The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-02-26

'opyrlght, 1878, by the Mcclure NeWe
per Syndicate.)


before he had thrown his bathrob
over his pajamas. slipped into his slfn
pers and opened his bedroom door, bu
in that short time whoever it was, tha
had raped had disappeared. Marshal
was about to close the door when th'
odor of hot coffee reached his nos
trils; there It was--a large cupful OF
Il tray at his feet and there was 3
plate Of steaming mullins, too.
"Well, this is the best yet" he nut
tered as he picked up the tray. M
roomlng-house lady certainly is atten
tive to her roomers."
He did not wait to dress before tack,
ling the mullins and coffee.
"Greatr y he exclaimed when the last
crumb had been washed down by the
last drop of coffee. 81 made change
for the better when 1 moved here.
Breakfast wasn't included in my bar
gain, either"
Marshall was a clerk in Il 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 a faint pant beside him. He
looked and saw pretty young woman
who had been hurrying.
"Oh, am 7 too late TO get pair of
shoes?" she pantedNF'I have been work
ing late tonight and I did so want to
get them ~
There was an appeal in her tone and
he liked her face. at won't be any
trouble to open up again" he answered
rs 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 fer n time
until they were brol;en-in, she was bent
on the purchase.
1T is late for you to be out alone.
Perhaps am going your way" he sur,
gested.
II live in Marlborough street; num-
ber thirty-seven."
"rhe very place where I room," he
said in surprise, 81 have just been there
a week"
SIT is strange that we have never
met at the rooming house." she said
as they We're walking home. II have
been working SO hard ut the office the
last two weeks that l haven't had time
TO notice any changes. Where is your
roem?"
"At the end of the hall ON the second
floor"
She started. "Are you sure2" she
asked.
Certainly"
"Has Miss Moore, the former oEu-
pant of that room, left the house alto
getherT
"The landlady told me that they bad
taken her to a sanitarlum. The room
was fumigated before. I went into IT,"
Poor little thing, I was afraid il
would come to that" There was gen
ulne sorrow in her voice. AS Marshal
wished her goodnight, he asked her
her name.
Grace Atkinson" she answered.
Mine is Marshall Bell" he tolQ
her, "and hope will be able to re
new our acquaintance some time
soon" Then he went to bed,
When he ae'oke it was past noon. He
jumped out of bed, hurriedly. Why
hadn't he wakened at the knock The
coffee and mullins would be cold. FL
opened the door and gave 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 spled the
young woman of the evening before,
sitting reading.
"'yont you come out to dinnerY he
invited.
She hesitated for 4 minute, then
rose. "Thank yoI l WILL" she said.
AS she walked tow}hd him he noticed
the squeak of her new shoes.
"The landlaky 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. love
mullins and coffee"
Il think he landlady is quite well,"
Grace Snsyered, as she put her hand
kerch # - her cheeks to hide "a blush.
Ncn6ay morning Marshall woke with
7 starr. Fed he been dreaming? He
w0Eld have sworn that he had heard
T. Fau W his door. He listened. There
was IN unmistakable sound of squeak
Ing shoes going down the hall. He
opened the door just little. The odor
of coffee greeted Mn and he seized
the tray. After ne 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 al
timid knock on her door. She opened
II ard was confronted by Marshall Bell
tray in hand.
81 have come to bring back your tray
and dishes" he said. "and I wish to
thank you for your kindness. crown
you queen of muffin makers, even