The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-02-23

Lady Wentwarp preparing to make the
signal. and he had to feel for his vacant
pumps He found them and got them
on in time-phewl Certainly they were
abominably tight They seemed to
throw him forward on his toes in a
way to which he was not accustomed
Only as the last fair diner swept past
him, on her way out, did he realize that
his toes were being tortured in pair of
lady's shoes.
They were high heeled, of black satin,
with large rosettes and silver buckles.
He had no difficulty in recognizing
them. They were Mabel Wentwarp's.
Then he saw how it was. An unin-
territorial exchange. The young lady
must have kicked off her shoes also, and,
meaning to resume them, have un-
knowingly resumed his instead
He decided that his best course was
to slip away, on some pretext or other,
while the gentlemen were still smok-
ing their cigarettes; then to hurry up
stairs to his bedroom and exchange the
satins for a second pair of pumps,
which he had fortunately brought with
him.
Having decided on this line of action,
he murmured-witha very red face-a
few excuses and apologies to his host,
and then performed skillful and speedy
exit with SO much rapidity as to make
it impossible for the black satins to be
seen.
oC hn T1occo1 mil,
nervous stealth along the corridor which
led to his room, he happened to notice
that one of the bedroom doors on the
way stood open. He recognized whose
room it was. 1t was Mabel Wentwarp's.
In an instant he had popped them safely
inside the door of her room and was
proceeding with lighter heart toward
his own apartment at the end of the
passage.
On reaching his own room he turned
up the gas and was about to hunt out
his second pair of pumps from a cup
board when his eyes fell upon his best
pair-the pair which Mabel Wentwarp
had Notwithstanding in con-
spicuous position by his dressing table.
He saw how it was Miss Mabel, hay
ing discovered her mistake, had had the
promptness and delicacy to replace
them thus in his room. 1t was certainly
most tactful and considerable of her
When they joined the ladies, Lord
Petersfeld still, however, felt rather
nervous in case any of the fair guests
might have shared Miss Mabel's discov-
cry about the exchange of shoes. But
he was soon set free from anxiety on
this point by Miss Wentwarp herself,
who, taking the opportunity to approach
him as he stood for a moment alone,
murmured, with a blushing, downcast
look:
81 found out our little mistake, Lord
Petersfield, and I at once restored your
property to your room. Shl No one
knows anything about it. Ahp' (turn-
ing her eyes down upon his vanished
toes). 81 see that you have already re-
claimed your owni'
At that moment Julia Slanderson
swooped down upon her prey and to
his great annoyance forcibly annexed
him for the rest Of the evening.
Next morning after breakfast the I'M
fortunate viscount noticed that this per-
sistent young lady was still lowering on
the pounce. He evaded her at the ex-
pense of some skill, and slipped off into
the dampest and most secluded portion
Of the garden to enjoy his cigar alone.
Mabel Wentwarp startled him by sud-
denly appearing at his side. Her face
was white and distressful. Her eyes, he
noticed, where bright with unshed tears.
ooh, Lord Petersfeld, " she exclaim-
ed, forgive my intrusion, but saw
you come out, and have followed you,
because I-I-have something IL
must tell you.
"I-I-trust there is nothing the
matter'' remarked his lordship, look
ing embarrassed and conscious of a
vague sense of alarm.
"I-I-cannot deceive you. A great
deal is the matter. And-it has all
arisen out of our-our-foolish mistake
last night I-I-have just had a
dr-dreadful interview with-that--
that-odious Lady Slandersonp'
''The de- Oh, beg your pardon. But
-but-do you mean to say that she dis
covered ou-our-mistake?'
''She-she-thinkst that she has found
out some-something dr-dreadful about
us.
And poor Mabel, unable to restrain
her feelings any longer, began to sob.
ooh, dearl pray don't distress
yourself, Miss Wentwarp.''
ooh, Lord Petersfeld, I-I-don't
know how I shall tell you the-the
shameful things Lady Slanderson said
to me. But-but-in justice to you, as
well as to myself, must. lit seems
that she was up stairs last night at
at a most unfortunate moment, and that
--that-she saw me sl-slip out of your
room-without my shoes onl"
GOOD heavensl" gasped his lordship
in tone of evident dismay. "What
a.
"And also, Mabel went on hurried
ly as if anxious to finish her painful
disclosure, she waited up there, spying
in the dark, and saw you slip out of my
room without your shoes onl"
but, surely" began Lord Peters
field
"I-I-told her the TRUTH" inter
posed the girl IT explained everything.
She-she-scoffed at my version She
said she d-would-publish the
scandal to the four winds of heaven.
Oh, Lord Petersfeld, what is to be
done?"
but, surely" stammered Lord Pc
tersfeld, who was naturally in a great
state of mind, people will accept our
version rather than that of this vile
scandal mongeri''
"Alas." sobbed Mabel. 81 wish