Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-14

fore beg that you dismiss the subject
from your mind"
saw that she was about to recur to
the shoe she held in her hand and at
quizzical expression. This, clearly, was
an issue that must be met promptly, and
l knew of no better way than by lying.
Hezekiah herself had plainly stated. on
the morning of that long. eventful day.
when she walked into the breakfast room
in her aunt's absence and explained Ce-
elias trip to town, that it was perfectly
fair to dissimulate in making explana-
tions to Miss Hollister; that. in fact, Miss
Octavia enjoyed nothing better than the
injection of fiction into the affairs OF the
matter-of-fact day. Here, then, was my
opportunity. Hezekiah had thrown the
responsibility of contriving her safe exit
upon my hands. No doubt, while l held
the door against her aunt, that remark
able young woman was coolly sitting on
the trunk within, eating another cracker
and awaiting my experiments in the gen
tie art of lying.
Miss HOLSTER I began, boldly. 1.-THE
slipper You hold in your hand belongs to
me, and if YOU have no immediate use
for it l beg that you allow me to relieve
you OF it,
1T is yours, Mr.. Ames?'
"A lifting of the brows. widening OF
the eyes, denoted Miss Octavia's polite
surprise.
Beyond any question it is my prop
erty.' ! asserted.
"Your words interest me greatly, Mr..
Ames AS you know. the grim. hard life
of the twentieth century pals upon me,
that pertains to adventure and romance.
Tell me more. II you are free to do so, OF
this slipper, which I now return to you.
1 received Hezekiah's worn little pump
into my hands as though it were an OBJ
ject of high conservation. and with a
rox-ifv yxhf 7 m
tavia's own. I was. think, by this time
completely hollisterized, il l may coin
the word.
las 1 am nothing IL not frank. Miss
shoe came into my possession In very
curious way. One day last spring ! was
in Boston. having been called there OH
professional business. In the evening /
left my hotel for a walk, crossed the
common, took turn through the public
adorned the benches, and then strolled
aimlessly along Beacon street.
Il know that historic thoroushfare
WE'LL interrupted Miss HOLSTER, las my
lived there for half century, and once,
while I was staying In her house, she
gave me her recipe for Boston brown
bread. thereby placing me greatly in her
debt" =
Then, being acquainted with the neigh
borhood and it's subiimated social atmos-
phere, you will be interested In the ex-
perience ] am about to describe" con-
tinued. treasured by Miss Octavia's SYM
pathetic attention to my recital. II was
passing q house which l have not since
been able to identify exactly. though I
hope of doing SO. when suddenly and
without any warning whatever this slip
per dropped at my feet. All the houses
in the neighborhood seemed deserted.
with windows and doors tightly boarded.
and my closest scrutiny failed to dis
cover any opening from which that slip
per might have been flung. The region is
SO decorous and acts OF violence are SO
foreign to its dignity and repose that !
could scarcely believe that I held that
bit Of tan leather in my hand. Nor did
its unaccountable precipitation into the
street seem the act OF q hOusemAtd, nor
could I believe that nursery governess
had thus sought diversion from the roof
knowing how to meet this emergency.
then I boldly attacked the bell Of the
house from which / believed the slipper
to have proceeded. / rang until police
man, whose speech was fragrant of the
Irish coasts, babe me desist. informing
me that the family had only the previous
day left for the shore. The house. he as
sured me, was utterly vacant. That Miss
HOLSTER, is all there Is OF the story. But
ever since 1 have carried that slipper with
me. 1t was In my pocket tonight as
traversed the upper halls OF your house.
seeking the ghost of that British soldier.
and had just discovered my loss when
heard you calling. In returning it you
have conferred upon me the greatest
lima ginable favor. have faith that some
time. somewhere, / shall find the owner
of that slipper. Would you not infer
from it's diminutive size and the fine,
suggestive delicacy OF its outlines. that
the owner is a person Of aristocratic lin
cage and of breeding? will confess
that nothing Is nearer my heart than the
hope that one day shall meet the Young
ladY-I am sure she must be younE-Nh0