Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-05-31
The Harmless
Girl Friend
&&S
BY MARY DOUGLAS
lCopyrIght.)

Hal JOu4 NIlCu pullS NSots
She picked up the answer book
and flung it wildly across the room.
1t hit the blackboard and sprawled
helplessly on the last small, prim
school desk.
"It's judgment" Sally choked. II
always loathed arithmetic, and now l
have to teach it"
No one answered her. Simply be-
cause she was addressing the mute
green map Of Russia and the pointer
with the rubber tip and long row
of empty school seats with upright
priggish backs. Then she heard foot
steps along the corridor.
"Oh, here you are Sally West I've
been looking all over for you" Ma
thilde was rose-cheeked and laughing.
"Billy David is downstairs. Came
all the way from New York to see
me; and you've got to go down and
take charge of himl Yes, your
Mathide looked at Sally with sat
isfaction. Sally was unassuming
enough to suit even her Jealous eye.
DuL WhuL Snuil TAIN AWFUL
"Talk about-mel" Mathilde COM
manded and disappeared to take the
obnoxious study-hour.
Sally's knees knocked together as
she went down the stairs. A young
man was sitting in the stiff school
drawing room.
"Are you," asked Sally timldly,
"Bllly Davis?"
Mr.. William Thaddeus Davis rose
to his six feet and one inch with per-
feet ease. His hand swallowed Sally's
ink-stalned one and he assented to
her question with a CLINT Of humor
in his brown eyes that went straight
to her heart.
$780," he said with a twinkle of
laugh in his voice, "you're to enter
tain me for one hour and ten minutes
until Mathilde comes backf"
Sally looked terrified.
"Oh, no, I'm to take care of you
SO that you don't fall into the clutches
of anyone at all-at least"
"For zone hour and ten minutes
let's paint the town red Get on your
hat and your mufiler."
But when Sally went to put on her
last years coat and the hat she had
made herself "catty Miss White" and
the SILLY kindergarten teacher" were
waiting for her.
"You are" said Miss White in a
whisper, ito wear my beaver coat |
Yes, you must |"
"And my brown velvet hat with the
gold ribbon-I won't take no" from
the teacher of kindergarten.
That was why ten minutes later
when Sally Joined William Thaddeus
Davis he jumped to his feet and gave
low whistle
They stood before florists window
and Sally had to keep him from buy.
ing an armful of pink roses for her,
but she found great bunch of viOlets
tucked into her coat before she could
stop him.
They found a great deal to say, and
they laughed at the same things, and
= not until the first yellow lights bloomed
in dusky streets did Sally think Of
Mathilde.
"Oh!" she said gulltlly, II forgot
Mathilde"
Lets forget her." Bill agreed.
"You'll have to telephone her now
at Once-and go right back"
Billy Obeyed.
"YOu and l." he said gravely com
ing out of the telephone booth, "are
going to have dinner together"
They found little round table In
a corner of the Dutch inn. Sally sank
down in her chair with just a per
ceptible sigh. After all, 1t was over
and there was tomorrow-and all the
tOmOrrOws-and she was afraid she
was not going to forget this afternoon
and Billy Davis.
II was a rather silent dinner. The
food was the very best the Dutch
inn could afford, and Billy ordered
with great care; but he, too, had lost
his appetite.
Look here" he said suddenly.
we've got to straighten this out"
She caught her breath when she
looked into his eyes.
II suppose you think that I'm
Mathllde's what -do-you-call- 'em-suit-
or? Well, I'm not. Never was. |
boarded with her mother, and ]
stopped Off here so that l could send
n report to her mother that Mathilde
was behaving herself and holding
down her Job. Now, do you seer"
"But, then. why-why wouldn't she
let you meet any"
"She let me meet you'll She said
you were shy and not used to men
and"
"AndT Sally said. "Tell me what
that and Isl"
"And a harmless little thing"
~ am" said Sally wlstfully, that's
just what | am" He could see moth
ing but the crown Of her hat, he
could scarcely hear the whisper of
her voice.
He went on. "And that's what
frightens me-almOst. Do you think,
Sally, do you think II l came up next
weekend that we could walk to.
gether" a queer husk obscured his
voice.
Sally felt a delicious panic. She
had never heard that note before In
mans voice. But she knew what
II meant.
And as they left the dining room OF
the Dutch inn, Miss White and the
kindergarten teacher from an obscure
corner smiled across at each other
knowingly, as Miss White remarked:
"And we always thought she was
ouch hH"rl g little thing"