Bringing his head down until it was on a level with the animal's own, he opened the ponderous jaws.

The beast was as passive as before; and, finding no trace of the coming of the mysterious and dreaded "smile," he laid his face between the double row of gleaming teeth, held it there a moment, and then withdrew it uninjured.

Cleek took his chin between his thumb and forefinger and pinched it hard.

What he had just witnessed would seem to refute the idea of either costume or make-up having any bearing upon the case.
"Did you do that to-day at the matinee performance, chevalier ?" he hazarded, after a moment's thoughtfulness.
"Oh, yes," he replied.

"It was not my plan to do so, however.