Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-01-04
As THE MOON ROSE
b. msL,TAsEL PUTNAM. F..


peered cautiously around group OF
rhododendrons and caught a glimpse
of white In the shadow of the hem
locks. To his excited fancy, 1t seemed
almost phosphorescent In the deepen
ing dusk. 1t dazzled his eyes and
dazed his brain, already sick with sus.
pense.
Then the tension snapped and he
sank Imply into garden chair. She
had meant 1t 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. It 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
fluster 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 adj
mitted frankly that Madge was not SO
beautiful, not so charming, not SO
good, not in any way so desirable as
well, for instance, Marian Elting.
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 turba'
lent sea Of passion.
Odd that so rare q 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 infinitesimal 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 was
more to him than all the rest of crea.
ton.
At any rate, he had been scrupu-
lousy careful. He had nothing to re-
proach himself with. II by word OF
look, il 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 Madga
had not been done in corner. II
had been spectacular. Some day
Marian would find man more worthy
of her alteration; and yet-he frowned
uneasily. He knew people-and 1t was
his life work to study them-and ne
was aware that Marian was just the
sort, In the circumstances, to go I'm.
mated to the end-to be sort of old
maid aunt to his and Madge's chill
dren.
He smiled wryly. A second mother,
rather, and they would need one. II
was difficult to picture Madge a moth
er.
At any rate. he was glad Madge had
friend like Marian. He had watched
that attachment spring up, grow and
blossom like lovely plant; and he
had rejoiced in 1t, although it had In
terfered with his already difficult
courtship. The two girls had become
almost inseparable. He had scarcely
seen Madge alone for days. One out
side their immediate circle might well
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 trifle. He
drew a deep breath. The crisis OF
his life was at hand. His feverish
gaze flew back to that statuelike fig.
ure under the trees. How mOtionless
1t was. He had not supposed any liv.
ing woman could be still so long. Sure
ly this BODIED well for his suit. AL.
ready butterfly Madge was folding her
wings.
The faint CLEAN slowly frightened
and broadened. Presently, pale gold
crescent appeared, tiara-wise, on the
brow Of the hin. 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 fioated above the distant
tree tops, 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, "Moon maid, will you be my
wife?"
Then the girl stood up and turned
astounded, delighted, asserting eyes.
"I-I-thought-" she began, broke
off with half sob and sank into his
waiting arms.
All his life Howard was increasingly
glad each time he remembered that
his own crestfallen countenance had
been in the shadow; for the wonder
ing, radiant face that was revealed to
him by the light Of the hooking moon
was the face Of Marian Citing!
Far back in the shrubbery there was
q faint ripple Of sound. It might have
been the twitter Of drowsy bird-but
1t was more like an elfish chuckle.
Witch-wise Madge! For 1t was pre-
cisalu a q ha would have had II af that