  The initial-value problem is posed by giving a conformal three-metric on each
of two nearby spacelike hypersurfaces, their proper-time separation up to a
multiplier to be determined, and the mean (extrinsic) curvature of one slice.
The resulting equations have the {\it same} elliptic form as does the
one-hypersurface formulation. The metrical roots of this form are revealed by a
conformal ``thin sandwich'' viewpoint coupled with the transformation
properties of the lapse function.
