their wedding was fast approaching--he began to take notice of
various window displays. By the time he had reached his office,
the weightiest decision on his mind lay in choosing between a
pearl pendant and a diamond bracelet for his now adorable spouse.

But a more difficult problem awaited him. Before he was fairly
in his chair, the telephone bell rang violently. Never guessing
who was at the other end of the wire, he picked up his receiver
and answered.

"What?" he exclaimed in surprise. "Mrs. Hardy?" Several times
he opened his lips to ask a question, but it was apparent that
the person at the other end of the line had a great deal to say
and very little time to say it, and it was only after repeated
attempts that he managed to get in a word or so edgewise.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"Say nothing to anybody," was Zoie's noncommittal answer, "not
even to Aggie. Jump in a taxi and come as quickly as you can."

"But what IS it?" persisted Jimmy. The dull sound of the wire
told him that the person at the other end had "hung up."

Jimmy gazed about the room in perplexity. What was he to do? Why
on earth should he leave his letters unanswered and his mail
topsy turvy to rush forth in the shank of the morning at the
bidding of a young woman whom he abhorred. Ridiculous! He would
do no such thing. He lit a cigar and began to open a few letters
marked "private." For the life of him he could not understand