nightwear clinging softly to him, and the ridiculous picture of himself in a woman's nightie overcame his mind, and he wanted the bed to open up and swallow him. The realization came, however, that he was more afraid of being found out as being a boy in woman's clothing than he was of dying in mistake for Irena.

I must be the best Irena I can be, he trembled at the forbidden thought. No-one

must

ever suspect that I'm Esteban Varga. He shuddered as vistas of how he might be discovered flooded his mind. I'd die, he thought, panic- stricken. I'd really die on the spot. I must learn to think that I am Irena, he thought, his face burning as he lay rest- lessly on the sensuous bed- clothing. He fought to go to sleep, to leave such thoughts alone, tossing even more rest- lessly from side to side, caus- ing even more embarrassing thoughts as he was carressed by his new and strange night- clothes.

****

**

Salluca was angry through- out the following week with Consuela, leaving her strictly alone with Esteban/Irena. He had blamed her for introducing the discordant note into the dinner with Aguilar. The general had left, Salluca noted, with an icy expression on his face.

Then, too, despite the re- lease of Abrado Camar from San Martin, and the announced sup- port of Gonzalo Diaz for Irena's program of Reconciliation, there was an obvious reluctance by either the Party or the public to accept the sudden reversal of a well-established policy. The news from El Chaco was not encouraging, either. Fights between Internal Police and Regular Army units, both actual and in strategy meetings, had prevented Aguilar from ordering the counter-attack, publicly announced four days before.

The deep shadows under Salluca's eyes and his generally haggard appearance elicited no sympathy, however, from Esteban/Irena. 'She' had been summoned to a morning con- ference by the Vice President, along with 'her' usual guards, Consuela and Isabel. Wearing the straight uniform skirt and low heels were a little easier for Irena than the swishing, sensual dresses that Consuela kept him in at the hotel apart- ment. Esteban, though, had had to endure almost a continuous scrutiny of many men, par- ticularly the soldiers loyal to Irena, and who were all trying desperately hard to impress their exotic President with their de- votion to her personally. 'She' was, of course, finely made up for the meeting. Consuela had arranged the hair of Irena's wig so that it fell onto the nape of 'her' neck and around 'her' chin, a constant reminder to Esteban of the role he was to fulfill.

"Who is Ricardo?" were Salluca's first words, directed at Consuela.

The Secretary shrugged, but then gave a violent start and snapped her fingers smartly. "Saeyan y Querido!" she ex- claimed. "Irena spent two weeks with him at Lago del Pre earlier this year. He must have been the one she had her latest affair with ---the one she was slipping off to meet all last month.' "Her lover?” Isabel's voice held a note of amusement. She was watching the distress creep across the new Irena's feminized features.

""

Consuela frowned at her but then nodded. "Why did you want to know who Ricardo is?" she asked, turning back to Salluca.

The Vice President sighed and leaned back in the high, leather chair, rubbing a hand across his swollen eyes. "He's sent at least five messages to Irena in the last week, along with those," he indicated a

-17.

vase full of gorgeous, red roses. He picked up a folder from his desk. "He wants Irena to meet him," he glanced up at the 'girl' seated so stiffly on the other side of the desk from him, "in the usual place.

""

"I'll take care of that," Consuela said firmly. "I'll see that his ardor's cooled down quite considerably." She took a quick look at Esteban, noting the lines of anxiety that eye- liner and green eyeshadow could not hide. "You'll have no trouble from that direction," she said quietly to the girl beside her.

"There are other things," said Salluca, turning to a list on his desk. "Margoles is now raving for an interview. . . . as is Gonzalo," he glanced icily at Isabel, who returned him look for look. "Also, the Ameri- cans want to send a representa- tive here to talk to you, Irena," he spoke directly to the girl whom he knew was Esteban.

"But why?" It was Con- suela who cut in quickly. "Aren't they the ones who financed the reactionaries against us? They're Boca's chief support!"

"Our Foreign Minister does not think so,' "said the Vice President doubtfully. Again he spoke directly to Irena, stressing each word. "The Americans were apparently as surprised as we at the launching of the invasion. Fuentes says he has been assured that they will apply an arms embargo against all sides, if our friends agree not to supply us.

"What friends?" asked Isabel quickly. "Wasn't this supposed to be an authentic, folk revolution?" She couldn't keep the sneer out of her voice. "This is the only American Revolution without ties to the imperialists of the Right or Left!" Her tone mimicked Consuela's father as she quoted one of his most famous sayings. Eyes glittering with pressed fury, Consuela turned

re-