The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-05-09

Ten inches higher it would have loosened
tooth.
out Of the sheer, ethereal ambient Of
Fifth Avenue, at two o'clock in the
morning.
Sauntering, somewhat leisurely, for
the night was unseasonably mild from
his club towards his apartment, his
mood one of preoccupation, he had
been brought to a sudden stand by this
then indistinguishable missile, flying
not from above, but rather on an up
ward slant from the level-into swift
percussion with his broadly capacious
chest; whence it had dropped, lightly
enough now, to the pavement.
Holding his curiosity as to the ma
ture Of the object rigidly in check, he
made a hasty survey of his surround
ings, He had just crossed Forty-sec-
ond Street, going northward; and he
had the entire block to himself In
neither direction was there a single pc
destrian in sight But, down the ave-
nue., possibly half block distant, he
saw the rear lights of what were evil
IDENTIFY limousine and taxicab rap
idly fading into the night shadows.
For an instant his gaze searched the
recessed doorways of adjacent shops
for some lurking creature upon whom
to fix the blame-some jovial reveler,
perhaps-but the doorways were clear
u tenantless.
A second or two accomplished this;
and then, he picked up the thing that
had struck HIM To his added per-
plexity, 1t was lady's slipper: a very
! tiny one of white satin, and deliberately
ornamented with seed pearls. An in
epiration, rather than suspicion, caused
him to tear off glove and thrust as
much Of his hand as this dainty piece
of footwear would accommodate into
its interior AS he had fancied might
be possible, the lining was distinctly
warm. minute ago, the slipper had
encased the delicate foot of it's fair
wearer
The discovery awoke in him an add
/, tional interest. A score of questions
now took the place of one. and clam
ored for answer. Who was she? Was
she young? Was she beautiful? Was
she in the limousine, or in the taxicab:
Why did she throw the slipper away;
Did she throw 1t at him? Or, was Its
striking him an accident? Was It pos
sible that she had recognized him.
Did she do II in a spirit of mischief
Did she have some serious purpose
Would he ever learn her name? Would
- And so they multiplied.
He was still propounding them as hi
turned the corner of Forty-fourtf
Street, and noted the unmistakabl,
signs of a dance at Sherry's. He won
dered whether she might have beer
in attendance there, and going HON,
thus early Two cloak-wrapped figures
were entering an electric brougham al
he passed.
For six months or more. Van Braun
had been ranching in Wyoming. 0nl,
. yesterday, he had dropped quietly bacl
into town, and not more than a hand
full of his friends knew of his un
heralded return. Otherwise he nigh
have been guest here, himself HI
had returned to his old rooms, In tn,
Regina, near the Bar Association, a
the other end of the block. AMI now
as he entered them and switched OF
the lights, he drew the mysterious slip
per from his pocket, and placed II, con
spicuously, atop a little pile of books
on the center table, in his study.
While in the act of removing hi
overcoat. the sudden, sharp, reverbeI
ant call of the telephone arrested him
A woman's voice came to him owe
the wire: a rather light, thin voice
high pitched. In vain, he made effor
TO identify 1t, as, interrupted only b
its own ripping laughter, 1t ran spir
itedly through its fancy-framed nara
tive.
"This is Cinderella speaking"
was so the subject was introduced
"Flying from a ball, at Sherry's, OF
\ long. long, unhappily long after mid
night. my crystal slipper was spe
rniraculously from my foot an
through the open window of my golde
chariot, just an instant before that gl'
Rious vehicle turned once more int