Show AT MRS WALKERS WALKER'S f t The pink slipper did it Marion larion Golden stopping abruptly in the middle of the two- two step with a slight word of explanation turned her back upon her G. G surprised partner and limped down the broad stairway one firm k round arm leaning heavily on the banister and into the dining room oom where she sat down on the rug floor-rug in front of the roaring grate fire With a gr grimace mace of pain followed by a sigh of relief she pulled off her offending pink satin slippers exposing her small shapely feet beautified by pale pink stockings with deep pink polka dots Holding her slippers idly in her hands she slie hummed softly the sweet tune of her unfinished dance and moved her small stock pink-stock- 1 I ened feet back and forth in time with the music As the music ended with a brilliant finale a smothered cough in the direction of the hall roused Marion from the muse mus into which wh-ich she had fallen and looking up with a start she met the astonished eyes of a strange young man in evening dress In a flash his look of astonishment changed to one of intense amusement and he disappeared as suddenly as he had come At once Marion realized realized realized real real- her predicament predicament-a a sensitive young lady of twenty one caught squatting flat on the floor like any undignified squaw making a free exhibition of her dotted stockings by an absolute stranger who would in all probability circulate the story among his men friends as a huge joke When the men heard the story she raged inwardly with tight set lips she would be the laughing stock of them all and this was only the first night of Mrs l Walkers Walker's Christmas house party Unhappy Marion predicted a whole week of misery The pleasures of this house party which she had hailed with joy would turn to ashes on her lips Oh how could she bear it With such a beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning what was to be the end From now on the evening dragged along drearily for Marion Marion Mar Mar- ion and at last the dreaded inevitable came Miss Marion larion Golden Mr Leonard Vance announced Mrs V Walker alker pleasantly by way of introduction You two young people people people peo peo- are my long life-long acquaintances and I want you to be friends You must amuse yourselves for duty calls me elsewhere With a bright smile she left them and the young man sat down beside Marion l She had acknowledged the introduction with lowered lowered lowered low low- ered eyes and a slight bow of the head As a beginning for a conversation h he asked her a question about the weather and she framed her lips for a brave attempt at answering When shooting a curious glance at him for the first time she caught him eying with witha a faint smile the toes of her slippers peeping f from om beneath her pink ball With i an angry flush she stood up very straight That settled it this man Inan this undesirable stranger was at his work already With eyes gleaming she left him speeding down the hall liall to her room where she threw herself on the bed and burst into a passionate flood of tears This ended Marions Marion's first night at Mrs l T i Walkers Walker's Christmas house 1 As the wife of a well-to-do well farmer Mrs Walker proved a delightful delightful delightful de de- hostess and the party progressed splendidly Though to outward appearances appearances Marion was as happy as the other guests inwardly she chafed and fretted with a longing for the party to end Mr l Vance was the stumbling block At fi first st she disliked him now she hated him for she never met him without encountering an amused smile on his face That smile that wont won't come off she sneered to herself and lately she thought she had detected the same amused smile on the faces of the other men and for a time she against all men in general Though she avoided Mr lVIr Vance she watched him hilll with suspicious eyes and soon discovered that he watched her in return Significant glances telegraphed back and forth between them defiant haughty on her part smiling amused on his At the dances drives walks dinners everywhere in fact she was barely civil to him The guests did not hesitate to make well-deserved well remarks about her ill The women scolded her in private the men said nothing but they looked their thoughts Mrs V T Walker alker endeavored to get Marion's Marions confidence but the girl proved obdurate Marion larion youre you're a hateful spiteful creature creature Grace Burnel said frankly one day as a beginning to a lecture which she intended to give to Marion l and when you answer Mr l Vance in that short saucy tone of yours your's Im I'm tempted to punch your impudent little nose good and hard harel Here she paused to give her fluffy hair some caressing pats You need need need- what Gone The truth hurts doesn't it Miss hiss Marion l Marion l had gone and Grace decided to save her talk for another time Mr 1 Vance apparently treated Marions Marion's slights and insults with smiling indifference The days flew merrily on and Christmas morning broke It was wasa a glorious day The endless expanse of packed hard-packed snow sparkled like diamonds in the sunshine and snapped joyously under the feet of pedestrians After a jolly two-hours' two drive in the bracing afternoon afternoon afternoon after after- noon air Mrs Walkers Walker's party trooped into the holly-bedecked holly din din- room ing-room ready for hot turkey and spicy plum Jollity and fun went with the turkey and the pudding Stories were told jokes and anecdotes circulated freely toasts were drunk and laughter never ceased Had you been there and could you have penetrated beyond this mortal world you would have seen the little god of pleasure looking down upon the merry-makers merry with his little fat sides shaking with glee During the dinner Marion 1 laughed and joked with the company company company com com- pany and for the first time in her stay really enjoyed herself Then the unpleasant happened Jolly Max announced with a abroad abroad abroad broad smile and with his spoon held high in the air that whether asked or not he intended to tell a story a very funny story about a alady alady alady lady and her slippers Marion drew in her breath and shot a frightened glance at the speaker All the men cast sly looks at her herand herand herand and smiled faint significant smiles smiles smiles-oh oh she could have sworn that they did The story progressed amid occasional of laughter laugh laugh- ter and at its conclusion a burst of hearty laughter thundered through the room During the story Marions Marion's eyes were fastened on her plate and not until Max 1 finished his story did she raise her head and as she avowed to herself she found every man regarding her with a quizzing fixed smile Pretty good story hey Miss Golden Robert Autman asked with a laugh giving her fingers a light playful tap with his fork No response came from Marion 1 and she choked down the rest of her her dinner in silence As the guests passed out of the room dining-room Leonard laid his hand on Marions Marion's shoulder Miss Golden he began in a low voice I I 1 Marion turned upon him with flaming cheecks and quivering lips Mr 1 r. r T Vance ance she burst out I hate you you o Ill I'll never forgive you for this insult and I never want to see you again Two hours after dinner the guests had gathered in the sitting- sitting room oom for another r round und of fun The sitting room was was large and att attractive active with its roaring grate fire and tonight had taken on a Christmas aspect Smilax entwined and ed the from which hung by a red ribbon a wreath of mistletoe Red Chi Chi- Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- st- st mas bells and boughs of holly hung in profusion about the room and bowls bo of house hot carnations made the air sweet with their perfume In a darkened room stood a big Christmas tree its boughs laden with bright red apples strings of snowy popcorn big oranges and balls of white candy Countless tiny-lighted tiny candles pink green red yellow white and blue tipped the boughs of the tree and made it look like a mass of twinkling stars The guests sat round in merry talkative groups eating cake and bonbons drinking fragrant steaming coffee Marion l and Mrs Walker alone did not mingle with the company company com company com com- pany and only one in the company noticed their absence Leonard absence Leonard Vance Out on the balcony Marion l stood still with a heavy fur- fur lined opera cloak about her She loved nature in all her mood moods and the clear moonlight night with its refreshing calm acted as a balm to her hurt feelings Marion l my dear why are you out here The kind voice of Mrs Walker broke softly t upon pon Marions Marion's ear What ails you child You dont don't act n natural tural Tell me dear does anything bother you you She put her arm anTI round Marion and at her touch the girl burst into p passionate sobbing Then she poured her story into Mrs Vl Walkers Walker's sympathetic ears A few minutes later the two women stood leaning on the banister in contemplative silence You believe me Marion Mrs Walker broke in softly Yes came from Marion in a low tremulous voice I do You You say Mr lVIr Vance has said nothing about that that that-that that time at the fire place Not a word or it would have come to my ears And Maxs Max's story today had nothing to do with me R Why nothing at all Your imagination alone my dear has i caused you all t this is misery Dont Don't you think so q Yes indeed I do think so I know it now Marrion l answered with tears welling up in her eyes And I I- I Hush Leonard is singing 1 From the sitting-room sitting to the accompaniment of a guitar Leonard's Leonards Leonards Leonard's Leonards Leonard's Leon Leon- ards ard's voice rang out in clear sweet tones He Ie was singing b an old if love song which Marion had known in her childhood Her tIer heart warmed toward vard him him- and his smiling face with its gray eyes rose up before her The song soothed her and she sighed a happy sigh Come dear said Mrs Walker as the music ceased Its cold here Lets Let's go in in Not a word passed between Marion and Leonard during the I i evening and when n she fell asleep that night there were vere a few tear-stains tear on her pillow Early the next morning an urgent telegram came for Leonard necessitating his immediate departure for his city home His taking leave-taking was soon known and as he stood hat in hand in the hall I r shaking hands and bidding good-bye good to his hostess and her guests Marion came down the stairway On seeing her he smiled How brave and kind his smile was Miss l Golding he began with a aa slight bow I must must must- t Good bye Mr Vance Marion broke in stretching out her hand to him F. F oJ He took it gravely and said When you you return to town Miss r r Golding may I have the pleasure of calling on you sometime if w All the guests gasped But Marion did not care Yes she answered straight forwardly And well we'll talk iii about about- t Pink slippers Vance looking at her very hard Marion larion blushed ed and then nodded f h As Leonard walked down dozen the path to the carriage Marion Marionr watched him What That fine broad shoulders he had and how well he J walked r That long coat becomes him doesn't it she whispered into f. f Mrs T Walkers Walker's alker's ear Mrs l Walker gave the girls girl's arm a squeeze eze and both women watched the carriage carnage drive away and disappear i. i Marion taking leave of her hostess with bright eyes ran up tip to her room and gave vent to a long happy happy sigh |