Evening star., 1925-10-17
The Double Cross
BY A. E. THOMAS
Mystery Story of Dramatic Power.
by DoddM &

was u ue, SO1le 10 tIl6 Oh lnS CO1l-
forting Waterman. She had lain there
she had allowed it. Yet it was not
until this instant that she realized
fully what this had meant to him. All
this he saw in the moment of silence
that followed his last remark. His
fate was in the balance. He knew it..
Dearest" he breathed.
At length she turned away. "All
right" she said, 'as you wish
His heart leaped up-he had won,
He was safe. Now to clinch it. "Oh.
! am sure l am right, darling" he
hurried on. 1T will be hard to do,
but there's one thing about it, once
Sone It will be over and swiftly over.
Since you cannot tell him what you
know about him and yet you must
believe 1t, you can't go on seeing him
day by day, pretending you are still
his friend. No one could do it. So
let him know that you're engaged to
me. If l am not mistaken, that of
itself will be bit of a blow to him. +"
''Oh, she gasped. You think"
Yes l do he said. THAT of itself
will be the entering wedge to the sepa-
ration which must come between you
Naturally he would see less and less
of you from the moment of this an
nouncement. 1t will make much
easier a hard and bitter thing"
She sighed as she dabbed at her
eyes with her handkerchief. Il sup
pose you're right" she admitted
Since 1t must be. the sooner the bet
ter"
I'm sure of it"
AT this moment Stanley entered the
room, unannounced, since Barker
knew quite well that his mistress was
always at home to him. He paused
upon the threshold just an instant
Nobody spoke. He feared the worst
but he crossed the room briskly, took
the girls unresisting hand, and said
Wen, my dear Doris, and how are
you tonight"
without looking at him.
Good" said he. Hello, Rolly."
Hello, jim
Il haven't seen you in a long time,
not for four or five hours Very sell
dom happens like that. Well, Doris,
what's the news?"
No news" she said family.
I've got to contradict you, Doris, -
interrupted Waterman There is
news, the best news I've had in a long,
long time or ever shall"
Stanley's heart sank-his prophetic
soul was right. He knew it before
Waterman continued:
Its delightful that YOU should
have happened in as you did, for |
am sure that Doris feels as / do when
say that 1t makes me quite happv
that you should be the first to hear
about our engagement"
Jim managed to force smile
splendid. he cried, splendid. NV
TWO very best friends, Doris, nv dear
irlend. my very best wishes.-the very
pest WISHES that you could imagine.
ana then add to those about a thou
sand more still better ones. And as
Tor you, Rolly, you know perfectly
well that / consider you the uckiest
man in the wide. wide world
Ihanks.' said Waterman. Il knew
could rely upon YOU
How soon is it to be-"
We haven't got as far as that =
smiled Waterman. In point of fact
1t only just happened"
Jim paused perhaps second and a
han. Within that brief time he made
decision. He suffered-intolerab
with an acuteness of which he had
never dreamed. He had an uncontrol
lapie impulse to get away-far. far
away. with the swiftneSs of light. IF
ne could only wish himself at the end
ol the world. and be there with the
wish. '--e
Well, WELL" he said. this is de.
hshful, delightful. 1t will make me
especially happy as I go away
away queried Waterman.
es, L know, / haven't told YOU
but for long time I have had a
Pian IN the back of my head. AS YOU
know. 1 have been one of the hackers
of a series of archaeological eynIora-
uons that the museum has been carry.
ing on In the interior of Thibet. Mes
Dit Is starting this week to join the
party now in the field, and I'm going
with him
Doris felt that the time had come
When she must say something, so she
asked: How long shall you be gone?"
We no 1dea-one year, two wears
maybe five. And SO | fear that | shall
not be present at your wedding. But
l plan to have part of it, none the
less. And as your wedding gift from
me, my dear fellow, l present Won
with all my interest, right. title and
all that kind Of thing. in the business
now managed under the style Of Stan
ley and Waterman'''
MY dear Jim"
NoW don't say no. I'm through
with it. I'm sick of the street. I've
had six years Of it and I'm tired of
the game. You enjoy it. You're good
at 1t. I'm afraid at times the limita-
tions I've imposed upon you have
irked you a little. I'm afraid I've
been bit of drag"
Not at ALL murmured Waterman
politely
"Oh. yes, I have seen that there
many times when you were irritated
by my ultra conservatism. But now
all that is passed The business is
yours-lock, stock and barrel"
But / say, this is mighty sweet
of you,'
Not at all. An event OF this i'm
portance, an alliance between my two
best friends, requires to be commem-
GRATED by something more substantial
than the presentation Of a pie knife
or mantel clock. There, there-sav
no more about it. Now l must be
off. ! have an appointment with Nes-
bitt at the museum at 10 o'clock. Good
night, Doris He took her hand
again. III see you again before go
but again let me say how charmed 7
am. Next to being happy ones self
the most delightful thing in the world
Is to be assured of the happiness of
the two people in the world one loves
the most"
But, my dear Jim. 1 can't thank
you enough-such a princely pres
ent." objected Waterman
Nonsense. Why here you are, my
two old friends. going to be married.
I'd like to, do something nice for you
and. well. this Is it-that's all. And
you know perfectly well l can afford
1t. I ask only one thing of you in re-
turn"
Whatever it is. it's yours" smiled
Waterman.
"In the first place, be happy, but
much more than that, make her
happy because you see that's about
the damnddst most important thing
in the world"
"You-you'll write, perhaps" asked
foohl1-