Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-04-27
NM ND ma IA N En IA VA Hn Hm M sn I'M
= SQUEAKY SHOES :
nm BY VINCENT G. PERRY. m
WV ma M ma M ma M ma ma ma M m wy

1918, by the Nice
per Syndicate.)

| from his sleep. 1t was not two minutes
before he had thrown his bathrobt
over his pajamas, slipped into his slip
pers and opened his bedroom door, but
In that short time whoever it was thai
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
tray at his feet and there was q
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.
"Great !" he exclaimed when the last
crumb had been washed down by the
last drop of coffee. Il made change
for the better when I 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 pretty young woman
who had been hurrying.
ooh, am too late to get a pair of
shoes?" she painted. Il have been work.
ing late tonight and | did so want to
get them -
There was an appeal in her tone and
he liked her face. 1T 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 broken-in, she was bent
on the purchase.
ut is late for you to be out alone.
Perhaps I am going your way" he sug-
gested.
II live in Marlborough street; num-
Der thirty-seven."
''The very place where I room," he
said in surprise, II have just been there
a week."
ut 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 / haven't had time
to notice any changes. Where is your
room?"
Sat the end Of the hall on the second
floor"
She started. "Are you sure?" 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, 1 was afraid
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, land l hope 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 wakened at the knock The
coffee and mullins would be cold. He
opened the door and gave gasp of dis
The tray was not there.
AS he passed through the hall on
MS way out to dinner, he looked into
he sitting room, where he spied the
Young woman of the evening before,
sitting reading.
won't you come out to dinnerf" he
invited.
She hesitated for a minute, then
'ose. "Thank you, / WILL" she said.
KS she walked toward him he noticed
he squeak Of her new shoes.
"The landlady must be SICK" he re-
marked after they had had dinner. "She
llways leaves nice tray of mullins
md coffee for me In the morning, but
his morning she did not do so. love
mullins and coffee p
II think the landlady is quite WELL"
trace answered, as she put her hand
,erchief to her cheeks to hide a blush.
Monday morning Marshall woke With
start. Had he been dreaming? He
would have sworn that he had heard
rap on his door. He listened. There
vas an unmistakable sound of squeak
ng shoes going down the hall. He
pened the door just little. The odor
f coffee greeted him and he seized
NC day' A1leI ue Hdu uulSleu lit
lressed, and as he was going out |
topped to put the tray back where
e had found 1t but, struck with Il
bought, he put 1t back in his room
nd locked his door as he went out.
Grace Sterling was preparing sup
er that evening when there was
mid knock on her door. She opened
and was confronted by Marshall Bell
ray in hand.
~ hnuo no,no 70 hri,,o. 10 oil .-a.,r. L..n..