As I stood behind the curtain I saw his face, I fled; but one shoe--the empty one--was not well fastened, and it fell.

I could not walk.

I reached down, removed the other shoe with its note, hid it in my handkerchief--thank Providence for the fashion of so much lace--and so, not in wine, Monsieur, as you may believe, and somewhat anxious, as you may also believe, expecting to hear at once of an encounter between Van Zandt and the Mexican minister, Senor Almonte, or his attache Yturrio, or between one of them and some one else, I made my adieux--I will warrant the only woman in her stocking feet who bowed for Mr.Tyler at the ball that night!" "Yes, so far as I know, Madam, you are the only lady who ever left the East Room precisely so clad.

And so you got into your own carriage--alone--after a while?
And so, when you were there you put on the shoe which was left?
And so Yturrio of Mexico got the other one--and found nothing in it! And so, he wanted this one!" "You come on," she said.

"You have something more than a trace of brain." "And that other shoe, which _I_ got that night ?" Without a word she smoothed out a bit of paper which she removed from a near-by desk, and handed it to me.