Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-03-26
TH0SE- BOOTS.
The Tragic Love Story Of Mr.. Augustus Snper

Such Il nuisance, those people COM
ing
"Er-er-not at all-er-I assure You
i" he stammered convulsively,
too much unnerved by the discovery
of the state Of his feet to have the
slightest idea of what she WAS saying,
beyond u vague idea that she was apOl-
ogizing for something.
Katie gave him one look of con-
without another word. When q pretty
girl tells q man she is glad to see him
and i'll the same breath laments that
any one else should be present. and he
answers SIS Augustus Sniper did. is it
anything to be surprised at that she
feels mortal!y offended:
SO Augustus was left stranded by
the door where he had entered, too
much overcome by the paralyzing fear
that SOME one would look ut him and
discover those boots to heed katie's
anger or to be aware in what way lie
had offended her.
However, he dared not remain in the
determined to reach it or perish in the
attempt. Happily it was near Mrs.
Gum, which afforded him an excuse
to go 10 it. Where lie stood he felt as
though he was on the edge of Il fearful
precipice. any moment some one might
look round: there was nothing for it
but rush. lie rushed. Happily he
II,
avoid tumbling over Mrs. Gum.
How do you do, my dear Mrs.
Gunn:" he gasped. shaking hands with
her violently, hoping thereby to draw
her attention from the eccentric man.
ner i'll which lie had crossed the room.
How do you do" sh answered, cold
ly. adding TO herself: ''if it were not SO
early in the day, should say that man
had been drinking. I hope he has no
vicious habits He comes here very
| often. must drop hint to Katie
| Here the conversation languished.
Augustus remained wrapt in his own
! thoughts. which We're far from pleas
! ant. At last he decided he would out
! stay every one, propose to- Katie, and
| then il accepted, he would be asked to
dinner and would make his escape un.
der cover Of the night. and if refused
| well. it would not much matter then
whether she saws the boots or not. He
was suddenly. aroused from these re
| fiections by hearing Miss Gum say
Won't you sit down, Mr.. Sniper:''
Aud awakening to tile fact that h(
had been standing all the time in 81
lence, he seated himself OH the otto
man. But he had put himself in thu
worst place in the room, viz: next tt
the tea table. Presently Mrs. Gum
again spoke. ''Ah. here is the tea
May l trouble you, Mr.. Sniper, to tak'
at the other side of the room near th'
window"
There was nothing for it but to 60
so with a cup in one hand and plat
of cake in the other he started on hi
perilous journey. Behind the sofa
round fat old lady, between lad.
and gentleman in the midst of a fiirta
:, ticn, occasionally darting in a Zigza
! course from the edge of a curtain to
t footstool and back again to the vas
outlaying fanges Of some old dowagel
gingerly skilting the groups of laugh
ing. chattering girls. he made his ei
ratio way. taking advantage of ever
cover with the care of Boer, and a
2 last reached the farther end of til
: room, where sat Miss Neville in tn
: bow window
: 'At last he said to himself. as
. handed her the cake, 1--we done it. bu
t | wouldn't go through that again fc
: $1,000" And he sat down beside Ma,
t gle Neville. determined nothing shoul
& move him from his haven.
: What a cosy place you've got owe
d here. I thought SO directly I came il
c so I got Mrs Gum to let me brin
e YOU your tea and come over here for
S talk
did you? I watched you crossin
It the room, but I could not tell whel
$ you We're going"
i He turned hot at the bare idea of h
r being watched. Had she seen IL
boots?
l. Did you-er-did you notice an
e peculiar-abOut-me?
d stammered
le Mo- she said wonderingly, ''exce]
al perhaps, your manner of walking. "
didn't look as if you were trying to 2
G, here
ri "Oh. that's nothing-I often-er-,
e, that. It's way Eve got''
II. Indeed" -