RANSVESTIA

One came straight to me, ignoring calls from several other passengers on the way-how nice that made Karen feel-and grasped my case in one enormous fist while politely handing me down from the compartment with the other.

"Thank you. Will you get me a taxi please."'

He looked doubtful.

"I'll try, Miss, but there aren't many around at this time in the morning. There wasn't even one a couple of minutes ago."

Instantly depressed I was wholly Keith. "Why can't anything go for me? Now I've got to hang around here for heaven knows how long and someone's bound to see I'm a man." But then Karen took over, firm and confident. "Pull yourself together and stop moaning. If there's no taxi ask him to take you to the Ladies' Waiting Room. Buy a paper and sit and read there for a bit. Don't forget that as a woman it would be unwise to just hang about the station."

Sensible advice. There was no taxi. On the way to the waiting room I got the porter to buy me an early paper and made him promise to come and get me as soon as a taxi turned up. He was more than ready to do so-marvellous what a girl's smile will do.

The paper was like all other cheap papers worldwide-filled with the platitudes of inept politicians side by side with details of the more sordid crimes. Even now, I thought, I might still figure in such a rag if anyone were to see through Karen and find Keith. Almost I could see the headlines-"Smartly Dressed Woman A Man,” “Beautiful Girl A Fake," "Petticoated Man On Station." And then my confidence crashed in ruins about me for I really did see the headlines. But there was nothing about Karen in them. Just "Hotel Fire In Scotland," "Lightning Strike Starts Blaze," "Man Dies." And as I read the short account a cold chill settled around my heart.

"In a thunderstorm last evening the Glenburn Hotel near Benbrae in South Scotland was struck by lightning. Considerable damage was caused to the upper floors before the resultant blaze could be brought under control.

"Later the body of a man believed to be a Mr. Davidson of West