New Britain herald., 1927-02-10

the gold slippers away in the trunl I with them.
 She pulled it out from the shad owy depths of the big clothes close and unlocked it.
 It seemed to her that everything she owned was in that trunk-s rubber girdle that she had once worn when s'le imagined she wa: getting fat, stacks of thin white
 organdy underthings, bolts of mar row pi9!1 baby ribbon. the buckskir oxfords, old letters from Andy Jer. rold. books, a pair of rubbers and stuffed down in corner-the big piece of black tissue paper that she always wrapped around the gold slippers to keep them from tarnishing.
 But no slippers. Nothing but the tissue paper.
 well, what 10 you know about that.' she cried aloud. taking it out and looking at it questioningly as if it might possibly tell her where the slippers were. But it merely cracked in her fingers, of course.
 She laid it on the dresser and went downstairs to Mrs. Mangan, who was having the time of her life dressing q chicken and making cranberry sauce in the kitchen.
 Mrs. Mangan, you don't happen to know where my gold slippers are. do you?" she asked.
 Mrs. Mangan's feelings were wounded instantly. Indeed I don't" she said in a proud, hurt tone. T never pry into peoples belongings in this house."
 "Oh. didn't mean anything like that Robbie began, but she went right on:
 I'm not interested in other peo- ple's belongings, Miss Ransom. l wouldn't touch pins point that didn't belong to me. Your things are just as safe here in this house as they'd be in the First National hank. And what would l want with a pair of gold slippers?"
 Mrs. Mangan. please don't act like this.." Robbie begged her in distress. You know I don't think you touched my slippers. I cnly asked if you'd SEEN them. wouldn't hurt your feelings for anything in the world"
 Mrs. Mangan grunted and began stuffing the chicken with vigor and violence. Her gray face had gone dull red with anger unrea- sonable and foolish anger.
 Well, I haven't seen them. then, if that's what you mean." she snapped out. But Monicker was into your trunk while you were away last month. She opened 1t with one of her keys that hap pened to fit it. She said some Of her things were in it."
 O. ooh, I see" It was perfect ly clear to Robbie what had be- come of the slippers. then. Mon- ica, that sleight-of- hand artist, had made away with them.
 Well, I'll just hop right over to Cahuenga street and get them from her" Robbie made up her mind instantly. "The very idea of her taking my slippers! My brand new slippers. Why, she's worse than q gold-digger and a grafter. She's just a common thief"
 Her thoughts were uncommonly Litter as she marched out of the house and into the warm gray twi- light. Monica, with all her money, could afford 10 buy a half dozen pairs of gold slippers if she want~-l them. Why, then, should she have taken the one and only pair that Robbie owned or was likely to own for some time to come"
 "The light fingered Lulu" thought Robbie. furiously. "She ought to be ashamed of herself. She hasn't any more morals than an oyster."
 In the street in front of Monica's apartment house stood the little closed car that Monica had never paid for. The windows of Monica's suite were luminous with lampiight hack of them.
 But when Robbie rang the bell above Monica's name there was no She rang again and again, with her ear at the receiver of the house phone. waiting for Monica's shrill voice.
 After three or four minutes 1t came: "Yes, who's down there? What do you want?"
 Robbie. I came for my gold 
 She did not ask Monica if she had them. She knew that Monica would say mo-" if she did. The thing to do was simply to demand them bodily--to take it for granted that Monica had them.
 It worked, too.
 "All right, dear darling. I'll bring them right down to you,"  Monica answered almost without q seconds pause. Robbie knew she had surprised her intc con- fessing that she had them.
 Don't bother to bring them down. I can run up for them," she offered, but Monica did not open the front door.
 Sorry, darling. I don't want you up here right now. have very special company" her gay voice said, and in a few minutes ;he came down to the vestibule hold ing the slippers in her hand.
 There they are. They must have got mixed up with my things when l moved" she lied easily. "T wore them once. Happy New Year,
 The door clicked shut behind