Evening star., 1925-10-17
Continued from Yesterdays Star}


Waterman had no compunctions re-
Earding his treatment of Jim Stanley.
His conscience, to be sure, had been
so numbed by repeated abuse that 1t
functioned spasmodically and feebly.
He was aware, of course, that of all
men in the world he had the most
reason for being grateful to his friend.
But his nature was so ungenerouS that
very knowledge had long formed a
source Of irritation.
He had been deceiving Stanley for
Il long time. Stanley, for example
had no idea that Waterman had been
playing the market "on his own" a
thing explicitly forbidden to each of
them when the partnership was form
ed. Waterman, having begun a course
OF diSsimulation In this matter, was
obliged, or so he thought, to keep it
up. And dS little lies lead to bigger
ones, and small disloyalties beget great
treaSonS. so now the tide of deceit on
which Waterman had long ago EN-
barked had finally brought him to this
crest of treaChery. Five years ago he
would have been appalled, at the mere
suggestion of it. Yet such is the eff
feet of slow but cumulative moral de-
generation that now it merely made
him uneasy.
And uneasy. increasingly so. he now
became as he left the club and turned
northward. Nor was this uneasinesS
at all allayed by his brief colloquy with
Nina outside the Colby house. Even
after he had been alone with Doris
in the Colby drawing-room quarter
Of an hour, he still had not the slight
est notion as to what had passed be-
tween the two women. He had found
Doris strange, cold. aloof. He had
come there to ask her to marry him,
but the moment seemed hardly pro-
pitfouS, despite his agreement with
Stanley. Somehow. his suspense must
be ended-and quickly.
Doris talked, ii is true, but she re-
fused to be drawn into anything even
vaguely resembling Il personal tone
Nainly he tried to penetrate her re-
serve. She was so extremely imper-
SOnal that it was impossible for him to
guess what could be going on in her
mind. And yet he must know. Time
was passing-in > minutes more
Jim Stanley would be al the door. He
must know. and he must know at
once. And so he made a plunge After
a long silence, he said abruptly,
Doris, what's the matter with
you?"
Somewhat to his surprise, she did
not fence.
Il have just heard the most painful
thing in the world,'' she said.
Now for it, he thought, and aloud
he said, squartng his shoulders TO meet
the blow ''Abo.t whom"
About jim
The relief that he felt was over
whelming. GuiltilyN he felt that she
must be conscious of it. sut almost
simultaneously he saw that she was
not thinking Of him at all. and inward
L. he gave three cheers. About Jim?'
he said.
"A certain person has just been
here and told me an awful thing about
him.
Il cannot tell you. l gave my word
Of honor"
surely YOU don't believe it,"
I'm afraid l do"
WAS this talebearer some one YOU
know"
mo. it was some one 1 never saw
or heard of before
1nStinCtiveiy Waterman hit upon
the sound course to follow
But surely, Doris, YOU don't mean
to say that you believe this scandal
Gus tale told by an utter stranger,
and about one of your very best
friends"
She feebly shrugged her shoulders.
But he went on, you can't do
ii. At least YOU must give Jim
chance to eXplain-to defend himself.
"lmpossible-I gave my word of
honor"
Before you heard it,"
"YeS''
Why on earth did you do that"
Because | took it so lightly I
couldn't imagine that it could possibly
he anything of the slightest conse-
quenCe."
And it is
Yes it is. 1t is thing that no one
but man with cruel. cruel heart
could do. oh, he might in the first
place have done il upon impulse. That
could forgive. But. after that moth
ing but cold. cold cruelty could ex-
plain it
And YOU can't tell me what it is?"
mo, | can't tell any one-I've prom
lsed."
But | cannot understand" said
Waterman, warmly. his confidence ris-
ing with the overwhelmingly welcome
knowledge that he himself was not in
danger. Il cannot understand. 1t
seems to me that if anybody. / don't
care who he was, came to me with q
S"andalouS story about old Jim,
should refuse to credit it until Jim
had had a chance to defend himself
especially if, as you say, his ac-
cuser was a person whom / did not
know at all"
II can't go into it," said the girl
sadly and abruptly, but | am GER
tain that if you had heard the story
rs / heard II, you would have to be
lieve it, too, no matter how much it
hurt you"
II don't believe it. whatever it Is.
Why, we've known Jim all our lives
he's one of the very best
80 I've always thought she sigh
n6 tfr icrIf
But not any more?"
Not any more"
Suddenly she put out her hand to
him appealingly like a frightened
child "Oh, Rolly, Rolly," she said
I've lost my friend. He's gone. I've
lost him. And it hurts
Swiftly he was at her side. His
time was come.
He took the cold little hand in both
of his own, and drew it TO his breast
Doris. dear" he said, "let me help
you"
You can't You can't
II do so want to help you, because
you see-I love you"
The long lasheS rose above the vio-
let eyes, and then they flickered and
fell again. Quietly he drew her to
her feet, and with a little sob she slip
ped into his arms.
Dearest" he murmured don't cry
please don't cry"
But she only murmured brokenly,
I've lost my friend,-Ive lost him. :"
Yes, yes, | know. But l must try
and make it up to you if l can"
And thus it happened. Desperately
she needed comfort and-the comforter
was there. A moment later she freed
herself swiftly from his arms.
Good Heavens" she said, II had
quite forgotten. He's coming here this
nnio,Ef L n