, had not yet turned forty.

"She's sane," he reiterated. "Though from what you tell me, it's a
wonder that she is." He smiled gently at the girl. "If you don't mind,
my dear, tell us just what happened to you, as calmly as you can."

She sat by an electrolier in Dr. Alten's living room. The yellow light
gleamed on her white satin dress, on her white shoulders, her
beautiful face with its little round black beauty patch, and the curls
of the white wig dangling to her neck. From beneath the billowing,
flounced skirt the two satin points of her slippers showed.

A beauty of the year 1777! This thing so strange! I gazed at her with
quickened pulse. It seemed that I was dreaming; that as I sat before
her in my tweed business suit with its tubular trousers I was the
anachronism! This should have been candle-light illumining us; I
should have been a powdered and bewigged gallant, in gorgeous satin
and frilled shirt to match her dress. How strange, how futuristic we
three men of 1935 must have looked to her! And this city through which
we had whirled her in the throbbing taxi--no wonder she was
overwrought.

Alten fumbled in the pockets of his dressing gown for cigarettes. "Go
ahead, Miss Mary. You are among friends. I promise we will try and
understand."

* * * * *

She smiled. "Yes. I--I believe you." Her voice was low. She sat
staring at the floor, choosing her words carefully; and though she
stumbled a little, her story was coherent. Upon the wings of her words
my fancy conjured that other Time-world, more than a hundred and fifty
years ago.

"I was at home to-night," she began. "To-night after dinner. I have no
relatives except my father. He is General Washington's aide. We
live--our home is north of the city. I was alone, except for the
servants.

"Father sent word to-night that he was coming to see me. The
messenger got through the British lines. But the redcoats are
everywhere. They were quartered in our house. For months I have been
little more than a servant to a dozen of My Lord's Howe's officers.
They are gentlemen, though: I have no complaint. Then they left, and
father, knowing it, wanted to come to see me.

"He should not have tried it. Our house is watched. He promised me he
would not wear the British red." She shuddered. "Anything but that--to
have him executed as a spy. He would not risk that, but wear merely a
long black cloak.

"He was to come about ten o'clock.