"I see," says I, grinnin'. "You have the plans and specifications all
framed up and think you'd know her on sight, eh?"

Crosby nods and smiles sheepish. "It's gone further than that," says he.
"I--I've seen her."

"Well, well!" says I. "Where?"

He looks around cautious and then whispers confidential. "In that show
window."

"Eh" says I, gawpin'. "Oh! You mean you got the idea from one of the
dummies? Well, that's playin' it safe even if it is a little unique."

Crosby seems to hesitate a minute, as if debatin' whether to let it ride
at that or not, and then he goes on:

"Say," he asks, "do--do they ever put live ones in there?"

"Never heard of it's being done," says I. "Why?"

"Because," says he, "there's one in this window right now."

"You don't say?" says I. "Are you sure?"

"Step around front and I'll point her out," says he. "Now, right over in
that far--Why--why, say! She's gone!"

"Oh, come!" says I. "You've been seein' things, ain't you? Or maybe it
was only one of the salesladies in rearrangin' the display."

"No, no," says Crosby emphatic. "I tell you I had been watching her for
several minutes before I saw you, and she never moved except for a
flutter of the eyelids. She was standing back to, facing that mirror, so
I could see her face quite plainly. More than that, she could see me. Of
course, I wasn't quite sure, with all those others around. That's why I
spoke to you. I wanted to see what you'd say about her. And now she's
disappeared."

"Uh-huh!" says I. "Most likely, too, she was hauled head first through
that door in the back and if you stick around long enough maybe you'll
see her shoved in again, with a different dress on. Say, Mr. Rhodes, no
wonder you're skirt-shy if you never looked 'em over close enough not to
know the dummies from the live ones. Believe me, there's a lot of
difference."

But the josh don't seem to get him at all. He's still gawpin' puzzled
through the plate glass. Finally he goes on: "If this was the first
time, I might think you were right. But it isn't. I--I've seen her
before; several times, in fact."

"As bad as that, eh?" says I. "Then if I was you I'd look up a doctor."

"Now listen," says he. "I don't want you to think I'm foolish in the
head. I'm giving you this straight. Only you haven't heard it all yet.
You see, I've been walking past here nearly every day since I've been in
town--almost three weeks--and at about this time, between twelve-thirty