e
cloak room, with a flushed maid waiting for their wraps, and an edge
line of muffled newcomers pushing at their backs.

"It's a blessing we finished ourselves up to the last notch at home,"
said Patricia, with wide eyes of dismay for the throngs at the two
mirrors. "We haven't a chance to get a peep here, unless we stay all
night. Is my headpiece on all right, Elinor? I feel all askew after
that crush."

"You're as sweet as can be," answered Elinor, with a fond pride in
voice and eyes. "You make the dearest Fairy Banou, with these filmy
scarfs and draperies! Doesn't she, Miss Jinny?"

Miss Jinny, who was still enshrouded save for the torn veil, gave the
last pat to Patricia's gauzes, and handed the pink silk cloak to the
admiring maid, before she spoke. Then she looked Patricia over
thoroughly and gave her husky chuckle.

"I declare if I ain't a firm believer in fairies after this," she said
with frank affection. "There isn't anything prettier nor sweeter in
the whole ball, I'll warrant!"

Patricia laughed and blushed with pleasure, preening herself a little
and stretching on tiptoe to try to catch a glimpse in the crowded
mirror; there was a movement as a sultana who had been carmining her
full lips gave place to a dark beggar maid, and Patricia caught the
vision of a slender, airy figure, glittering beneath its gauzy
draperies with the sparkle of bright gold, and with the glint and
shimmer of rosy clanking bracelets and anklets, and the spangled glory
of the rose-crowned headpiece stirring a magical memory of Persia.

"Why, I am awfully nice!" she cried, delighted with the picture. "I'll
never know myself! Do get off your things, Norn, I'm crazy to see how
you look."

Elinor, helped by Miss Jinny, shed her wrappings and stood revealed as
a lovely Princess of China, with billowing draperies and flashing glass
jewels and a tiny filet sparking on her dark hair. Some of the swarm
about the mirrors turned at Patricia's exclamation, and with generous
admiration pressed back upon themselves so that for a moment the dark,
serious beauty of the Princess of China flashed out at Elinor from the
long oblong of the glass, filling her lovely eyes with a gratified
light and flushing her tinted cheeks a deeper pink.

"How sweet of you to let me see!" she cried impulsively to the houris
and queens and beggar-maids that had given her the brief tribute. "I
don't believe I know any of you, but I'm just as much obli