Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-08-20
M IA N N N "a N n - "a ~ N mi
: : SOUEAKY SHOES :
N pa
n BY VINCENT C. PERRY. A
- kssz1

!, 1918. by the McClur

before he had thrown mis- bathroDe
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
odor of hot coffee reached his nos
trils; there it was--a large cupful on
a tray at his feet and there was a
plate of steaming mullins, too.
"Well, this is the best yet" he NUT
tered as ne 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.
"Great!" he exclaimed when the last
crumb had been washed down by the
last drop of coffee. 81 made change
for the better when I moved here.
Breakfast wasn't included in my bar
gain, either"
Marshall was clerk in a 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 pretty young woman
who had been hurrying.
"Oh, am / too late to get pair Of
shoes?" she painted. 81 have been work
ing late tonight and / did so want to
get themw
There was an appeal in her tone and
he liked her face. "It 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 time
until they were brok en-in, she was bent
on the purchase.
sit is late for you to be out alone.
Perhaps am going your way" he sug-
gested.
81 live in Marlborough street; num-
Der thirty-seven."
'The very place where ROOM" he
said in surprise, II have just been there
a week"
''It is strange that we have never
met at the rooming house." she said
as they were walking home. II have
been working so hard at the office the
last two weeks that I haven't had time
to notice any changes. Where is your
room?"
"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
getherT'
''The landlady told me that they had
taken her to a sanitarium. The room
was fumigated before went into it."
"Poor little thing, ! was afraid ii
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 I hope will be able to re.
new our acquaintance some time
soon." Then he went to bed.
When he awoke it 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 gasp of dis
appointment. The tray was not there
AS he passed through the hall or
his way out to dinner, he looked into
the sitting room, where he spied the
young woman of the evening before
sitting reading.
"Won't you come out to dinner?" he
invited.
She hesitated for a minute, then
rose. ''Thank you, 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 nice tray of mullins
and coffee for me In the morning, bul
this morning she did not do so. / love
mullins and coffeew
&hn IonJIo Ix, 10 o,,;4o xx,oII
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 odol
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 1t but, struck with @
thought, he put it back in his room
and locked his door as he went out.
Grace Sterling was preparing sup
per that evening when there was O
timid knock on her door. She opened
1t and was confronted by Marshall Bel
tray in hand.
Il have come to bring back your tray
ana Dishes" he said. land 1 wish tC
thank you for your kindness. / crown
you queen Of muffin makers, ever
though you meant them for sick girl
II didn't think that this morning,
she laughed. ''How did you guess Il
was II"
''The next time you want to play
fairy, don't wear squeaky shoes"