The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-08-13
RECJN HERE TODAY

BOOTS NaeDurn, o anu PfStty
belongs to the younger set at
Larchneck, fashionable New York
suburb. The Raeburn have had
financial reverses. Sylvia Rivers,
richest girl m town, is giving a
party at the Yacht Club and
Boots is heartbroken because she
is not invited. She accepts a
last-minute invitation to a. dinner
to be given the same night as
Sylvia's party by Mrs. Waterman,
one Of Larchneck's social arbiters.
Boots overhears her crowd
laughing about her acceptance of
the dinner invitation and is crush
ed bv this unkininess. That night
at the Yacht club she meets
Hardy Whitmore, one of Sylvia's
guests, and he urges her to come
for a ride in his sailboat.
NOW co ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER w
At Sylvia's table the glasses
were filled and emptied and fill
ed again. Great red roses in a
crystal vase dropped in the heat
and smoke and scattered their
petals on the white cloth. Food
cooled on the plates while girl
and boy laughed, talked, danced
and wandered back again.
Meanwhile, Hardy's absence did
mot go unnoticed. Patty's sharp
eyes instantly caught it. Isabel
was conscious of his departure
and Sylvia herself, although APP
parently ignoring it, was perfect
ly aware of his defalcation.
One of the boys, with the
males delicious usual obtuseness,
inquired casually, where's Hardy
got to-" Isabel pressed her small
slipper against his instep, signal
ing for silence.
1t did not matter, really, Isabel
said to herself, annoyedly. There
were more than enough men to
go around. Why did they always
have to kowtow to Sylvia
save her feelings? She would not
admit, even privately, the hold
that Sylvia had on the crowd.
Sylvia's parties, Sylvia's money
and her big car and the orchids
that she wore so uncOnsciously,
impressed them. Some of them
were in her debt, in a way. and
had to curry favors. Ladies'
father worked for Mr.. Rivers and
when Patty's allowance fell short
it was Sylvia who came forward,
Isabel happened to know. and
paid for luncheon tips, trips into
the city, even silk stockings
sometimes.
GAS for me, 1 don't owe her
anything" Isabel reflected, with
satisfaction. All, but didn't she,
really? Sylvia had made her &C
cept that black chiffon dress,
when they were in the play to-
gether. Isabel had borrowed it
to play Mrs. Hastings, in "Not
for Day." up at the high school,
and later Sylvia had said, with
apparent carelessnes: 81 want
you to keep it. No, but really,
l mean it."
Isabel had been tempted beyond
her strength. The black chiffon
had made her creamy skin look
creamier: it had brought out
every single CLINT in her copper
colored hair. 1t was the sophisti-
Gated sort of frock young girls
dream about and their mothers
refuse to- buy for them.
So she had kept it. And she
had found, after that, it was not
so easy to be simple and natural
with Sylvia. 1t was easier to fall
in with her mood, play up to her,
bite back the contributions that
rose to ones lips when Sylvia
made one of her cool, outrageous,
extravagant announcements.
Sylvia had not been able to buy
Boots-had not, in very truth,
tried. No, from the instant they
had met, between the two girls it
had been war-to the knife. And
now Isabel thought) Boots was
committing the browning crime Of
all, walking off with Sylvia's man.
At least, she supposed Hardy was
with Boots. When last seen, his
bright head had been bent over
Boots gilt one, their steps had
melted together like so much
LIQUID poetry. Boots, in her one
pretty frock, Isabel said to her.
self Loyalty. was better than a
dozen Sylvias. -. ,
"This party's died on its feet,
Sylvia announced, suddenly in a
silence. Lets. do something. How