The Red Cloud chief., 1911-05-04
WET
SHOES

H ~ - 1--<A<
Prestley's belongings were scatter
ed between his Chicago home, which
was closed, the cottage in Florida,
where the family was passing the win
ter, and his trunk, which he had
brought with him on a hurried bust
ness trip to Chicago. He had left the
trunk reposlng in the temporary room
given him at the hotel and had dashed
around town throughout the day.
When he came IN at evening the
clerk gave hi manCther key. We've
moved you TO Gl3," he told Presley.
Your trunk is up there"
Presley was tired Also he yearned
for a bath and fresh clothes Reach
ing the room designated by the clerk,
he filed the bathtub with water and
got into his bathrobe. Then he start.
ed to unlock his trunk.
1t was his trunk, he knew. for there
were the hotel stickers in their ia
red corner. as well as his initials in
white paint on the end Yet his key
would not unlock It.
Presley did all the foolish things
people do under such circumstances
He inserted the key upside down and
right side up and crosswise, he wrig-
gled and jammed It and pounded the
trunk and muttered incoherently un-
der his breath.
Finally after a half hours struggle
he was forced to give It up and ring
for the porter. 1t seemed that there
was a broken piece inside the lock,
but finally the porter managed to
open It.
When the porter departed. clutching
Prestley's quarter, Prestley between
rage and hunger and WEAKNESS was
sizzling like bomb as he pulled out
clean linen and laid 1t on the bed.
Then he cast of his bathrobe and
jumped into the tub. There seemed
something wrong with his feet. and as
Presley gazed down at them through
the depths OF the water he came to
with a start-he had got into the tub
with his shoes on,
The temperature OF the water went
up ten degrees from the fervor OF his
remarks. The shoes naturally were
soaking wet by the time he had res.
| cued them.
Investigating his trunk a little later
Prestley dragged to light only a pair
Of patent leather pumps. He turned
them over In his hands with the resig.
nation one uses In situations OF utter
despair. Still, he had to put them
on.
After Prestley had dressed In his
business suit. which looked baggy and
dusty after his trip. he saw to his hor.
ror that It was an impossibility to
combine 1t with the pumps The ef
feet was too comic. Since he had to
wear the pumps he decided with a
sight that he must dress up to them.
So he took some time changing his
shirt studs into another shirt and
getting into his dress suit
His hunger was increasing by leaps
and bounds. Fully attired, he took g
look at himself and decided he was toe
|
in the downstairs cafe. He would be
obliged to seek the exclusive upstairs
dining room. Living up to thos,
pumps seemed 20 be a strenuous az
fair.
Prestley got into the elevator a
the sixth floor and at the next a younl
woman entered in evening garb. She
| OFF at hn ipin
At this point Prestley thought hard
If two persons In evening dress en-
tered the cafe simultaneously, tn,
head waiter naturally would suppos'
they were together and would sea
them accordingly, so he Jagged behind
| ten yards or more.
The big room was only slightly fill
ed and at his entrance the head wal,
er took him Hospitality in charge. lie,
him the length of the room and witt
flourish seated him at small table
Raising his eyes he saw that tn
worst had happened-the strange an
2 good looking young woman in ever
4 ing garb sat across from him at tn
g same small table,
, Prestley is rather shy, so in spite O
, his uncomfortableness he felt hope
less. Maybe they had seated ther
so as to enable one waiter to serv
both, and anyhow he was there an
couldn't help 1t.
He gave his order wildly.
The waiter deposited before him
soup tureen and two plates.
As Prestley swallowed hard an
gazed despairingly at his companion
e he saw that she. too. was confuse,
II Then a man stood beside him. lik'
!. wise In evening clothes, gazing q
n prestley with an eXpresion of interrt