"I'll masquerade to-night
as myself."
"As yourself?"
"Yes. All these dear silly people here think that I've got an astral
body."
"What's that?"
"A sort of floating business--a business that you can set floating."
"What--a company?"
"No, no. A replica of yourself. The great Towle--"
"He's here to-night."
"I knew he was coming. Well, the great Towle detached this astral body
once at a seance and, for a joke--a silly joke, you know--"
"Yes, yes."
"I christened it by my real name, Lady Enid Thistle, and said Lady Enid
was an ancestress of mine."
"Why did you?"
"Because it was so idiotic."
"I see."
"Well, I've only now to spread a report among these dear creatures that
I'm astral to-night, and get Towle to back me up, and I can easily be
Lady Enid for an hour or two. In this crowd Sir Tiglath need never find
out that I'm generally known in these circles as Miss Partridge."
"Do you really think--"
"Yes, I do. But I must find Towle at once."
So saying she hastened away from the buffet, followed by the trotting
Prophet. As she passed Eureka and Mr. Moses, she said,--
"Eureka, darling, do I look odd? I suddenly began to feel astral just as
I was going to eat a sandwich.
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