Evening star., 1925-10-19
The Double Gross
BY A. Z. THOMAS.
Mystery Story of Dramatic Power.
BY A. Z. THOMAS.
Copyright 1928. by podd Mead L Co.

| Waterman. He hazarded a question.
Il hope, sir, that nothing has gone
wrong?"
Wrong? No-no, indeed I'm just
| bored bored with business-sick and
tired of New York. l want change
I'm going to get it. That's all
Wilson was not convinced. A man
may laugh and chaff and even sing
but he cannot fool his dog. II he il
| unhappy the dog knows il, and Will
son knew that Stanley was unhappy.
But he did not pursue the point fur.
ther. rejecting that it would not be
long before he learned the truth.
We'll, sir" he said. I'm going to
miss you. if you'll allow me to say so.
You're about the only friend I have
in the world. YOU see"
Thanks. Wilson. thanks. shall
miss you. too. but the knowledge tha I
you're here on the job will. neverthe-
less, make me very happy"
II don't know how to thank you,
sir
Don't do 1t. don't do ii. Don't
waste your time on such silly bust
ness. liz there Is any balance Of graft
tude in the matter it's all on my side.
l have taken you a little too much for
granted, l am afraid. but as ! look
back upon the last few years, I sud
denly realize all that your intelligent
devotion has meant to me. I'm not
going to thank you for it, I'm just GO
ing to hope that what I am doing now
VIII make you see once and for all
how much l appreciate it,
The little man rose and turned
away. The truth was that he wa S
very near to tears. Stanley saw it
and did the tactful thing.
We'll, come now. we've got lot
to do" he said, briskIy. Let's get at
I It,"
\ little before this time Rollin
awoke. The first thing he was con
scious OF was that his head ached
abominably-the next thing was that
he knew perfectly we'll why. Con.
scious. as he left the Colby house the
night before, OF an overwhelming need
OF some sort of refuge from the tor
rent OF conflicting thoughts that were
sweeping over his brain, he had found
/ that refuge in way that Of late had
grown increasingly common. In short
he got drunk.
Vaguely he wondered what time IL
was. 1t was deep twilight in the
/ room. The curtains were still drawn
Lord what a head he muttered He
would try 10 sleep again. But after a
/ brief attempt he gave il up. sat uI
and glance at the little clock that
| stood on the table beside the tele
| phone. Ten O'Clock. He glanced abou,
| tthe luxurious chamber, his eye fall
/ ing upon the disorder of the clothe!
| he had removed the night before The
! sight annoyed him. The light hur
/ his eyes: ne turned IL off again anC
shipped back between the sheets.
In spite of his throbbing head. he
could not suppress a feeling of sat
| isfaction as he realized that so far
| his schemes had succeeded to per
fection he had scarcely dared to hope
for. Not only was he engag ged tc
/ Doris Colby. with all that meant in
the way of social prestige and pc
cuniary advancement. but most un
eXpectedly he found himself, as the
result of Stanley's generosity, the
sole posseSsor of a valua BILE business
! in which previously his ownership had
been nominal. 1t was too good to
be true.
Nevertheless. sef-centered as he
| was through the years of growing
and habitual concentration on his ego
he was even now conscious that for
this success he had paid a heavy
price. Nor was the payment com
plete. There would be further install
mentS. There must come a time he
vaguely guessed. when Doris must