"You are afraid of a petticoat! I know; and I might have chosen Vernet, if the choice had been given me. But the lawyer asked for _you_." Stanhope groaned dismally. "Besides, it's best for you; you are better than Vernet at a feminine make up." "A feminine make up!" "Yes. Here is the business: Mr. Follingsbee desires your services for a lady client; he took care to impress upon me that she _was_ a lady in every sense of the word. This lady had desired the services of a detective, and he had recommended you." "Why I?" "Never mind why; you are sufficiently vain at present, You have nothing on hand after the Raid, so I promised you to Follingsbee; he is an old friend of mine. To-morrow evening, at ten o'clock, you are to drive to Mr. Follingsbee's residence in masquerade costume." "Good Lord!" "In a feminine disguise of some sort. Mr. Follingsbee, also in costume, will join you, and together you will attend an up-town masquerade, you personating Mrs. Follingsbee, who will remain at home." "Phew! I'm getting interested." "At the masquerade you will meet your client, who will be introduced by Follingsbee. Now about your disguise: he wants to know your costume beforehand, in order to avoid any mistakes." "Let me think," said Stanhope, musingly. "What's Mrs. Follingsbee's style?" "A little above the medium. Follingsbee thinks, that, with considerable drapery, you can make up to look sufficiently like her." "Considerable drapery; then I have it. Last season, when Van and I were abroad, we attended a masquerade in Vienna, and I wore the costume of the Goddess of Liberty, in order to furnish a partner for Van. In hiring the costume, I, of course, deposited the price of it, and the next day we left the city so hurriedly that I had no opportunity to return it, so I brought it home with me. It's a bang-up dress, and no one has seen it on this side of the water, except Van. How will it do?" "Capitally; then I will tell Follingsbee to look for the Goddess of Liberty." "All right, sir. You are sure I won't be detained later than eleven?" "You have only to meet the lady, receive her instructions, and come away." "I hope I shall live through the ordeal," rising once more and shaking himself like a water-spaniel, "but I'd rather face all the hosts of Rag Alley." And Richard Stanhope left the Agency to "overhaul" the innocent masquerade costume that held, in its white and crimson folds, the fate of its owner. [Illustration: "Yes; I've a dainty bit of mystery for you. No blind alleys and thieves' dens in _this_"--page 33.] * * * * * Leaving him thus employed, let us follow the footsteps of Van Vernet, and enter with him the stately portals of the home of the Warburtons.