idea. Sitting down, I scribbled a note to Daphne to the effect that, owing to a sleepless night, my nerve had forsaken me, and that, unable to face the terror of the bazaar, I had fled to Town, and should not be back till late. I added that I should be with her in the spirit, which, after all, was the main thing. 

 I put on a long overcoat and a soft hat. The nose went into one pocket, the mask into another. Then I went cautiously downstairs and into the dining-room. It was empty, and breakfast was partially laid. 

 In feverish haste I hacked about a pound of meat off a York ham and nearly as much off a new tongue. Wrapping the slices in a napkin, I thrust them into the pocket with the nose. To add half a brown loaf to the mask and drain the milk jug was the work of another moment, and, after laying the note on Daphne's plate, I slipped out of the French windows and into the bushes as I heard William come down the passage. A quarter of an hour later I was back again in the wood. 

 She was sitting on a log, swinging her legs to and fro. When I took off my coat and hat, she clapped her hands in delight. 

 "Wait till you see the nose," said I. 

 When presently I slipped that French monstrosity into place, she laughed so immoderately that her brown hair broke loose from under the black silk cap and tumbled gloriously about her shoulders. 

 "There now," she said.  "See what you've done." 

 "Good for the nose," said I. 

 "It's all very well to say that, but it took me ages to get it all under the wretched cap this morning." 

 "I shouldn't put it back again if I were you. You see," I went on earnestly, "everybody will know you're a girl, Judy dear." 

 "Why, Punch?"  She drew aside the dust coat and revealed the wide Pierrot trousers she was wearing. 

 "Priceless," I admitted.  "But what I really love are your feet." 

 She looked concernedly at her little, high-heeled shoes. 

 I stooped to flick the dust from their patent leather. 

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