The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-02-06

slipper and leave It on the chest
where she found it, but you never
can tell what anybody will dO-per-
haps she'd have done just the same IL
I'd told her not to: for she mixed
those slippers up and set them in a
row beside my bed along with oxford
ties and bath slippers.
It was on the day that Mrs. Jimm-
SON cleaned that Claire came tripping
up to see me and tell me that her fa-
Their had arrived.
1t was the first time I'd seen her
since we'd parted at the cable Office,
and OF course I had to spare her 4
few minutes and hear what she had to
say. She was staying with her father
Mt hOtel-mamma hadn't vet come.
because grandpapa was dying every
day and she didn't dare to leave him.
And then she suddenly wished to know
II all Americans lived the way Mrs.
Delario did, and did American ladies
work?
! had to ask her what she meant,
and she explained that everything at
Mrs. Delario's was $50 unlike the way
they lived abroad:" that Mrs. Delario
never left her bedroom unlocked for
single minute; that all the upstairs
rooms were locked: that she made
her-Claire-keep her door locked,
because" she said. "yOu never can
tell" that people, most of whom were
strangers. were coming to the house
all day from nine till five. Mrs. Della.
rio called them ''sitters" and gave
them readings" in an awfully queer
room where the shutters weren't ever
opened: and she - Claire-believed
that Mrs. Delario took money for
these readings. though she never would
say what she read; and II she took
money how could she be lady!
Though she was very nice and kind
and papa wanted her to keep her
Claire-till her mother arrived, and
her work, and what sort of work could
It possibly be?
saw by that that Mrs. Delario
hadn't taken Claire much into her con.
fidence-Claire said even her father
couldn't guess what Mrs. Delario did,
exactly, though he thought he knew
little. only he didn't know that Ia.
dies did 1t in America.
While l was considering what I'd
better say the clock struck and ]
bounced out Of my chair in hurry
It was the hour Of an appointment.
and here ! was five miles away, COS
siping.
told Claire had to run, and she
followed me tn my bedroom while
got my coat. and it was she who ex.
claimed. "Why. there's Mrs. Delario's
slipper! She's hunted everywhere for
it. You picked 1t up at the customs
house and put it in your suitcase"
'I'm the thief" laughed, slipping
on my coat. !.
Claire took couple Of steps toward
the slippers and said, "Ill take it back
to her"
"No. my dear-just leave it. don't
know which is hers-I see Mrs. Jim1n.
son has mixed them all up--and
haven't time to find out now"
"Oh, con soon tell" and Claire was
about to pounce on them. but l headed
her off.
THAT'S a matter for me to attend
to, Claire. and entirely between Mrs.
Delario and myself
| Hy this time had on my veil and
gloves. and hearing the elevator stop.
ping ut the floor. shooed Claire and
bolted for it.
Now I'd looked at the slippers a.
Claire spoke. and they We're standing
HEEL TO THE WALL. between q
paid Of oxford ties and pair OF
bath slippers that We're toe to The
wall. as were nll the rest hut these
three slippers: and l noticed this par
ticularly and remembered it later com
ing home in the cars when the incident
required to me. and wondered why
since Claire was no longer with Mrs
pelario-she had been so anxious tt
take the slipper back. and If she need
ed an cxcuse--possibly-t her father
for going to the house to see hel
friend. and how If it hadn't been fol
Mrs. Jirnmson I could have let hel
take the slipper and been glad to have
her do 1t; and how Mrs. JimmsOn mus
have pleased herself in placing thu
slippers just that way. backs to the
wall, SO they'd show Oft to best ahvan
tage as works of art and decorate the
room at large with their beauty: ani
how 1t must have puzzled her to fine
three slippers all alike in my ROOM
not two. not four. but three: and why
three7 And what would the go6t
creature say II told her I'd stolen tn,
odd one?
! These thoughts may seem too trivia
to mention, but the point IL that
thought them and they were so obvi
ousiy suggested by the way .Jimmsol
placed the slippers, heel to the wall
But here's the uncanny thing that hap
pened: When l got home one hou1
after seeing them that way and turnet
on the light my eyes fell upon tn