 hate Keith. MOI If she had hated