from the pile she had brought with her, and there was the finest of lingerie, frilly with lace and ruffles panties, chemises, petticoats, brassieres with various kinds of padding, and lacy garterbelts. Another box contained a lovely white afternoon frock with eyelet embroidery at bodice and waist and around the short skirt. In spite of himself, Leslie felt a great longing to try it on, to enfold himself in the soft flowing folds of the material and to breathe in the delicate scent.

There were also gossamer sheer stockings and little garter tabs adorned with pink rosettes. And one box contained a pair of white patent-leather shoes with heels higher than Leslie had ever worn before. How would he ever be able to walk in them, he wondered.

"Oh, how terrible!" Marie cried out suddenly in horror.

"What's the matter, my dear?" asked Miss Staylace.

"Madame had bought Miss Leslie a new corset, and I find that I have forgotten to bring it," Marie wailed piteously.

Leslie cheered up considerably at this piece of news. While he was more or less used to his other girlish attire, even to the point of permitting himself to enjoy wearing it, he still hated the tight corsets which his aunt insisted upon, and he was jubilant at the thought of finally being spared the ordeal this time.

His jubilation soon turned into gloom Page 18

as Miss Staylace said, "Don't worry about such a minor thing, Marie. My wardrobe contains dozens of corsets of every size and description. I'm sure that we'll be able to find one to fit Miss Leslie perfectly. In fact, I know we can."

"I'm sorry, "Marie said, brightening up considerably. "I had forgotten that your collection was so huge."

Miss Staylace went over to her large chest of drawers and rummaged about in it for a few moments. Then she came up with a devilish contrivance of pink satin and lace, elastic and whalebone which seemed to Leslie to have beer fashioned in hell itself.

"Here we are," chirped Miss Staylace brightly. "Just what the doctor ordered. It should fit our Miss Leslie to a veritable 'T', unless I miss my guess.

Leslie was led over to a corner of them bedroom which was flanked by floorto-ceiling mirrors. Miss Staylace pressed a hidden swicth on the wall, and the soft whirring of an electric motor could be heard. Just over Leslie's head a trapezelike device was descending. When it came low enough for Leslie to grasp it with his fingers, Miss Staylace touched the switch once more and the lacing bar halted.

"Just grasp the bar with your fingers, Miss Leslie," commanded Miss Staylace. "I guarantee that we'll achieve a perfect fit." Leslie knew all about lacing bars, for there was one in his bedroom at home. But Page 19