Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-15
ATLANTIC MOONLIGHT
By Stephen Morehouse Avery
Money Requirements

had been talking for hours, and he had
arrived as far as that. He seemed
crestfallen, as he made the remark. sue
cessfully so. he thought when he felt
her compassionate fingers on his arm.
Their chairs were close together.
Perhaps not, Julian" she said
Julian feared to press her. 1t was
too soon. He might spoil the whole
chance. And yet he felt that success
was almost within his grasp. II he
could only achieve the proper note of
might care about some one who was
not quite belted earl or prince? And
want to know. Anne. You can see
why :. / must know
He made movement toward her. but
she shook her head slowly. Not now
Julian Don't ask me anything now
Ask me tomorrow night. or no the
night OF their gala party. I will tell you
then"
JULIAN fingered at the rail. after she
had gone. restless. He had cast his
die. and his fate was in the balance
He started walking forward-"For one
more turn about the ship" he told him
self. knowing that he had no intention
OF making turn about the ship.
He went instead to the forward rail
and down to the main deck. misty
light was all about him. and he saw
the hatch-cover. empty. He sat on the
edge OF 1t. fondling his gold cigarette
case. 1t was gold-plated really. and he
remembered what his mother had said
about preferring silver Upon some i'm
pulse he emptied the cigarettes into his
pocket and threw the gold-plated case
over the main deck rail.
There must have been some mystic
rious open Sesame" in the act A
door opened somewhere, and laughter
and the sound of music and low voice
IN gay pleading against mans in
sistence came cut to him: mo, l don't
want you to come. Please . want to
be out here alone. That's the whole
fun of it,
She came to the hatch cover without
seeing Julian and stood there while his
mind fought with the conception that
she was about to vanish into the moon
again and realized that she was only a
very beautiful girl. Her hair was fair
golden or ash blond. He could not tell
In that light. Her eyes might be blue
or gray. Her chin wanted to tilt She
was not very tall II hope you didn't
mean that about being alone" he said
She started violently. oh! Your'
Then she seemed to recover herself
mo. didn't mean 1t, did not want
to be alone hoped you'd be
here. or up there" She waved at the
rail OF the promenade, from where he
had seen her that night II thought
YOU we're not going TO come" A tremu-
lous beauty hung about them charging
their breasts with an inevitable magnet
ism, suffocating restraint
.1Iliian felt and f1ou-.rIaec
He stood up and held out his hand.
Come here" he said. You are not
going to finch. are you? This happens
only once in few lives. You'd have
1t on your soul"
He kissed her eyes. brow, lips.
Then they sank down. still clasping
hands. on the hatch cover. Please"
she said-'please don't tell me who you
are. / don't want to know that tonight.
I'd rather you would just be but
perhaps you can't tell me what you are
A muscle stood out on Julian's jaw.
II am climber he said.
"A wnat?" What do you mean?"
you know what a climber is. don't
you? A fellow who wants to get posi-
ton and money and who doesn't care
particularly how All my life, although
had little or nothing. l have been
hanging about people who had every
thing. learned to want it. all of it:
the great houses. the servants. motors.
clubs, yachts. horses. Importance, other
people seeking one out. ! have never
thought anything else mattered. Life
is +. joke
She shrank from him slightly. But
that Is so unlike you You look too
big, too strong and hard. You look as
though you could 90 below and stoke
the furnaces IL you had TO- Climbers
are soft. You are not soft-inside-a
you?" An expression of bitterness