The Lamar register., 1915-09-22
A PAIR OF SLIPPERS
BY ALICE EDWARDS.

the door. The windows were wide
open and the curtains were blowing
He had met Mrs. Wicks scurryins
through the upper hall and he had
thrown her a CHEEKY word Of greet
ing.
He stood in the doorway and
shifted suspiciously; then he strobe
down the hall and captured his land
lady at the head Of the stairs.
Beg pardon, ma'am," he said in
hearty voice. I've a suspicion thai
you don't like tobacco smoke"
"Wh-h-atr" gasped Mrs. Wicks
81 don't mind smoking a bit. Why
my husband smokes like n regular
chimney. What makes you think
don't like your smoking?"
Because thought you'd beer
sprinkling perfumery around or burn
ing incense-or something. can't
say that | object to It. only l guess
I'll Just stick to tobacco smoke. If you
don't mind
Yes. SIR" groaned Mrs. Wicks. and
vanished down the dark stairway
Capt Timothy Drew returned to
his room and lighted his pipe. He
sat by the window looking Off toward
the wharf. where his work lay. He
was captain of a small freight and
passenger steamer which piled daily
between the city and a smaller town
farther down the sound. He might
have slept aboard the Pennyroyal but
he chose to spend his sleeping hours
away from the scene of his days
work. He merely slept at Mrs. Wicks'.
Now he went out to a restaurant for
his dinner and returned home at
eleven o'clock
As he lighted the gas in his room
he once more shifted the air suspt
ciously.
''Humph!" he frowned. looking
around. Smells like violets. won.
der II any inquisitive housemaid has
been poking around among my poor
belongings-wellI I'll be blessed"
He stared down at a pair OF dimin.
utive bedroom slippers-gray suede
with frivolous pink pompons on each
toe, They were under his bed-his
bedi
Tossing his hat and stick down on
the table. he gathered up the slippers
and put them into his pocket. Softly
he tiptoed downstairs to the base.
ment. where he knew he would find
Mrs. Wlcks
At the foot of the upper staircase
he met the pretty girl he had saved
from a fall on the stairs the previous
day. She was coming up and he has
tily stood aside to let her pass.
Slowly enough. Captain Drew went
down the remainder OF the way. He
was thinking OF the girl She was
unusually attractive, he thought He
really didn't care much for girls. but
this one He tapped at the door OF
the basement sitting room.
Come In yawned Mrs. Wicks
"Oh. It's you. Captain Drew" she
gasped affrightedly. Il hope every.
things all right"
He took out the frivolous slippers
and held them for her inspection. but
a sound at the door had sent her
scared glance over his shoulder.
Il found these slippers under my
bed" he doomed I'm his big voice
What were they doing there. Mrs
Wicks?"
Mrs. Wicks." followed n crisp
voice at the door. Il found a mans
coat and stick in my room"
Timothy Drew whirled around at
the sound OF the voice, II was the
girl he had met on the stairs. She
was looking puzzled now. Her glance
caught the slippers in his hands.
Why. those are my slippers" she
said in q surprised tene.
And that's my hat and stick" he
retorted
found them in my ROOM" said
the girl.
81 found the slippers under my
bed" he declared. With one accord
they faced the wretched Mrs. Wicks.
She was bowed in despairlng grief
over the discovery OF her double deal
ing, She sobbed a sad story-a con-
ventional tale OF woe, interspersed
with information concerning gas bills
and coal bills and vacant large rooms
and oVerfull small rooms. and finally
confessed she had yielded to the
temptation of renting the same room
TO two lodgers-one a day ledger and
the other a night tenant. She de
clared that she had wrecked her nerv-
Gus system trying to prevent a meet
-. Il N11I hNx.