Tke bupreme Event. 
By HORACE ANNESLEY VACHELL. 
Illustrated by W. E. Webster. 
L 
S' learned the terrifying 
th after his engagement, 
feed, the young lady kept 
as a surprise. Man and 
id met at Murren during a 
t. week. Each was reason- 
ably keen about skating, and 
each played piquet. They fell in love at 
first sight, and the affair ran smoothly and 
swiftly up to a certain moment. 
They were sitting together, and quite 
alone. Mabel put her pretty lips close to his 
ear and whispered : — 
“ I have something to tell you.” 
Armitage smiled. Foolish man ! He was 
presumptuous enough to believe that the 
something had been told before, and would 
be told again and again with cumulative 
sweetness. 
“ Yes, Mab ? ” 
“ I am the Miss Simpson ! ” 
The accent upon the definite article was 
startlingly emphatic. No man — least of all 
a lover— could doubt that this information, 
so carefully suppressed, was of tremendous 
importance to the speaker. Happily, John 
was a man of sensibility and tact. Instantly 
he dissembled, for it was quite unthinkable 
that he should reply : — 
“ My darling, never, never have I heard of 
the Miss Simpson.” 
Afterwards he came to the conclusion that 
the truth between lovers, however stark it 
may appear, should prevail. Such wisdom 
comes to most men and nearly all women too 
late. John pressed her hand which happened 
to lie in his. 
“ The Miss Simpson ? ” he repeated. There 
was an accent of ?^we in his voice. 
“ Yes,” she murmured. “ Dearest, do you 
mind marrying a celebrity ? ” 
A celebrity 1 His blood curdled. He 
racked his unhappy brains. Why had he 
never heard of the Miss Simpson ? He 
VoJ. xlvi.— 58. 
divined, poor wretch ! that anything even 
approximating to an admission of such 
ignorance would cost him dear. Desperately, 
clutching at shadows of all celebrities, be 
murmured as sweetly as she : — 
“ Mind marrying — you ! But, why have 
you kept; this from me ? ” 
Her answer was even more perplexing than 
what had gone before. 
“ You see, John, we decided, mother and 
I, when we chose Murren, that it would be 
wiser, less boring, if I came here incognita. 
Simpson, fortunately, is a common name. 
And we agreed not to talk shop, my shop. I 
have never talked shop to you, for instance, 
have I ? ” 
“Not that I can remember.” 
She laughed delightfully, showing her 
pretty teeth and an enchanting pair of 
dimples. John kissed her to hide his con- 
fusion and distress. At this moment the 
gods took pity on him. Mr.s. # Simpson 
entered the small salon in which they sat. 
Mabel jumped up : — 
“ Mumsie, I have just told him.” 
John pulled himself together for a supreme 
effort. He was no actor, but he felt at this 
moment histrionic powers within. 
“ I am the proudest man on earth,” he 
affirmed. 
A minute later he escaped. Wiping the 
perspiration from his brow, he sought out his 
friend, who had already promised to officiate 
as best man. 
“ Henry,” he gasped. “ T have some 
rather important news for you. I am about 
to lead to the altar the Miss Simpson! ” 
Henry’s face became absolutely blank. 
“ The Miss Simpson ? ” he repeated. 
“ Surely, my dear fellow, you must have 
heard of the Miss Simpson. Mabel is a 
celebrity.” 
“ Is she ? Forgive me, old man, I don’t 
want to hurt your feelings, but, honestly. I 
have never heard of the Miss Simpson,” 
