“‘The rest is easy--any life insurance agent who knows his business could take up the story at this point and go ahead with it.’ He laughed good-naturedly as I shrugged my shoulders. “‘You’re an agent, go on with the case. What’s the answer? Let’s hear all of the horrible details.’ I was getting peevish, although the fellow had my interest aroused. “‘Very well. Yours is the old, old story. At forty big things loomed ahead--_your circle enlarged_. You gave yourself up to big plans. They progressed famously and at _forty-five_ you were a rich and influential man. But there were a lot of multi-millionaires that had you skinned on _size of pile_ so you took the plunge and went after them. You never gave your waning physical powers a thought for the next two years, and then you went all to pieces--_mentally_.’ “‘Mentally! what do you mean when you say _mentally_? Am I crazy?’ The thought made me laugh. “‘Mentally,’ he repeated with a good-natured smile. ‘You didn’t go crazy--_your brain fagged_. It wore out just like a typewriter ribbon wears out--_from constant usage_. You’ve been thinking ever since that your physical department was to blame for your condition. Nothing of the sort. You are in fine physical trim, or will be when you take your mind off of your ailments and forget about the old deals. Come on, let’s take a dip,’ he urged, and the first thing I knew he was dragging me along into the brine. “To make a long story short, that fellow _got me to laughing_ and playing like a boy. We violated every rule of health that had been laid down by doctors and in five days were playing golf together.” “So he won his bet after all,” said I enthusiastically, for I had been pulling for the agent all through the recital. “You bet he did, and I let him write me up for _a half million_ instead of the sum he named.” “Bully for you!” I replied. “And I’m going to remember what you have told me.” “That’s right--at _forty_ begin to adjust yourself to the next period--_forty-five_. Arriving there safely, begin to adjust for _fifty_. If you are alive then you should go on for years, always keeping in mind that you must readjust every _fifth_ year after you cross the forty line.” There is an old saying that you can’t fool a percentage table, and that was what the agent went by. So, if our lives are to be made worth while we must surely observe the simple rules governing health and longevity. The candle won’t burn at both ends and stand up in the bargain. At forty I’m going to begin to adjust--_I believe what the agent said_. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: A studio confab] CHAPTER XII THROUGH DIFFICULTIES TO THE STARS