dy sagging back. The announcement was being made in
all the metropolitan newspapers that "Nellie Duluth, the most popular
and the most beautiful of all the comic opera stars," was to quit the
stage forever on the first of the year to become the wife of "the
great financier, L. Z. Fairfax, long a devoted admirer."

The happy couple were to spend the honeymoon on the groom's yacht,
sailing in February for an extended cruise of the Mediterranean and
other "sunny waters of the globe," primarily for pleasure but actually
in the hope of restoring Miss Duluth to her normal state of health. A
breakdown, brought on no doubt by the publicity attending her divorce
a few months earlier, made it absolutely imperative, said the
newspapers, for her to give up the arduous work of her chosen
profession.

Harvey did not send the bracelet to her.

* * * * *

The long winter passed. Spring came and in its turn gave way to
summer. September drew on apace. He went about with an ever
increasing tendency to look at the wall calendar with a fixed stare
when he should have been paying attention to the congratulations that
came to him from the opposite side of the counter or showcase. His
baby-blue eyes wore the mournful, distressed look of an offending dog;
his once trim little moustache drooped over the corners of his mouth;
his shoulders sagged and his feet shuffled as he walked.

"Harvey," said Mrs. Davis, not more than a fortnight before the
wedding day, "You look terribly peaked. You must perk up for the
wedding."

"I'm going into a decline," he said, affecting a slight cough.

"You are going to decline!" she shrilled, in her high, querulous
voice.

"I said 'into,' Minerva," he explained, dully.

"I do believe I'm getting a bit deaf," she said, pronouncing it
"deef."

"It will be mighty tough on you if I should suddenly go into quick
consumption," said he, somewhat hopefully.

"You mustn't think of such a thing, dearie," she protested.

"No," said he, letting his shoulders sag again. "I suppose it's no
use."

Just a week to the day before the 6th of September--the one numeral on
the calendar he could see with his eyes closed--he shuffled over to
the tailor's to try on the new Prince Albert coat and striped trousers
that Mrs. Davis was giving him for a wedding present. He puffed weakly
at the cigarette that hung from his lips and stared at the window
without the slightest interest i