it would be alright.

"Look what I got you," he said, unwrapping the package he had bought at Columbus, and showing him a beautiful wig. "It will be the finishing touch. try it on."

Just

Fascinated by the prospect of the lovely hair, Charlie dressed. Ed drove the car downtown and parked it on a dimly lighted street. The only really bright lights were at the theater ticket office, and Ed told Charlie to hold his arm as a girl would do, while Ed bought the tickets. It went off fine, and Charlie was entranced to be sitting in the theater as a girl.

When Ed let him off at noon Saturday at Clarksburg he caught a bus to Coal City. At home he hid his new treasure, the wig, with the rest of his feminine clothes. His desire to be a girl now returned with such force that he felt nearly overwhelmed with it as he lay on his bed reliving his experiences with Ed Holden.

He seldom went out anywhere with the family when they were to be gone late at night. As soon as they left he would strip and don his feminine garments. He began walking around in the backyard in these clothes. One night when the family was gone for the night he dressed up and as he watched himself in the mirror he made a fateful decision. He walked through the back yard to the alley, walked up the alley to the street.

crossed the street and next street, then re- time he had the house

He saw no one coming so he continued on up the alley to the turned home. He did this every to himself overnight, each time becoming bolder and eventually venturing out on the more dimly lighted streets and getting farther from home.

That Christmas his uncle's family went to Chicago to visit Thelma and her husband. Charlie didn't go, as he had a job for the two weeks, so he had the place to himself for a whole week. Every night he dressed up and walked around on the streets.

One night he was walking along a dim street when a car pulled up beside him. He was terrified to see

55.