The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-11-20

" az ~ ~ ~ ~. ~ ~ ~ sSs-SLsGJ
on the steamer the next-day-but-one
after seeing my suitcase slowed the
first person my eye lighted on was
Clairel
Claire tripped up to me, delighted
but little embarrassed, and In her
wake followed lady whose face was
very familiar, us mine was to her, and
a smile of recognition broke out on
both Of us at once and we exclaimed
at each other, "Why, you're the Lady
of the Slippers"
Now "the slippers" were the top
notch of my wild extrayagant life In
Paris and I'd never mentioned them
to Ann. came by them in this wise:
Just as was leaving for vevay had
passed a little shop on funny little
street and In the window was pair
of slippers. They were high over the
instep-so they'd keep my feet warm
and decorated with the qucerest orien.
tal,pattern you ever saw, and they had
low heels.
l bounced into the shop to ask the
price, and at the counter stood an
other American lady with an identical
pair In her hand. / demanded the
price. IA
"One hundred and twenty-five
francs" beamed madame. "and most
reasonable"
The other American woman and
dropped the slippers like hot cakes.
our reckless passion for spending
wasn't equal to twenty-five dollars for
n pair of slippers. Madame came down
ten francs and inveigled us into trying
on the slippers. There was a differ
ence of half size In the pairs and
they fitted as though they'd been made
in heaven. Madame came down ten
francs more and then knocked off five.
and we bought them at hundred
francs a pair. laughingly telling each
other we'd caught each other In the
act and promising never to give each
other away.
| had liked this American woman
and should have been glad to see her
again; and here she was. She was
pleasant and Unaffected, a woman Of
possibly forty; dark hair. black eyes
waxy as to complexion; not what
would call handsome but with dis
tinct air.
Claire had introduced her as Mrs
Delario and later the child confided
that her father had found her by &c
cident as he had me. That he pait
her fare over as an inducement to hel
to come on this steamer-with me,
even then surmised. Claire and She
shared the largest stateroom or
board.
There were two other women goins
over, but Mrs. Delario and 1 seemed
the only ones able to keep our ses
legs, while Claire stayed In her berth
for almost the entire passage.
But the really friendly acquaintance
between Mrs. Delario and me began bI
our being flung into each others arm'
when our frisky little craft took nv
J unexpected dive, trying to see II sh'
; could hit bottom with her nose. W.
made profuse apologies and dropped
! for safety into the nearest chairs.
: was clutching vigorously at the arr:
! of mine, when she fastened her gaz'
on a ring I wore, reached out and tool
my hand.
She said, "What a very curiou
, ring-it looks as though 1t had his
tory" turning 1t for different angle
and fumbling at 1t as though she mean
to draw 1t off.
l said 1t had, and she asked me 4
let her take 1t off and try 1t on. / ha'
curled my fingers over hers to proven
/. 1t, for hate to have people trying OF
: my rings. So I shook my head an,
replied. "That would break the spell.
She dropped my hand instantly
said, Excuse mel didn't know 1t wa
that. though felt the spell--the occul
infuence-before touched 1t. Yo
l know I think felt 1t that first tim
a we met when we bought the slippers
D though I didn't see the ring. / fel
e something occult all around you. Yo
4 are under the protection Of very pow
| erful influences"