Evening star., 1922-08-20

TT was the evening of May Hes
keth's picnic supper, small but
memorable: and now the clocks.
u had there been any on the island.
would have pointed close to mid
night. What was so rare as this
night in June? Sailing wisps of cloud
shredded the face OF the high moon:
the blackness of the woods. the
slades and dells. the vine:covered
rocks and the empty quarry. were
stippled and patched with silver: the
lake was sheet of silver stretching
far away to lose itself in a lovely
dusk Through the verdure soft
breeze whispered; from the water
foated voices of the merrymakers, re-
ceding: and the woman stealing on
light feet up the path. slim and not
incongruous figure in her white bath
ing dress, with unbound dark hair
streaming to her waist, reflected that.
for an hour at least, she would be
alone here.
But it was not so. From the i'm
penetrable shadows, as she neared the
ruined cabin. the figure of man alb
stood confronting her. She started a
little, and then she saw. with a wild
shout of satisfaction, that this man
was her husband.
You" she said. with the family
mocking air she had long ago learned
for him. But fancy meeting you
here
"You-you looked like a He
began. a little confusedly. and then.
breaking off. he cleared his throat and
started again, more authoritatively
81 don't say I approve of that suit.
but-but it does seem to mt in
with the surroundings somehow. You
might almost have been mistaken-at
a distance, that is-for a hamadryad.
But
And what may they be? Some
thing very nice to be mistaken for.
may 1 hope. But l supposed you d
gone in the launch"
No, no. I'm tired of drunks," said
he, continuing to stare at her. And,
besides, swimming at night-ah-af /
fects my sinus, as you once used to
know But you-why did you come
back? You-you forgot something!
She was smiling family. Her dark
eyes derided. him.
Il almost forgot myself, If you
count that! But no, in your sense
I'm not forgetful. only punitive My
sinus is sound, but my temper uncer-
tain. So I didn't go. A sweet night,
isn't it? well"'
"But-what is 1t? Why, what hap
pened?"
.oh, that. Yes. to be sure. I was
Unexpectedly kissed. you see. In the
dark behind the boathouse, just as we
were ready to start-oh. most fero-
ciously, / assure you. Really that
made me angry. though. of course.
not so angry as I seemed. So I'm let
ting him paddle himself over alone"
Her husbands dim heavy face
seemed to darken. Him? Who was
it?'
MY dear Horace. you'll agree that
kissing and. telling isn't quite the act
of a lady? No, no! But I'm inter-
rupting your reverie."
NO. Tell me! II want to know
your air of interest is awfully
civil, Horace. But I can't really be-
lieye that you've begun at this late
day to take an interest in my private
llfe,''
Her merriment exasperated him,
clearly.
Howard witheredge, I suppose
damn his impudence! What you can
see in that
"Oh. name me no names, please.
And the Incidents really not worth
mentioning. I'm merely disciplining
a beau, that's all. So we two have
the pretty wilds all to ourselves: only
think. Charmingly conjugal. But be
sure I won't intrude, no. I'm on to
dress. Good-bye"'
NO. no! Don't go. u
Having controlled himself with an
obvious effort, the man resumed with
awkward carelessness:
"Ah, it seems too bad for you to
miss your moonlight dip, when you
enjoy it so-merely on account of the
behavior of an alcoholic cad. Hem.
I was about to say I'll paddle you
over to the Pulpit myself"
She eyed him quizzically, and all at
once was aware of the beating of her
heart
THE two stood close together in the
darkness and beauty of the
woods. The mans ponderous dignity
was manifeetly little strained.
Why? For a long time past, indeed,
II had been evident that she had un-
dermined his case in their relation
ship. For weeks she had been con-
scious, in her Withdrawals and
through the silences that she had
made so common between them, that
he regarded her with a new atten-
tiyeness. But he had stopped there;
his price-or some cowardice, per-
haps?-had restrained him from word
or act. Was it the romantic solitude
now and the sudden sight OF her In
her wood-nymph's guise? was II
the thought Of those kisses she had
lust taken from another? What?
Into her husbands eyes had como q
look she had not seen these three
wears, and she wondered suddenly If,
here and now. beyond all calculation,
her great moment had come at last.
But do you think that she would
yield anything tc him? Not she.
Ironically grave. she answered:
you are always kind, Horace. But
of course, I'd not dream of imposing
on you that way"
mo imposition at all. I'd enjoy 1t.
We find ourselves deserted. each by
our own choice. What more logical