ubber into his
mouth and tucked them away on either side of his upper row of
teeth. They were not particularly uncomfortable to wear.

"There's your specs," said Crook, handing him a spectacle case,
"and there's the collar. Now if you'll put on the rest of the
duds, we'll have a look at you, sir."

Desmond went out and donned the vest and coat and overcoat, and,
thus arrayed, returned to the Pullman, hat in hand.

Crook called out to him as he entered

"Not so springy in the step, sir, if you please. Remember you're
forty-three years of age with a Continental upbringing. You'll
have to walk like a German, toes well turned out and down on the
heel every time. So, that's better. Now, have a look at
yourself!"

He turned and touched a blind. A curtain rolled up with a click,
disclosing a full length mirror immediately opposite Desmond.

Desmond recoiled in astonishment. He could scarcely credit his
own eyes. The glass must be bewitched, he thought for a moment,
quite overwhelmed by the suddenness of the shock. For instead of
the young face set on a slight athletic body that the glass was
wont to show him, he saw a square, rather solid man in ugly,
heavy clothes, with a brown silky beard and gold spectacles. The
disguise was baffling in its completeness. The little wizard, who
had effected this change and who now stood by, bashfully twisting
his fingers about, had transformed youth into middle age. And the
bewildering thing was that the success of the disguise did not
lie so much in the external adjuncts, the false beard, the
pencilled wrinkles, as in the hideous collar, the thick padded
clothes, in short, in the general appearance.

For the first time since his talk with the Chief at the United
Service Club, Desmond felt his heart grow light within him. If
such miracles were possible, then he could surmount the other
difficulties as well.

"Crook," he said, "I think you've done wonders. What do you say,
Matthews?"

"I've seen a lot of Mr. Crook's work in my day, sir," answered
the clerk, "but nothing better than this. It's a masterpiece,
Crook, that's what it is."

"I'm fairly well satisfied," the expert murmured modestly, "and I
must say the Major carries it off very well. But how goes the
enemy, Matthews?"

"It's half past two," replied, the latter, "we should reach
Cannon Street by three. She's running well up to time, I think."

"We've got time for a bit of a rehearsal," said Crook. "Just
watch me, w