RANSVESTIA

night was the first time that I've ever been out in public. And wild horses couldn't have dragged me out even then but that horrible man did."

"But how do you manage about clothes and things if you never go out? Where-how do you get them?"

"Well-Keith buys undies and accessories and things as gifts for his sister. Dresses and coats and shoes I get mail order, usually as Karen. I took a correspondence course in dressmaking as Karen. Got a com- mendation too at the end and a dress I made was put on exhibition by the school. They wrote and asked me to model it for the end of course display and I had hurriedly to invent an unbreakable engage- ment to get out of that one. I make things now and alter things that I've bought if they need it."

There was another silence. Then so softly that I could only just hear:

"Karen darling, does your sewing skill-could you—would you like to make a gorgeous wedding dress?"

My heart thumped.

"For whom?"

"For yourself."

"And who, kind sir, am I to marry?"

"M-Me. Please. Oh please darling, me. Please, please say yes." "Oh Alan beloved. Oh yes, please yes."

And it is a gorgeous wedding dress-creamy white silk-real silk, not nylon-with a veil of old Brussels lace and a square neck line and long sleeves and a tight bodice and a full skirt. And the veil is old and the dress is new and Alan, would you believe (?) has loaned me a hankie he had when he was a little girl and that's something

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