Mrs. Pelham Odin might well exclaim. Gerald and Tod were silent from sheer , even though the first might have expected to see one girl the double of the other. In that box of an office, and in the somewhat dim light that filtered through the window, Mavis and Charity appeared to be exactly alike. Miss Bird was also plainly dressed in a dark frock, so as not to attract attention from Tod's clerks, and this, along with the thrown-back veils, completed the resemblance. The two girls had similar eyes and hair, and and cast of face, and even Mrs. Pelham Odin found it difficult to distinguish one from the other, long as she had known her adopted daughter.  
"It is like a dream," she declared--"Girofla-Girofle in real life. Oh, that I were in management again: what a chance for a play, a serious play, which has to do with twins."
 
"What we are engaged in is serious enough," said Gerald, sitting down. "My dear Mavis, this is Mrs. Pelham Odin, who is going to take charge of you until we can prove your ."
 
Mavis shook hands with the old actress. "And you don't believe that I am guilty?" she asked, in a whisper.
 
For answer Mrs. Pelham Odin embraced and kissed her. "My dear," she said , "truth looks out of your eyes."
 
"Out of my eyes, I think," said Charity. "Mr. Haskins, this is really amazing. I never thought to find my double. It seems uncanny. Tod, you will be marrying Mavis instead of me."
 
"No," said Tod slowly, and looking from one girl to the other, "there is a difference."
 
"Meaning that Mavis is more charming than I am. Thank you."
 
"Oh no," broke in Miss Durham, "I am only an ignorant country girl, but you are clever and polished and----"
 
"And quite perfect," ended Charity, kissing Mavis as Mrs. Pelham Odin had done, and with the same kindness, "let us hope that I am, in Tod's eyes. This is Tod, Mavis; he is to be my husband."
 
"At last," Macandrew .
 
Gerald displayed . "Had we not better get to business?" he observed. "These girls are so alike that I don't want them to be seen together, lest trouble comes of it."
 
"And trouble will come," said Mrs. Pelham Odin, who had not yet got over her amazement. "As Charity says, this line-for-line resemblance is uncanny. I hope your veils are thick enough, my dears. If anyone saw you two together, the wonderful resemblance would certainly be commented upon, and might get to Major Rebb's ears."
 
Charity looked long and earnestly at Mavis. "We must be sisters. Can you remember ever having a sister, Mavis?"
 
"No. Nor did Major Rebb ever say that I had one. He brought me, as he said, from Bombay, some time after my mother died, and ever since I have been shut up in the Pixy's House."
 
"I was born at Simla," said Charity thoughtfully, "at least the ayah who sold me to the juggler's wife declared that I was. I don't remember anything about it, of course. Mother----"
 
"Oh, don't ask me, my dear. I can explain nothing. You know what I know, and it is strange that both you and Mavis should have been born in India. That fact, and the resemblance, certainly points to some relationship between you."
 
"They are sisters," declared Haskins firmly, "in no other way can the be accounted for."
 
"And yet there is a difference," said Tod, for the second time. "It is in the tone of the voice, and in the look of the eyes."
 
"Quite so," said Charity swiftly. "My voice has been trained for the stage and Mavis' has not. I have been brought up in the world and Mavis out of it, which accounts for the innocence looking out from her eyes and the worldly wickedness in mine."
 
"My dear," said Mrs. Pelham Odin, , "how you on. But I rather agree with you, I must say. If Mavis had been brought up as you, and you as Mavis, you would simply have changed places. I hope that I make myself clear."
 
"As clear as the darkness of this twin mystery can be made clear until Major Rebb confesses. Meanwhile, and until we can force that man's hand, we had better arrange what has to be done." It was Gerald who .
 
Mrs. Pelham Odin patted Mavis' hand, which she was holding in her own very fondly. "I lose one daughter to find another," she said cheerily. "Mavis can come back with me to my flat, and can wear some dresses which Charity has left behind. Then I'll teach her to dance, and in a couple of days she will be able to replace Charity at the Belver."
 
"You are quite willing?" Gerald asked Miss Bird anxiously.
 
"Of course I am," she answered quickly. "I am quite on your side."
 
"Remember that Mavis is accused of being a lunatic and a murderess."
 
"I know. My mother told me. But I don't believe it for one moment. I would as soon think myself capable of committing a crime."
 
"I say the same," said Mrs. Pelham Odin. "I told you, Mr. Haskins, that I would wait until I saw Mavis before deciding. Now that I have seen her, I disbelieve all that Major Rebb says. And moreover, since the likeness is even stronger than you said between these two girls, I can promise you that the plot will be carried out safely."
 
Gerald hesitated. "Will Mavis dare to face the footlights?"
 
Mavis herself replied, and the brave blood of her soldier father flamed in her cheeks as his courage shone in her eyes. "I shall dare anything for your sake, Gerald," she declared, without . "And Bellaria has taught me to dance--poor Bellaria!" she ended sadly.
 
"It will be all right," said Mrs. Pelham Odin, who had been watching the girl critically. "It is a risk, of course, but as there is only one dance, and the child has courage, I do not think she will experience stage fright. I can teach her the dance."
 
"No," interposed Charity quickly. "Let me do that. Mavis can come veiled to my , which are now at Kensington, and I can show her all the steps and tricks and manner necessary. I swear that when she is dressed as I was in The Moon-Fay, and dances as I shall teach her, no one will be a bit the wiser. And my engagement ends in a week or so; and it will not be necessary for her to continue to appear."
 
Mrs. Pelham Odin nodded. "You must keep yourself quiet, Charity. No one must see you at Kensington. I can trust my old dresser, with whom I placed you there. To-night and to-morrow night you can go to the theatre, as usual. On the third night Mavis can appear."
 
"And I shall see after Charity meanwhile," said Tod eagerly; "in five days we can get married, and I have bought a special , so that no banns need be put up. Then we can go abroad."
 
"But, Tod," said Gerald, somewhat dismayed, although he might have expected this course of conduct, "I want you to help me."
 
"I shall do so when I return, in a month," said Tod quickly. "It is as well, since Mavis is to play the part of Charity, that my wife should be out of the kingdom. I shall leave her abroad when I return, and then we can try and put things straight. They are enough now."
 
"Do you agree to this?" Gerald asked Charity once more.
 
"Of course," she answered , "and I shall send Tod back from Switzerland before the end of our . The sooner these affairs are settled the better. I wish you and Mavis to be happy, and also I want to know about my parentage. I am tired of being Charity Bird."
 
"You will soon be Charity Macandrew," whispered Tod tenderly.
 
"Oh yes--but I wish to know if I am Charity Durham."
 
"I am sure you are, and my sister," said Mavis, taking the other girl's hand, "and Gerald and I have been talking. If I get this six thousand a year, you shall have half."
 
"Oh no," cried Charity, half delighted and half doubtful.
 
"Oh yes--even though you may not prove to be my sister."
 
Gerald his shoulders. "There's no more to be said," he remarked, "save that I am certain my is correct. Well, Mrs. Pelham Odin, will you take Mavis to your flat?"
 
"Yes." The old lady rose, and with her own hands drew down Mavis' veil. "We had better go at once, seeing that we all now understand what is to be done. Charity?"
 
That young lady had already arranged her veil. "Tod is taking me back to Kensington," she said, "and will call for me to-night at the theatre. I shall say that you are indisposed, mother."
 
"Quite so," rejoined the actress, "but pray tell as few lies as possible, and do behave yourself with Mr. Macandrew."
 
"We'll be as good as gold," said Tod . "By the way, Gerald, one moment. My clerk went to watch Mrs. Crosbie and her mother at Bognor."
 
"Well, and what happened?"
 
"Neither Mrs. Berch nor Mrs. Crosbie are there. They have not been near the place."
 
"Now, what does that mean. She certainly said that she was goin............