the moment was to decide on my duty for to-morrow. For
everybody's sake it appeared best that I should excuse myself to
Delphine and escape to town, since nothing could be gained by another
interview with Ralph Maplestone. I would send him a letter, repeating
my protestations that I could never be his wife, and begging him to
forget me with all possible speed. When he called at the Vicarage to
answer it, he would find that the bird had fled.

The early morning sunlight was stealing in at the window. I closed my
tired eyes and fell asleep.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

A GLORIOUS THING.

The first day after taking possession of my flat, I paid a visit to a
celebrated expert in theatrical "make up," and paid for his help and
advice. It is not an easy thing for a young woman to transform herself
into an old one, and I have a weakness for doing a thing well, when I
set about it. He was a delightful man! I remember him with the
liveliest appreciation. I was nervous and embarrassed, but in two
minutes he put me at my ease. From his manner you would have supposed
that my errand was as ordinary and conventional as buying a postage
stamp, while his keenness, his cleverness, his professional zest were
refreshing to behold. He stared at, and criticised my face, with as
much impersonality as if it had been a picture on the wall.

"Always look for the predominant factor--the feature, or features, which
give personality to the face. In your case they are undoubtedly the
eyebrows and the curve of the upper lip. A few judicious touches to
these will alter the whole expression to a surprising extent. A few
more lines will give age. The wig and spectacles are the refuges of the
amateur. In themselves they can do little, but with the touches I
suggest, and a deep-toned powder to darken the skin, your disguise will
be complete. You shall see--you shall see!"

He motioned to a chair before a mirror, and set to work, explaining each
detail as he went along. It was marvellous to see how beneath the sweep
of a tiny brush my youth and good looks faded and disappeared! Then he
made me wash it all off, and do the same thing for myself. Three times
over the process was repeated before I "passed" to his satisfaction. To
my relief he laughed at the idea of the india-rubber pads, and indeed
they were no longer required, but he gave me a small appliance which
could be used when I especially desired to alter my voice. Then he sent