The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-06-20

l SsaE%sss ana feet. On the
E5Ex @9 latter he particular
! * @ ly prided himself.
he was the most eligible Of bache.
lors. Equally, of course, he was be-
ing everlastingly stalked by husband
hungry mammas and daughters. But
they could make nothing of him.
Their most sirenic efforts simply
frightened him.
But exemption was impossible. BE
was young, single, a viscount. He
had s25,O00 year.
One autumn, three or four years
ago, Lord Petersfeld went down into
Sussex to stay with his friends the
Wentwarps, at Wentwarp Hall, very
fine old country seat.
For one thing, they understood his
character and did not worry him with
excessive hospitality. And then, for
another, the daughters of the house,
Mabel and Maud-very pretty girls,
too, by the way-did not run after
him or make eyes at him. They were
simply friendly and cordial with him.
Now Viscount Petersfeld had con-
tracted deplorable habit of easing
his pinched toes by kicking off his
pumps during the progress of dinner
and only resuming 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 to make
the signal, and he had to feel for his
vacant pumps. He found them and
got them on in time-phew! Certain
ly they were abominably tight! They
seemed to throw him forward on his
toes in way to which he was not ac-
customed. Only at 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 he saw how it was. An unin-
tentional exchange. The young lady
must have kicked off her shoes also,
and meaning to resume them, had 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-
ind their cigars, then to hurry up.
stairs to his bedroom and exchange
the satins for second pair Of pumps,
which he had fortunately brought with
him.
Having decided on this line of &C.
tion, he murmured-with very red
face-a few excuses and apologies to
his host, and then performed skilIful
and speedy exit with so much rapidity
as to make it impossible for the black
satins to be seen. l..
Now, as he passed with rapid and
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. BE
recognized whose room it was. II 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 cupboard when his eyes fell
upon his best pair-the pair which
Mabel Wentwarp had appropriated
standing in a conspicuous position by
his dressing table. ...
He saw how it was. Miss Mabel,
having discovered her mistake, had
had the promptness and delicacy to
replace them thus in his room. II
was certainly most tactful and con.
siderate of her.
When they joined the ladies Lord
Peterfeld still, however,. felt rather
nervous in case any of the fair guests
might have shared Miss Mabsls dis
covery about the exchange of shoes.
But he was soon set free from anxiety
on this point by Miss Wentwarp her
self, who, taking the opportunity tc
approach him as he stood for moment
alone, murmured, with blushing
downcast look:
81 found out our little mistake.
Lord Pete-s6eld, and I at once re-
stored your property to your room
Sh! No cne knows anything abou
it. Ali" turning her eyes dowr
upon his vanished toes) "I see tina
you have already reclaimed your
own"
At that moment Julia Slanderson
swooped down upon her prey, and tt
his great annoyance forcibly annexed
him for the rest of the evening.
Next morning after breakfast th'
unfortunate Viscount noticed that thi'
persistent young lady was still hover
ing on the peunce. he evaded hel
at the expense of some skill ano
slipped eff into the dampest and mos
secluded portion of the garden tf
enjoy his cigar alone. - i5e;a ssst5 =.
Mabel Wentwarp startled him b.
suddenly appearing at his side. He
pace was white and distressful. Hel
eyes, he noticed, were bright with IN
shed tears.