TRANSVESTIA

"Hmm the Great White Whale, eh? Stay out of harpoon range, my dear," said Wendell, suddenly walking away before I could say anything. I should have known he was planning something!

Deserted by the treacherous Wendell I stood still as the battle forma- tion of my step-relatives bore down on me and swept on by. They had not — did not recognize me! In less than a second, mind-numbing fear had given place to a flood of relief, which was just as speedily replaced by a feeling of exultation.

The orchestra was returning and I began looking around to see if I could find Wendell or if he had simply taken flight. I saw him engaged in a casual conversation with an odd-looking character some distance away and I casually drifted over to where he stood, hoping to embarrass him, in case he was busy pursuing his own ends.

"Darling,” I said. “I wondered where you had gone." The fleeting expression of annoyance at my use of "darling" was priceless, but I hardly had time to enjoy my little triumph because Wendell was saying,

"I would like to present his Highness, Prince Cornelius, of Saxe- Gotheburg, Heir Manifest of the Twin Crowns - my, ah niece, er — he looked at me for a split second before lowering his eyelids and saying, "Cinderella Hochenschneider." I could have killed the miserable wretch at that moment. My last name is really Smith.

The Prince, however, didn't bat an eye but merely took my hand and bowed over it, saying, in a reedy voice. "Charmed." I didn't know whether I was supposed to curtsey in return and couldn't have if my head depended on it. I merely nodded to him, before essaying my asth- matic response, "The honor is mine." Wendell audibly gritted his teeth.

The Prince was slightly shorter than I and despite looking a little plump was not too bad overall. I thought his features were a trifle too delicate for him to be called handsome, but then, the girls in our part of the country were never too particular.

―

When he had straightened up and stepped back, however, I noticed that his eyes were riveted on the front of my gown a rather weird feel- ing to be the object of that sort of look, you know? I've done it myself but this was the first time I had ever been the object of such a study.