The Colorado statesman., 1911-05-20
His Quest
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS


David Ross paced slowly toward the
end OF the platform. II was midnight
and the theater crowds were packing
the uptown train at Forty-second
street.
Suddenly a woman's cry rent the
air. Laughter and tragedy mingled
in the cry and after startled silence
her voice trembled over the the surg
ing, voiceless crowd.
MY slipper Dick! It's gone down
through that crack!"
The crowd. happy. irresponsible
laughed and continued to laugh when
the girls escort, with quick presence
Of mind. picked up the slipperless
girl and carried her into the train
Step livelyl Watch the step!"
The gates slammed shut and the
train moved off.
David Ross strolled over to the edge
of the platform where the incident
had taken place. Quick as flash ne
was down on the track level and back
on the platform. So quick was his
vancouver that It passed nnnoticed.
He strolled to the far end of the sta
chance observers drew his hand, with
it's contents. from his pocket. He
gazed whimsically at woman
bronze pump; on the toe was an ex-
quisitely wrought butterfly of semi
precious stones.
Ross thrust the slipper into his
pocket and boarded his train. All the
way uptown he was conscious OF
deep interest In the owner OF the
bronze pump. Yet 1t seemed more
or less like hunting for needle in
hay-stack even to contemplate the
finding of the girl who was some
where in the big metropolis. Some
where" was a trife indefinite but Da-
vid Ross set his face into hard lines
and determined to find the owner OF
the slipper.
There was but one point in his ia
vor and that was the value of the
shoe itself. The stones of the butter
fly were not the ordinary beads that
decorate all fancy slippers but were
of sufficient worth to suggest that the
owner would have a desire to reclaim
the footwear.
Ross placed the slipper on the corner
of his chiffonier. That one small ar
ticle of feminine attire changed the
entire atmosphere of the room. Ross
smiled whimsically and wished that
there might be a girl in his life whose
slippers belonged all over his room
If she wanted them there. In his
fancy ho pictured head of hair that
would CLEAN under his lamp like the
bronze of that slipper and he could
imagine the traily part of her dull
gold gown where in moments of rash
ness the toes OF slipper peeked out.
David took out his note book and
worded an advertisement. He would
have it inserted in every New York
paper. The type should be large and
it would remain in the Lost and
Found" column until something hap
pened. When the advertisement was
worded to his satisfaction David Ross
retired with feelings akin to those of
a Prince Charming of the Golden Slip
per.
Two evenings later, David's reading
was disturbed. His valet had ushered
in a large, colored nanny who held
down her part of the floor with
uneasy feet.
81 done called for the slipper. My
Missy she said to give you this,
Black nanny grudgingly held out
ten dollar bill.
David Ross thought quickly. He
knew that if he relinquished the slip
per in this way it would be the end
of the affair. The girls maid would
return it to her mistress and the in
cident would close. That would new
er do. David Ross turned and ad-
dressed his visitor.
'I am very sorry-but you have Civ
en- me no proof that your mistress Is
the rightful owner of the slipper"
Black Mammys righteous wrath
arose. Haven't / done put dem gold
slippers on my missy's feet fo six
months now!"
Ross turned to hide his smile.
But my good woman, that does not
prove anything to me. Your mistress
may or may not have lost this partic-
ular shoe. will not give it up until
| see it properl.- fitted upon the foot
to which it belongs"
The woman's indignant protests as
she turned back, with muttered i'm
precautions against all white trash
amused Ross.
He sank back in his chair and re-
viewed the affair Even II he should
meet the girl now, would she ever
forgive him for having treated her
personal maid so barbarously
Couldn't he at least have sent a polite
little note stating that he desired to
see the mate to the slipper before
giving up his own.
1t wa. during the month of Febru-
ary that Ross found among his mall
a letter from an old college chum.
Dear Ross: