in convenient doorways, and executes showy scrolls and
tendrils in the way of initial letters "while you wait."

As the door closed behind A.O., Elise sent her book flying across the
room, and the next moment was groping under the bed for a dress-box
which she had hidden there. A blond wig that she had bought while in
Washington for next week's tableaux tumbled out first, with a motley
collection of borrowed articles, which she had been at great pains to
procure.

Laughing so that she could hardly dress, Elise began to make a hurried
change. Five minutes later she stood before the glass completely
disguised. Cornie Dean's long black skirt trailed around her. A.O.'s
own jacket fitted her snugly, with Margaret Elwood's new black feather
boa, which had just been sent her from home, hiding the cut of its
familiar collar. Jane Ridgeway's second best spectacles covered her
mischievous eyes, and a black veil was draped over the small toque and
blond hair in such a way that its broad band of crape hid the lower part
of her face. As a finishing touch a piece of gold-leaf, pressed over
part of an upper front tooth, gave the effect of a large gold filling,
whenever she smiled.

She had provided herself with a pair of black gloves, but at the last
moment the left-hand glove could not be found. When all her frantic
overturnings failed to bring it to light, she gave up the search, not
wanting to lose any more valuable time. The little flat feather muff
which went with the boa would hide the fact that she had only one glove.
Thrusting her bare hand into it, she stopped for only one thing more, a
black bordered card, which bore the name in old English type, _Mrs.
Robertson Redmond_. It was one which had been sent up to her by one of
her mother's friends, who called at the Claiborne's, and was partly
responsible for this disguise. It had suggested the black veil with the
crape border.

Dodging past several open doors she reached the south corridor in safety
and raising the window that opened on a back court, she stepped out on
the fire escape. Cornie's long skirt nearly tripped her, and it was no
easy matter to cling to the rounds of the iron ladder, with a muff in
one hand and her skirts constantly wrapping around her. Luckily she had
only one flight to descend. Stopping a moment to smooth her ruffled
plumage and get her breath, she walked around to the front of the house,
climbed the steps, and boldly lifted the great knocker.