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world as a woman, I was seized by an unreasonable panic. With shaking hand, I lit another cigarette and tried to collect my thoughts. But fear gnawed at my confidence. Suppose Juniper would not be there! Suppose this were all a figment of my wild imagina- tion--a hallucination! Was I really a woman?

Waiting and wondering would solve nothing.

Again, the unexplainable force directed me to the door. As it clicked shut behind me, I dropped the key into the brown leather purse and strode down the hall. Evelyn Burton was meeting the world for the first time!

Once on the street, my spirits lifted. The sensation of being out among people as a woman ex- cited me. After the first few interested glances assured me that others saw what I had seen in the mirror, the doubt began to vanish. Almost as if they were directed by the same uncanny force that gave me the reserves of courage, the heavy clouds that hung over the city began to give way to large areas of blue sky.

Pausing for a moment to get my bearings, I savor- ed the fresh, clean air that the morning rain had left in its wake. My dilemma seemed smaller now and with spirits high, I turned in the direction of my meeting determined that whatever mystery the next few hours held, it would not detract from the joy of my first experience in public as a woman. I had not reckoned with fate, however.

The hotel occupied an entire city block. I walked close to the building, pausing at each shop window to enjoy the displays of the elements of my new life: handbags, shoes, lingerie, etc. The last of these was an exhibit of costume jewelry While it did not particularly interest me overall, a pair of simulated pearl earrings caught my eye. In the in- stant it took to turn for a second glance, I collided

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