and the
distress of their readers. I want him to meet men and women who have
known what life is by their own experiences. You ought to be worth
something to a bright writer, Walker. You have had many an adventure in
your day."

Mr. Walker Boggs shrugged his shoulders.

"In my 'day,' yes," he assented. "Enough to fill the Astor and Lenox
libraries and leave enough for Charlie Dillingham and The American News
Company. But that is nothing but history now. My 'day' is over and it
will never return."

He paused and ran his right hand dejectedly across his vest in the
vicinity of the waist band. Though he knew perfectly what Mr. Boggs
referred to, Archie Weil wanted him to express it in his own words to
Shirley.

"You wouldn't think," continued Mr. Boggs, after a pause which seemed
filled with strange emotions, "that my figure was once the admiration of
every lady who saw it, that they used to stop and gaze at me with eyes
of positive envy. And now--look at this!"

He indicated his embonpoint again, and shook his head wrathfully.

"It is simply damnable," he continued, as neither of the others thought
best to interrupt him. "When I was twenty-four I had a reputation that
was as wide as the continent. When I walked down Broadway you would have
supposed a procession was passing, the crowds gathered in such numbers.
If it was mentioned that I would spend a week at Saratoga or Newport,
the hotels had not a room to spare while I remained. The next year I
married, and as one of the fashion journals put it, two thousand women
went into mourning. For a decade I devoted myself entirely to my wife
and to business. I made some money, and kept out of the public eye.
Then my wife died, and I retired from the firm with which I had been
connected. The next twelve months dragged terribly. I did not know what
to do. Finally I decided that there was but one course open to me. I
must resume again the position I had vacated as a leader of fashion."

Mr. Weil bowed, as if to say that this was a very natural and
praiseworthy conclusion; precisely as if he had not heard the story told
in substantially the same way a dozen times before. He was watching
Roseleaf's interested expression and had difficulty in repressing an
inclination to laugh aloud.

"I sought out the best tailor in the city," continued Mr. Boggs. "I went
to the most fashionable hair dresser. I spent considerable time in
selecting hats, cravats and gloves. When all was read