The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-02-07
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: SQUEAKY SHOES
BY VINCENT G. PERRY.
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copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure NeWSpa-
per Syudicate.)
There was a sharp rap on Marshall
Bells bedroom door and he started
from his sleep. 1t was not two minutes
before he had thrown his bathrObe
over his pajamaS, slipped into his Slip
pers and opened his bedroom door, but
in that short time whoever it 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 steamipg mullins, too.
swell, 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 Gid 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 a 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 a faint pant beside him. He
looked and saw pretty young woman
who had been hurrying.
"Oh, am I 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. at 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 wearP'
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.
SIT is late for you to be out alone.
Perhaps Lam going your way" he sug-
gested.
st live in Marlborough street; num-
,, Der thirty-seven."
"The 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 were walking home. 81 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?"
"At 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 a sanitarium. The room
was fumigated before I 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 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 wakened 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 on
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, I 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. I love
mullins and coffee!''
II 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
a start. Had he been dreaming? He
| would have sworn that he had heard
| q 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 odor
| 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 a
timid knock on her door. She opened
it 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. 1 crown
you queen Of muffin makers, even
though You meant them for a sick girl"
II didn't think that this morning"
she laughed. How did you guess it
was r."
'"The next time you want to play