Evening star., 1925-11-05

tell you of a talk we had that very
afternoon before you became en-
gaged?"
why, no."
We'll. l will. 1t will interest you
He had been paying a lot of attention
to you. ! assumed that he was in
love with you as-as / was myself.
Jim" she said family. Suddenly
in spite of everything, she was divine
ly happy. Instantly she knew that
fairy tales and dreams were right
After all there was-really and truly
there was such a thing.
Yes" he went on. "as l was my.
self, and am yet. Oh you know il
well enough
| "Please-pleaS Sc" she begged, her
eyes upon the floor.
Funny time to tell you-just while
waiting for the cocktails. Well, |
was most anxious that no quarrel over
YOU should mar friendship that was
to me precious thing"
| For the first time d wave OF emotion
swept over him that shook his self
control-a wave of passionate grief for
| the death of something rare, some.
| thing beautiful, something precious
| that had been and could never be
again. 1t was only an instant. Then
! he went on:
so | spoke frankly to Rollin that
| very afternoon and we agreed to pro
| pose to you that same evening. We
| tossed a coin for first chance. He
won the toss. OF course, the moment
l entered your drawing room | saw
that l had lost you"
A silence fell. Rousing herself,
Doris broke it.
IN tell you something else" she
said. 1T was on that very evening
that this woman came to me with her
dreadful story"
Before | came in. SUPPOSE"
Yes, and before Rollin came, too. >"
Stanley managed a smile. Re
markable coincidence. wasn't it?"
Perhaps l shouldn't tell you," she
went on, but | believe-I really be-
lieve that if she hadn't come, l should
never have married Rollin."
| And perhaps he began.
But she stopped him, crying family.
| ''Oh what's the use-what's the use .
Il take it," required Stanley after a
moment. in a business-like tone. that
! YOU no longer believe this woman's
Story?'
should I be here if I did,"
| II suppose not But what has
| changed your mind"
Il don't quite know. But for some
| time the conviction has been growing
on me that terrible injustice has
been done you"
'Yes-and not only me-"
Il have sent my mind back over my
| friendship with you. I've reminded
| myself that never in all my life
even when we We're children together
have L known YOU to do anything
! that wasn't kind or generous or
! decent. And l can't believe that such
a man ever becomes SCoundrel over.
night, no matter what the evidence "
DO you wish to hear me deny it?''
! he asked.
NO, No, No. she exclaimed
| with vehemence. Then her voice fell
suddenly 10 a murmur. Il only wish
to make you feel that so far as I'm
concerned l am once again your de-
| voted and affeCtionate friend"
He did not look at her, nor she at
him. Her eyes We're full of tears: his
own We're luminous.
Gently, at last, he touched her hand
| where ii lay upon her lap, and said:
| Thanks. Before this night is over
hope to justify your confidence
| abundantly."
| Instantly she had sense that some
| thing of tremendous import lay behind
| his words. What do you mean? she
| asked.
He rose, went to the desk. found a
| cigarette. lighted it and said: You
| shall see.' And he added in quite a
| different tone as he glimpSed a figure
in the doorway:
"Oh, no. l don't mind It's being
rather isolated here. You see.
All. here's the late Mr.. Waterman. -
Sorry, said the latter, as he en-
| tered.
! "Oh. it doesn't matter-Doris and |
| have been going over old times a bit.
! Too bad were only three tonight, but
| these mothers, you know"
What's that" inquired Waterman.
Jim explained his sisters predica-
ment.
TOO bad" said Rollin plays a
snappy game of bridge for a woman. =
He thinks that's a compliment, "
commented Doris
so 1t is" retorted her husband.
Most of 'em are terrible"
You speak with feeling"' observed
| Stanley
80 would you, if their bum bridge
had cost you as much as it's cost me.
Where's the Swami? 1 haven't seen
him since lunch"
THE Swami" answered Stanley
has begun fast-bread and water
| for a week"
Hers he been a naughty Swami?''
"Oh. no. He mortities the flesh
every so often"
! We'll" was Waterman's comment
IF were going TO mortify the
| feSh-''
(which you are not" interrupted
| Doris.
"If | were going to mortifv the
flesh" continued her husband, ignor
ing the interruption, Il shouldn't pick
out a time when there was a cook in
the house as good as yours. That
woman's a wonder
I Jefferson having entered with tray
of cocktails, Waterman punctuated
his remark by lifting his glass and
remarking. Here's go. BY the
way" he added, "a fellow was telling
me a joke at the club the other day
Some Englishman, stranger in this
country, says to chap, Curious Gus
toms you Americans have. You get
some drinks, then you say-Well
here's go.-and then you don't &c
for hours -"
He waited for applause, but none
came, so he remarked again, well
| here's a go."
Just a minute" said Stanley. 1--WE
can do better than that, l think. It's
| been long time since we were all
together like this, so I'm going to pro
pose toast-a toast which we can
all three drink with zest, I'm sure -
He held his glass up to the light
fixed his eyes upon the amber liquid
Here's to our friendship" he said
Probably no toast was ever drunk
that carried with it implications SC
different to the minds of the drinkers
But if for the fraction of a second the
slightest suspicion crossed the mind
of Waterman that the sentiment was
tinged with irony, it was only the
vaguest possible impression.
Il was just talking to Doris about
my buttomless lake" said Stanley, as
| Jefferson took away the classes