"Rutland Ramsay," but I had to make clear to them that my
participation in the rest of the affair--this first book was to be a
test--was to depend on the satisfaction I should give. If this
should be limited my employers would drop me without a scruple. It
was therefore a crisis for me, and naturally I was making special
preparations, looking about for new people, if they should be
necessary, and securing the best types. I admitted however that I
should like to settle down to two or three good models who would do
for everything.

"Should we have often to--a--put on special clothes?" Mrs. Monarch
timidly demanded.

"Dear, yes--that's half the business."

"And should we be expected to supply our own costumes?"

"Oh, no; I've got a lot of things. A painter's models put on--or put
off--anything he likes."

"And do you mean--a--the same?"

"The same?"

Mrs. Monarch looked at her husband again.

"Oh, she was just wondering," he explained, "if the costumes are in
GENERAL use." I had to confess that they were, and I mentioned
further that some of them (I had a lot of genuine, greasy last-
century things), had served their time, a hundred years ago, on