The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-11-30
As THE MOON ROSE
BY MELlrAeEL PUTNAM.

Howard Yaie's heart leaped as he
peered cautiously around a group of
rhodOdenlrOns and caught a glimpse
Of white In the shadow of the hem.
locks. To his excited fancy, it seemed
almost phosphorescent in the deepen
ing dusk. 1t dazzled his eyes and
dazed his brain, already sick with sus-
pcnse.
Then the tension snapped and he
sank imply into a garden chair. She
had meant it after all! He had feared
another evasion. He had not liked
the CLINT in her eyes as she said:
IF it really is important, meet me
under the hemlocks as the moon rises.
Mind, now! Not an instant sooner,
not an instant later. It's my lucky
hour. Luna is my patron saint, you
know. And be very careful what you
say. Don't dare speak my name. The
moon maids don't like to be called by
name. 1t breaks the SPELL"
Impish she had looked and impishly
she had laughed; but she had meant
it after all. The chase was ended.
Perpetual puzzle, he unused, that one
bit of fantastic femininity should so
tluster man long immune to the rest
of the fascinating sisterhood. In this
case, there positively was no account
ing for it. He was perfectly able to
reason about his infatuation. He i'd
mitted frankly that Madge was not so
beautiful, not SO charming, not SO
good, not in any way so desirable as
we'll, for instance, Marian Citing.
A subtle change crept over his hag.
gard face. Strange that at this juno.
ture, when his whole being was cen.
tered on another, Marian's serene face
should rise like star over the turbu.
lent sea Of passion.
Odd that SO rare a creature should
set her heart on any one man, and on
him Of ,all men. She was the sort Of
girl who would make any man an ideal
wife. His mother, his sisters, all his
friends would approve her as heartily
as they would object to Madge.
Did this thought shake his iron pur.
pose? He asked himself candidly, and
the answer was swift and sure. Not
for the inf1nitesimal part of an in.
slant! It was rank folly, he knew
little better than lunacy-pure mid.
summer madness-but that simmer
of white there under the trees wac
more to him than all the rest of crea.
ton.
At any rate, he had been scrupu.
lously careful. He had nothing to re.
proach himself with. If by word OF
look, If ever so unnwittingly, he had
given Marian cause to feel that he
was interested in her, there would be
but one thing to do.
However, he had been unfailingly
circumspect. and his wooing Of Madge
had not been done in a corner. II
had been spectacular. Some day
Marian would find man more worthy
of her alteration; and yet-he frowned
Mneasily. He knew people-and it was
his life work to study them-and he
was aware that Marian was just the
sort, in the circumstances, to go I'm.
mated to tie end-to be sort of old
maid aunt to his and Madge's chill.
dren.
He smiled wryly. A second mother.
rather, ard they would need one. II
was difficult to picture Madge a moth
eP.
At any rate, he was glad Madge had
a friend like Marian. He had watched
that attachment spring up, grow and
blossom like lovely plant; and he
had rejoiced in it, although it had in.
terfered with his already difficult
courtship. The two girls had become
almost iIseparable. He had scarcely
seen Madge alone for days. One out.
side their immediate circle might we'll
have doubted which girl he was pur.
suing.
He glanced at the sky again and
started alertly. Along the horizons
edge the gloom was fading trife. He
drew a deep breath. The crisis of
his life was at hand. His feverish
gaze few hack to that statuelike fig.
ure under the trees. How motionless
1t was. He lad not supposed any liv.
ing woman could be still so long. Sure.
ly this BODIED we'll for his suit. AL.
ready butterfly Madge was folding her
wings.
The faint CLEAN slowly frightened
and broadened. Presently, a pale gold
crescent appeared, tiara-wise, on the
brow Of the hill. Howard watched
1t grow with gaze solemnly intent. Just
what phrase should he use? Well, the
greater the occasion the simpler and
palmer speech should be.
AS the moon rose clear of its moor.
ings and tloated above the distant
tree :ors, he sprang up and strobe
stealthily across the grass. Madge,
facing the moon, did not see him and
evidently did not hear him until he
bent over her winningly and whis.
pered, "A1oon maid, will you be my
wife?"
Then the girl stood up and turned
astounded. delighted, asserting eyes.
"I-I-thought-"s she began, broke
off with half sob and sank into his
waiting arms.
All his life Howard was increasingly