"I'M SURE THAT'S So, "GERALD AGREED. "BUT, STILL AND ALL, I'M AFRAID MY TACTICS WERE A BIT HARSH. IT TURNS OUT THAT HE IS QUITE A NICE FELLOW, AFTER ALL,"

"YES," MISS LOUISE SAID. "SO I HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE. I DID SEE YOU DANCING WITH HIM AFTER THE EMBARRASSING INCIDENT TOOK PLACE."

GERALD NODDED. "I FELT I OWED HIM THAT, AT LEAST."

"AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT YOUR AUNT INVITED HIM OVER TO YOUR HOUSE YESTERDAY, WHERE HE SPENT A MOST EDUCATIONAL AFTER-

NOON, "MISS LOUISE SMILED. "SO EDUCATIONAL,

IN FACT, THAT HE NOW ACKNOWLEDGES HIS LOVE FOR FEMININE CLOTHES."

"YES, THAT IS TRUE, "GERALD BLUSHED, REMEMBERING THE PASSIONATE AFTERNOON HE MAD SPENT WITH JAMES.

"IT MIGHT INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT HIS MOTHER HAS DECIDED TO ENROLL HIM IN OUR SCHOOL, "MISS LOUISE DECLARED.

GERALD WAS ASTONISHED.

"DO YOU REALLY AND TRULY MEAN IT?" HE INQUIRED AFTER A MOMENT OF TOTAL DISBELIEF.

"I CERTAINLY DO," MISS LOUISE SAID. 32

"FOR QUITE SOME TIME SHE HAS WONDERED WHAT SHE SHOULD DO ABOUT JAMES' UNUSUAL INTEREST IN HIS SISTER'S LINGERIE. ENROLLING HIM IN OUR SEMINARY FOR A TRIAL TERM AND LETTING HIM LIVE AS A GIRL FOR THAT PERIOD SEEMED LOGICAL STEPS TO TAKE."

0

SUPPOSE IT WOULD SEEM THAT WAY," GERALD REPLIED.

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INWARDLY, HE FOUND HIMSELF WITH CONTRASTING EMOTIONS. GERALD WAS NATURALLY PLEASED THAT HIS FRIEND WAS COMING TO THE SCHOOL AND WOULD SEE HIM OFTEN, BUT HE WAS ALSO WORRIED THAT JAMES HAD BEEN PRESSURED INTO COMING TO THE SCHOOL BY HIS MOTHER AND MIGHT BE UNHAPPY LIVING FULL-TIME AS A GIRL.

"HOW DOES JIMMY HIMSELF FEEL ABOUT ATTENDING THE SEMINARY, MISS LOUISE?" GERALD INQUIRED.

"I SPOKE TO HIM MYSELF AN HOUR AGO IN THIS VERY OFFICE,' THE HEADMISTRESS DECLARED, "AND HE SEEMED DELIGHTED AT THE IDEA. AND HE SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN YOU WHO HAD INSPIRED HIS DECISION."

"ME?" GERALD REPLIED INCREDULOUSLY. "HOW COULD THAT BE? ALL I DID WAS LET HIM WEAR SOME OF MY CLOTHES YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND SHOW HIM HOW TO MAKE UP HIS FACE."

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