Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-24
THE MAD MOON
E.


AT the waters edge they discarded
lie rocking and ancient carriage for
lie magic OF sails and narrow deck
nd the moon was rising as Sohnya
lad 'uTeto.d. Il made 4 strangely
deeper darkness at first, casting over
I the face of the bay smoke OF silver
which half blinded the vision but set
The heart to pulsing with it's mystery
1 There we're chairs on the afterdeck
/ AMI 4 sort of Vicarious secluSion, and
! forward the several sailors hummed
as they handled rope and tiller. A
sweet coo freeze was blowing and
almost Immediately they were lacking
! up against it. standing out across the
silver floor.
| For Il While they sat near together
| watching the lights OF the wonderful
| city draw back into a narrowing circle
| which frinGed the bay, and the spell of
| the night was on them with it's ro-
nance, so that they spoke little. But
! H~eSently the girl and the American
'ose and stood againsl me rail, and
| nlperceptiby almost. they went hi,
| farther away, pointing out to each
other this point and that among the
gorgeous lights, until at last the
Frenchman and the woman sat alone.
My dear Sohnya," said the man in
Il guarded voice, my heart Is I'M
| easy" He did not speak in his native
tongue, nor in Italian, but in a run
| ming liquid speech which had it's
origin In the rugged hills of small
hut prideful inland principality. His
companion answered him in kind,
and the strange words had a Won
drous beauty on her cultured tongue.
Il know she said, and / am
sorry, my friend. For me it is all
right-but for you. l am sorry"
An exclamation escaped the man.
Not SO, That is nothing-poof! A
bagatelle. l. Why. what have done
to earn that from you?. Have l ever
counted costs? Ever hesitated a sec
ond in any emprise of romance or
| intrigue? Ever done ought but"
But fly to the lists of the help
less" finished the woman, smiling
affectionately, but offer up your in
domitable soul in any case that
touched your tender heart Forgive
me, Princiep. No, 1t is not that I
am only sorry to drag you into this.
Our long friendship, my ancient af-
lection for you, make me hesitate to
take your risky service just now when
there is danger around every corner"
But, he protested. Il am the
friend of John Henderson. l love
him as much as YOU love the
The woman put quick hand
across his lips. "S-h-h-sr' she said.
And without. me how could she
have had this magic hour, this taste
of life TO carry with her into her
exile?"
True" said the woman sadly,
Poor little one-poor innocent child!
We have done more risky things to-
gether. Princiep. Wen risk 1t once
again"
THERE was a space against the
rail amidships where solitude
brooded daringly between the sailors
at the fore, the friends aStern: and
here young John Henderson, from
Texas, U. S. A. finally landed with
the dark-haired daughter of an alien
land. The muffling cloak had fallen
from her head, leaving the beautiful
olive curve Of her neck. the dusky
cheek. with It's tropic roses. to CLEAN
in the moonlight with bewitching
charm.
One soft hand lay on the polished
rail and he touched'it timidly The
moon," he said, lis a traitor It
makes sane mortals mad. And you
have SO short a time in Naples. Five
days from tomorrow morning, did
you say?"
The girl nodded.