five minutes of flying hands the transformation was completed. Her
thick hair of burnished black was piled on top of her head in gracious
disorder, and from it swayed a scarlet paper flower. About her lithe
body, over a black satin skirt, swathing her in its graceful folds,
clung a Spanish shawl of saffron-colored background with long brown
silken fringe, and flowered all over with brown and red and peacock
blue, and held in place by three huge barbaric pins jeweled with
colored glass, one at either hip and upon her right shoulder, leaving
her smooth shoulders bare and free. With no more than a glance to get
the hasty effect, she hurried up to the studio.

Hunt whistled at sight of her, but made no remark. Flushed, she looked
back at him defiantly. The Duchess gave no sign whatever of being
aware of the transformation.

Maggie with excited touches tried to improve her setting of the table,
aquiver with expectancy and suspense at the nearness of the meeting--
every nerve of audition strained to catch the first footfall upon the
stairs. Hunt, watching her, could but wonder, in case Larry was the
clever, dashing person that had been described, what would be the
outcome when these two natures met and perhaps joined forces.




CHAPTER IV


While the preparations for dinner were going on in the studio, down
below Larry turned a corner and swung up the narrow street toward the