The Washington times., 1935-01-26

ny OLlc, "A sou WlL1Q began TO
sigh through the delicate marble
arches.
CHAPTER XXI
II don't like to look at the
stars" Sharlene said abruptly.
why not? They're fascinat'
ing-mysteriouS-"
Il don't like the feeling of in.
feriority I get. I'm less than an
atom in their cold, blank stare!"
well, Of. course, We don't
amount to much-in the light of
their stupendous eternity"
I'D rather be in the glare of
electric lights" she said reStleSsly,
lin the now, living this life up to
the full. because I'm not sure
there's any more"
Must you always be conscious
of your separateness, Sharlene?
Don't you sometimes feel one
with ali this?" His hand swept
the arc of the sky.
Never. I'm, Sharlene. That's
all l know. Not ageleSS-like the
stars And If I go on-where? ?
What's 1t all about?"
Il don't know. But does 1t
matter? We're drops in the great
inevitable flow of evolution.
Those of us who are granted an
intelligence a bit above the ami.
maxwell. it's UP to us to help the
flow along. don't you think? It's
enough for mel"
But how to help the flow along,
Stuart?"
Lord, I'm not one to preach,
Sharlene! It's just doing the job
at hand, l reckon. One of the
Maharana's courtiers told me to-
day about Raj Singh, a king who
built another marble dam We'll
see. He had a problem-starVing
people. He set them to work max
ing the dam, and it transformed
the desert into a garden and has
fed the hungry for centuries. In
solving the unemployment prob
lem Of his time, he gave the future
generations priceless boon.
And more important than that, he
did it in Beauty"
Yes. And you are contributing
Beauty. But me-and all my
kind? What are we here for?"
Il rather imagine that's what
you've got to find out for yourself,
Sharlene, before you're happy I"
What is happineSs?" she asked,
hungrily.
"Why-I've always thought of
it as the by-product of a job we'll
done-not something you went
after for it's own sake"
"You don't think, then, that
happiness is a matter of-loVe?"
Love is the compensation for
everything we have to suffer in
the long pull-but don't think
it's the end and aim of existence"
Moon Magic
A nightingale's golden note
sounded through the huSh e d
world, too lovely almost for mortal
ears to bear. Sharlene caught her
breath and clung to Stuart's hand.
They listened. tense, rapt, until it
died away. and then they sighed.
The radiance of the moon rising
over the eastern hills began to
flood the Court. It drew them ir.
resistibly to one of the arches,
where they watched until the lake
and the fairy-like palaces below
were bathed in unearthly beauty.
InSenSibly the magic stole into
their hearts, and Stuart and Shar-
lene, as entities, were merged into
the fragrance Of forgotten moon.
light nights.
He turned dreamily and looked
back at the Court, lying in alter.
nate radiance and black shadows
cast by the lace-like marble lat.
ticeS.
Listen" he whispered, they're
here now-the ladies of the Serag.
lilo. Don't you hear the swish of
Silk-the tinkle Of silver anklets-
the sob of strings swept by deli.
cate, hennaed finger.tips?"
She nodded with low laugh.
Her eyes were pools of dreams and
mystery.
Here to welcome my Lord!"
she said, and touched her fore
head to the floor before him.
MY little love-" he chided,
where is her veil tonight?" He
lifted her and took the Indian veil
from around her shoulders ard
fastened it across her face. Her
eyes cleaned at him, but he
could no longer see whether she
smiled.
Softly on the breeze came the
sound Of drums from the camp
far below, mingled with the Shrill
whine Of the flutes. Sharlene be-
gan to beat her palms softly to-
gether IN time with the inSiStent
rhythm.
Listen! The heartbeat Of India.
=. Stuart, when I was in India
two years ago. I was q guest In the
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