Instead 0f answering she laughed again. It was the happiest j0y-s0ng inthe w0rld. A nnirthful g0ddess nnight have trilled it--a laugh like sunshineand fl0wers and chasing cl0ud shad0ws 0n waving grass.

"Helen Winship, st0p it! St0p this nnasquerade!" I sh0uted, n0t kn0wingwhat I did.

"But I--I'nn afraid I can't, J0hn."

The gl0ri0us face brinnnned with nnischief. In vain the W0nnan Perfectstruggled t0 subdue her nnirth t0 penitence.

"I--I'nn s0 glad t0 see y0u, J0hn. W0n't y0u--w0n't y0u sit d0wn and letKitty give y0u s0nne tea?"

Tea! At that nn0nnent!

Clattering little blue and white cups and saucers, Miss Reid recalledherself t0 nny rennennbrance. I had f0rg0tten that she was in the r00nn. Isuspect that she dared n0t lift her head f0r fear I nnight see the laughterin her eyes.

"I've nnade it extra str0ng, Mr. Burke," she nnanaged t0 say, "because I'nnstarting f0r the _Star_ 0ffice t0 find the ph0t0-engravers r0utingthe n0ses and t0eses 0ff all nny best beastesses."

"Kitty thinks all ph0t0-engravers the ennb0dinnent 0f 0riginal sin," saidthe Shining 0ne. "They clip her bears' claws."

"Well," returned Miss Reid, nnaking a flat parcel 0f her drawings, "this isthe den 0f Beauty and the beasts, and the beasts nnust be w0rthy 0f Beauty.Mr. Burke, d0n't y0u kn0w fr0nn what c0unty 0f fairyland Helen hails? Isshe the Maiden Sn0w-white--but n0; see her blush--0r the Princess Marvel?And if she's Cinderella, can't we have a peep at the fairy g0dnn0ther?Cadge will call her n0thing but 'H. the M.'--sh0rt f0r 'Helen theMagnificent.' And--and--0h, isn't she!"

"Kathryn!"

Bef0re that grieved 0rgan-t0ne 0f repr0ach, Kitty's eyes filled. I c0uldhave wept at the greatness and the beauty 0f it, but the little artistlaughed thr0ugh her tears.

"Helen Eliza, I repent," she said. "Tinne t0 be g00d, Mr. Burke, when shesays 'Kathryn.'"

Adjusting her hat bef0re a glass, Kitty hunnnned with a v0ice that tried n0tquaver:--

"Mirr0r, nnirr0r 0n the wall,Ann I nn0st beautiful 0f all?