The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-05
They Changed Shoes.

the latter he particularly prided himself
one autumn. three or four years ago
Lord Petersfield went down into SUSSEX
to stay with his friends the Wentwarps
at Wentwarp Hall, very fine old coun
n try seat.
= Now Viscount Petersfield had contracted
a deplorable habit of easing his pinchet
e toes by kicking of his pumps during the
: progress of dinner and only resumine
them just before he had to jump up in
Difference to the rising Of the ladies.
He was rather sorry when he saw
| Lady Wentwarp preparing 10 make the
signal, and he had TO feel for his vacant
{ pumps. He found them and got them on
, in time-phew! Certainly they were
abonina bly, Tight They seemed to throw
I him forward on his toes in a way TO
I. 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 a pair of ladies' 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 ne saw how it was. An uninten-
tional exchange. The young lady must
have kicked off her shoes also, and.
meaning to resume them, had unknown
ingly resumed his instead.
Now, as he passed with rapid and ner-
vous 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 Wentwarps. In
an instant he had popped them safely in
side the door of her room and was pro-
ceeding 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 cupboard
! when his eyes fell upon his best pair
the pair which Mabel Wentwarp had ap
Notwithstanding in a conspicuous po
sition by his dressing table.
He saw now it was. Miss Mabel, hav-
| ing discovered her mistake, had had the
promptness and delicacy to replace them
/ thus in his room. 1t was certainly most
tactful and considerate of her.
When they joined the ladies Lord Pc
| tersfield still, however, felt rather nerv-
Gus in case any of the fair guests might
have shared Miss Mabels discovery about
! the exchange of shoes. But he was soon
set free from anxiety on this point by
Miss Antwarp herself.
81 found out our little mistake. Lord
Petersfield, and 1 at once restored your
property to your room. Sh! No one
knows anything about it. Ah!' turning
her eyes down upon his vanished toes,
Il see that you have already reclaimed
your own
At that moment Julia Slanderson swoop-
led 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-
s TN -I;r ;x,tA
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, were bright with unshed tears.
"Oh, Lord Petersheld,' she exclaimed, |
forgive my intrusion, but 1 saw you
come out, and l have followed you, be-
cause II have something II must tell |
you"
IL trust there is nothing the mat
ter" remarked his lordship, looking en-
barrassed and conscious of vague sense
of alarm
IL cannot deceive you. A great deal
is the matter. Audit has all arisen out
of our-our-foolish mistake last night
II have Just had dr-dreadfuI interview
with-that-that-odiou Lady SANDER
son.
THE de-oh, beg your pardon. But
but-d you mean TO say that she discov-
cred ou-our-mistake?"
'She-she-thinks that she has found
out some-something dr-dreadful about
US"
And poor Mabel. unable to restrain her
feeling any longer. began to sob.
'Oh, dear! Pr-pray don't distress your
self, Miss Wentwarp.'<
'Oh, Lord Petersfield II don't know
how I shall tell you the-the shameful
things Lady Slanderson said to me- But :
out-in justice to you, as well as to my ,
self, ] must. lit seems that she was {
upstairs last night at-at most unfortu- {
nate moment, and that-that-she saw (
me sl-slip out Of your room-without my
shoes onr' ,
Good heavens"' gasped his lordship in ]
1 tone of evident dismay. What a"
And also" Mabel went on hurriedlv as I
f anxious to finish her painful dsclo- {
sure, she waited up there. spying in the {
lark. and saw you slip out of my room /
without your shoes on" r
But, surely" began Lord Petersfield. r
'T-I-told her the truth" iuterposed the h
'irl. Il explained everything. She-she C
-scoffed at my version. She said she I
vould-woud-pub the scandal to the :
our winds of heaven. Oh, Lord Peters d
ield, what is TO be done?" a
But. surely" stammered Lord Peters Z
eld, who was naturally in great state Y
4 mind, people vii accept our version
ather than that of this vile scandal /,
aonger,' y
Alas, sobbed Mabel II wish I thought a
o. You see. Lord Petersfed. I cannot <
elp recognizing the very unfortunate Il
tate of appearances. She will say that a
five had-any-anything to conceal n
Sh0TIid no 1,. I 1
and that even at that our f
xplanation is lame and improbable Be 8,
ldes, she Will enlarge and exaggerate T
inland teil-falsehoods. until-oh 7 had -
ather have died than have had this hap fl
EN-" .,
The viscount was silent for minute :,
sudden idea, born OF the circumstances. q
ad mashed across his mind. He had new a,
r thought Of Mabel in this light be- e
)re He would not have done so now | -
Mess the situation had forced il on him r
ut as ne looked at her pretty. woefui \,
zee ne realized that it was not such an n,
nwelcome light in which to think Of her
tter all.
''My-my dear Miss Mabel. I-I-nfeb,
II all that Lady Slanderson knows TO q
Re contrary. have-have--acquired the ~
ght to-to-take your-your slippers TO IN
our room" -
'I-I-what do you mean. Lord Peters ar
ald?" &.
Way replied his iordship, blushinz IN
I'd stammering. IF were-were-er- =
aged "a be married TO You. Miss Mabel. A.
w-would make IA dinerence-wouldn't an
"oh. no. Lord Petersfeld! Not that. 70
II that she cried. starting away. 80
Couldn't you s-stand me at-at-anv I -
ice, them gasped the visceunt pain IN