after completing a story assignment and before getting down to serious work on the next one scheduled. It was

17.

at this relaxed time that Elaine suggested a prank which had probably been incubating in her fertile brain for days. "Let's go out on the town, dear, and ball around for awhile. You've earned it and we have been living a sort of secluded life these past weeks. # I agreed willingly.

"All right, # she said, "but let's make it a real adventure, shall we?"

"As you wish, my treasure

I responded.

"Marvelous! I'll be Elaine and you'll go as Lori"

I stared at her in amazement.

"I mean it she chattered.

"It would be a lark."

"See here," I objected. "I never had a childhood compulsion to don feminine attire nor did my mother ever insist of making a 'little girl' of me. Our masquerade is simply a matter of literary convenience. o that ex- tent, it's effective, but this frolic you suggest is mad."

Τ

I held out against her rash proposal for a time, but ultimately her powers of persuasion swayed me into acquie- scence. Even though I knew it was against my better judge- ment, I was curious to see how our whimsical caper would work out. The risk, so far as I could see would be slight. With care, we wouldn't find ourselves in difficulties.

oan't

Elaine proceeded to brief me on our excursion. "We will be two business girls out for a mild fling. We flirt a little, but we don't get involved in anything we readily get out of. We'll go some place on the other side of the city where we won't encounter anyone who knows me. You they'd never recognize in a million years. Just one thing: Remember I'm just your girl friend, not your wife on this occasion. If you let your jealousy show we'll be ruined, understand?"

I hadn't thought of that angle. Would it make for complications? It might unless I subordinated my normal