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moment； either in expression of his personal independence； or from
curiosity to know what the shoeman was going to say of the bronze
slippers。
Clementina felt the fascination； too； she thought the slippers were
beautiful； and her foot thrilled with a mysterious prescience of its
fitness for them。
〃Now； the'e； ladies； or as I may say guls； if you'll excuse it in one
that's moa like a fatha to you than anything else； in his feelings〃the
girls tittered； and some one shouted derisively〃It's true！now there
is a shoe； or call it a slippa； that I've rutha hesitated about showin'
to you； because I know that you're all rutha serious…minded； I don't ca'e
how young ye be； or how good…lookin' ye be； and I don't presume the'e's
one among you that's eve head o' dancin'。〃 In the mirthful hooting and
mocking that followed； the shoeman hedged gravely from the extreme
position he had taken。 〃What？ Well； maybe you have among some the summa
folks； but we all know what summa folks ah'； and I don't expect you to
patte'n by them。 But what I will say is that if any young lady within
the sound of my voice；〃he looked round for the applause which did not
fail him in his parody of the pulpit style〃should get an invitation to
a dance next winta； and should feel it a wo'k of a charity to the young
man to go； she'll be sorryon his account； remembathat she ha'n't got
this pair o' slippas。
The'a！ They're a numba two； and they'll fit any lady here； I don't ca'e
how small a foot she's got。 Don't all speak at once； sistas ！ Ample
time allowed for meals。 That's a custom…made shoe； and if it hadn't b'en
too small for the lady they was oddid foh； you couldn't…'a' got 'em for
less than seven dollas； but now I'm throwin' on 'em away for three。〃
A groan of dismay went up from the whole circle； and some who had pressed
forward for a sight of the slippers； shrank back again。
〃Did I hea' just now；〃 asked the shoeman； with a soft insinuation in his
voice； and in the glance he suddenly turned upon Clementina； 〃a party
addressed as Boss？〃 Clementina flushed； but she did not cower； the chef
walked away with a laugh； and the shoeman pursued him with his voice。
〃Not that I am goin' to folla the wicked example of a man who tries to
make spot of young ladies； but if the young lady addressed as Boss〃
〃Miss Claxon；〃 said the clerk with ingratiating reverence。
〃Miss ClaxonI Stan' corrected；〃 pursued the shoeman。 〃If Miss Claxon
will do me the fava just to try on this slippa； I sh'd be able to tell at
the next place I stopped just how it looked on a lady's foot。 I see you
a'n't any of you disposed to buy 'em this aftanoon； 'and I a'n't
complainin'； you done pootty well by me； already； and I don't want to
uhge you； but I do want to carry away the picture； in my mind's eyewhat
you may call a mental photographof this slipper on the kind of a foot
it was made fob； so't I can praise it truthfully to my next customer。
What do you say； ma'am？〃 he addressed himself with profound respect to
Clementina。
〃Oh； do let him； Clem！〃 said one of the girls； and another pleaded； 〃Just
so he needn't tell a story to his next customa；〃 and that made the rest
laugh。
Clementina's heart was throbbing； and joyous lights were dancing in her
eyes。 〃I don't care if I do；〃 she said； and she stooped to unlace her
shoe； but one of the big girls threw herself on her knees at her feet to
prevent her。 Clementina remembered too late that there was a hole in her
stocking and that her little toe came through it； but she now folded the
toe artfully down； and the big girl discovered the hole in time to abet
her attempt at concealment。 She caught the slipper from the shoeman and
harried it on； she tied the ribbons across the instep； and then put on
the other。 〃Now put out youa foot； Clem！ Fast dancin' position！〃 She
leaned back upon her own heels； and Clementina daintily lifted the edge
of her skirt a little； and peered over at her feet。 The slippers might
or might not have been of an imperfect taste； in their imitation of the
prevalent fashion； but on Clementina's feet they had distinction。
〃Them feet was made for them slippas；〃 said the shoeman devoutly。
The clerk was silent； he put his hand helplessly to his mouth； and then
dropped it at his side again。
Gregory came round the corner of the building from the dining…room； and
the big girl who was crouching before Clementina； and who boasted that
she was not afraid of the student； called saucily to him； 〃Come here； a
minute； Mr。 Gregory；〃 and as he approached； she tilted aside； to let him
see Clementina's slippers。
Clementina beamed up at him with all her happiness in her eyes； but after
a faltering instant； his face reddened through its freckles； and he gave
her a rebuking frown and passed on。
〃Well； I decla'e！〃 said the big girl。 Fane turned uneasily； and said
with a sigh； he guessed he must be going； now。
A blight fell upon the gay spirits of the group； and the shoeman asked
with an ironical glance after Gregory's retreating figure； 〃Owna of this
propaty？〃
〃No； just the ea'th；〃 said the big girl； angrily。
The voice of Clementina made itself heard with a cheerfulness which had
apparently suffered no chill； but was really a rising rebellion。 〃How
much ah' the slippas？〃
〃Three dollas；〃 said the shoeman in a surprise which he could not conceal
at Clementina's courage。
She laughed； and stooped to untie the slippers。 〃That's too much for
me。〃
〃Let me untie 'em； Clem；〃 said the big girl。 〃It's a shame for you eva
to take 'em off。〃
〃That's right； lady；〃 said the shoeman。 〃And you don't eva need to；〃 he
added； to Clementina； 〃 unless you object to sleepin' in 'em。 You pay me
what you want to now； and the rest when I come around the latta paht of
August。〃
〃Oh keep 'em； Clem！〃 the big girl urged； passionately； and the rest
joined her with their entreaties。
〃I guess I betta not；〃 said Clementina； and she completed the work of
taking off the slippers in which the big girl could lend her no further
aid； such was her affliction of spirit。
〃All right； lady；〃 said the shoeman。 〃Them's youa slippas； and I'll just
keep 'em for you till the latta paht of August。〃
He drove away； and in the woods which he had to pass through on the road
to another hotel he overtook the figure of a man pacing rapidly。 He
easily recognized Gregory； but he bore him no malice。 〃Like a lift？〃
he asked； slowing up beside him。
〃No； thank you；〃 said Gregory。 〃I'm out for the walk。〃 He looked round
furtively； and then put his hand on the side of the wagon； mechanically；
as if to detain it； while he walked on。
〃Did you sell the slippers to the young lady？〃
〃Well； not as you may say sell； exactly；〃 returned the shoeman；
cautiously。
〃Have you…got them yet？〃 asked the student。
〃Guess so；〃 said the man。 〃Like to see 'em？〃
He pulled up his horse。
Gregory faltered a moment。 Then he said； I'd like to buy them。 Quick！〃
He looked guiltily about； while the shoeman alertly obeyed； with some
delay for a box to put them in。 〃How much are they？〃
〃Well； that's a custom made slipper； and the price to the lady that
oddid'em was seven dollas。 But I'll let you have 'em for threeif you
want 'em for a present。〃 The shoeman was far too discreet to permit
himself anything so overt as a smile； he merely let a light of
intelligence come into his face。
Gregory paid the money。 〃Please consider this as confidential；〃 he said；
and he made swiftly away。 Before the shoeman could lock the drawer that
had held the slippers； and clamber to his perch under the buggy…hood；
Gregory was running back to him again。
〃Stop！〃 he called； and as he came up panting in an excitement which the
shoeman might well have mistaken for indignation attending the discovery
of some blemish in his purchase。 〃Do you regard this as in any manner a
deception？〃 he palpitated。
〃Why；〃 the shoeman began cautiously； 〃it wa'n't what you may call a
promise； exactly。 More of a joke than anything else； I looked on it。 I
just said I'd keep 'em for her； but〃
〃You don't understand。 If I seemed to disapproveif I led any one to
suppose； by my manner； or byanythingthat I thought it unwise or
unbecoming to buy the shoes； and then bought them myself； do you think it
is in the nature of an acted falsehood？〃
〃Lo'd no！〃 said the shoeman； and he caught up the slack of his reins to
drive on； as if he thought this amusing maniac might also be dangerous。
Gregory stopped him with another question。 〃And shallwill youthink
it necessary to speak ofof this transaction？ I leave you free！〃
〃Well；〃 said the shoeman。 〃I don't know what you're after； exactly； but
if you think I'm so shot on for subjects that I've got to tell the folks
at the next stop that I sold a fellar a pair of slippas for his gulGo
'long！〃 he called to his horse； and left Gregory standing in the middle
of the road。
VIII。
The people who came to the Middlemount in July were ordinarily the
nicest； but that year the August folks were nicer than usual and there
were some students among them； and several graduates just going into
business； who chose to take their outing there i