The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-05-02
copyright, 1918 by the Mcclure Newsp
per Syndicate.)


over his pajamas, slipped into his slip
pers and opened his bedroom door, but
in that short time whoever 1t was that
had raped, had disappeared. Marshall
was about to close the door when the
od0r of hot coffee reached his nos
trils; there 1t was-a large cupful on
a tray at his feet and there was @
plate of steaming mullins, too.
"Well, this is the best yet" he NUT
tered as he picked up the tray. "My
rooming-house lady certainly is atten.
tive to her roomers."
He did not wait to dress before tack,
ling the mullins and coffee.
"Greatw he exclaimed when the last
crumb had been washed down by the
last drop of coffee II made change
for the better when l moved here.
Breakfast wasn't included In my bar
| gain, either"
Marshall was clerk In shoe store.
Saturday night, the busiest of all the
week for him, came and was almost
gone. He was tired through and
| through, and the prospect of sleeping
late on Sunday looked bright.
He was the last one to leave the
store that night and was just turning
the key In the lock to close up when
he heard faint pant beside him. He
looked and saw a pretty young woman
who had been hurrying.
"Oh, am too late to get pair of
shoes" she painted. Il have been work
ing late tonight and I did so want to
get theml'
There was an appeal In her tone and
he liked her face. ut won't be any
trouble to open up again." he answered
as he pushed upon the door and flashed
on the lights. "What style of shoe do
you want and what size do you wear"
She did not take long to make her
choice. Almost the first pair he showed
her she liked, and although he warned
her that they would squeak for a time
until they were broken-in, she was bent
on the purchase.
sit is late for you to be out alone.
Perhaps am going your way he sug-
gested.
II live in Marlborough street; num-
Der thlrty-seven."
"The very place where I room," he
said in surprise, II have just been there
q week."
SIT is strange that we have never
met at the roomlng house," she said
as they We're walking home. II have
been working so hard at the office the
last two weeks that haven't had time
to notice any changes. Where is your
roomW
"At the end of the hall on the second
floor"
She started. "Are you sureT" she
asked.
Certainly"
HAS Miss Moore, the former occu-
pant of that room, left the house alto
gether"
"The landlady told me that they had
taken her to sanitarium. The room
was fumigated before went into It,"
poor little thing, I was afraid 1t
would come to that" There was gen.
uine sorrow in her voice. AS Marshall
wished her goodnight, he asked her
her name.
"Grace Atkinson" she answered.
mine Is Marshall Bell" he told
her, "and l hope 1 will be able to re-
new our acquaintance some time
soon." Then he went to bed.
When he awoke 1t was past noon. He
jumped out Of bed, hurriedly. Why
hadn't he Weakened at the knock The
coffee and mullins would be cold, He
opened the door and gave a gasp of dis
appointment. The tray was not there.
AS he passed through the hall on
his way out to dinner, he looked into
the sitting room, where he spied the
young woman of the evening before,
sitting reading.
wont you come out to dinner? he
invited.
She hesitated for minute, then
rose. "Thank you, l WILL" she said.
AS she walked toward him he noticed
the squeak of her new shoes.
"The landlady must be sick" he re-
marked after they had had dinner. "She
always leaves a nice tray of mullins
and coffee for me In the morning, but
this morning she did not do so. l love
mullins and coffee"
Il think the landlady Is quite WE'LL"
Grace answered, as she put her hand
kerchief to her cheeks to hide blush.
Monday morning Marshall woke with
start. Had he been dreaming? He
would have sworn that he had heard
a rap on his door. He listened. There
was an unmistakable sound of squeak
ing shoes going down the hall. He
opened the door just little. The odoI
of coffee greeted him and he seized
the tray. After he had finished he
dressed, and as he was going out
stopped to put the tray back where
he had found it but, struck with a
thought, he put 1t back In his room
and locked his door as he went out.
Grace Sterling was preparing sup
per that evening when there was
timid knock on her door. She opened
1t and was confronted by Marshall Bell
tray in hand.
II have come to bring back your tray
and Dishes" he said, "and l wish to
thank you for your kindness. crown
you queen of muffin makers, even
though you meant them for sick girl"
81 didn't think that this morning"
she laughed. "How did you guess II