The Wilmington morning star., 1940-07-19
ruApTER TWENTY-FIVE

-. CHAF En- WO
maid to Measure" was scheduled
for 9 D.. m.-purposely late to al
low time for Bill to return-and
at 9:15 everybody except Bill was
in costume and waiting.
The costumes were not difficult.
Lola had to be made up as a grand
mother. That meant a special dress
and shawl which, fortunately, Mr..
Weems unearthed from the Merrl-
field attic itself. It also meant that
her shiny black hair had
to be generously powdered a d
combed in a different way, and
that a deal of grease paint had to
be put on her youthful face. Bill
was to have done the painting be-
cause he had done some OF 1t IN
college days and knew how. But
in Bills absence Jeremy remem-
bred that the Merrifield library
and encyclopedia were likely to be
all-inclusive and, sure enough, there
was detailed treatment of theatre
cal makeup. Jeremy and Gayle and
some of the other girls had a
deal of fun aging pretty Lola.
The other girls all had girl parts.
Jeremy was to be crippled in one
scene, but a fake limp and MIR.
Merrifield's borrowed cane t o o k
care of that. Otherwise costumes
we're normal clothing such as the
girls Wore.
At nine-thirty Gayle was dis
tinctly upset. Bill had not come
back, and there was no word from
him. He had expected to be back
by eight, but had given himself an
other hour for leeWay. Now he was
80 minutes past that.
Lets not wait on him. Gayle
suggested. Il guess he's run off
With some other theatrical troupe.
Jeremy, you'll have to stand in for
him again. Do you mind?"
Taking Bills male lead would re-
quire him to kiss Gayle. Not that
that experience was so forbidding,
but it was definitely disturbing in
prospect because once before he
had gone through it and had been
embarrassed about it ever since.
"All right" he said bravely.
The girls tried their best, and
so did Jeremy, but the play was
.lifeless. Gayle sensed it, but work
ed valiantly On.
At 10 o'clock Mr.. Merrifield, who
had been watching them, apollo
.ized and said he had to retire. The
hour was already past his bed time.
Nevertheless, his departure took
away their audience, and any fur
Their acting was hardly worthy of
the name. At 1920 Gayle called it
off and sent the girls home. Be-
cause of the late hour she had the
chauffeur take them in the big
Mortified limousine. She knew that
Mr.. Merrifield would have wanted
it so.
By II o'clock she was in a posi-
tive dither-and yet had nothing
definite to go on. That fact made
her stewing all the worse. What
had Bill Bailey in mind when he
left? The stubborn thing wouldn't
tell her! He had just limited. And
promised to tell when he was sure.
1t was something about the stolen
bracelet, she knew. He had some
bunch, or even something better to
60 on, but
All at once Gayle remembered
that her maid" Maudie, or Mrs.
Holmquist, was in reality a city
detective on duty in the Mortified
home, but that she had not cen
this person since before dinner.
Could her absence have anything to
do with Bills?
I'm not used to having maid
service enough to miss her." Gayle
told herself, wryly. I'll never
make myself a lady"
At 1880 Gayle sensibly went to
bed. She slept well because she was
fatigued and because she was not
one given to foolish worrying, when
worrying could do no good.
She awoke early, though-evi-
dence of her NERVES" in the mat
ter-and got up promptly. Dawn
was still gray, so she walked quiet
ly down onto the broad front porch
and came onto Mr.. Mortified. His
QEI A AMAM COI1Dn d