She started at my touch. Then she seemed to remember, and flung
herself into her part with abandon.

When the ghost was on, I had a brilliant idea.

"Leave the hangman out," I whispered, "and put up Judy instead. We'll
have a reconciliation to finish with."

And so to Punch, sobered, shaking, cowering in the corner, with his
little plaster hands before his face, came his poor wife. (Oh, but she
did it well!) Gently, timidly, bravely, she laid a trembling hand upon
his shoulder, and coaxed his hands from before his frightened eyes,
then, backing, stood with outstretched, appealing little arms--a
gesture at once so loving and pathetic that Punch was fain to thrust
his sleeve before his eyes and turn his face in shame to the wall.
Softly went Judy to him again, touched him, and waited. And as he
turned again, to find two little arms stealing about his neck, and a
poor, bare, bruised head upon his chest, he flung his arms about her
with a toot of joy, and clasped her in the accepted fashion. Oh, very
charming.

This was greeted with prolonged applause.

"Hold it," I said. "Hold the picture!"

As she obeyed I slid my left arm about her, ready to lift her up.

Suddenly Punch became limp and lifeless in his wife's embrace, and with
my freed right hand I slipped her mask over her forehead, smiled into
her eyes, and kissed them.

"I promised not to ask again."

"Punch!"

So for a moment we two let the world wag. Then the whole booth fell
heavily over, mouth uppermost, and we within it. It was the final of
the animal race that was responsible for our overthrow. The black pig,
blind with jealous rage and mortification at being beaten on the tape
by a cochin china, had borne violently down upon the booth and upset
it, with wicked grunts of satisfaction.

"Hurt, dear?" said I.

"No."

As she slipped her mask into place, Berry put his head in at the mouth
of the booth. Maskless, noseless, I looked at him. Slowly his
astonished features relaxed in a grin.

"So!" he said softly. "I might have known."

CHAPTER II

CLOTHES AND THE MAN

"This," said Berry, "is all right. By which I mean--"

We assured him we knew what he meant, and that no explanation was
necessary.

"All right," he said at last. "There. I've said it again now. You're
quite sure you do know what I mean? Because, if you've the least
hesitation--"

"Will you be quiet?" said Daphne.

"Alright."

It was a beautiful A