CHAPTER

      I the shining ship
     II the good Samaritan
    III A question of externals
     IV the skeleton in the cupboard
      V “PREUX chevalier”
     VI A forgotten fan
    VII the other side of the door
   VIII the middle of the staircase
     IX A skirmish with death
      X indecision
     XI going with the tide
    XII the double barrier
   XIII by the lovers’ bridge
    XIV relations-in-law
     XV King Arthur’s castle
    XVI sacred troth
   XVII “The keys of heaven”
  XVIII “Till death us do part”
    XIX the price
     XX the cake door
    XXI lady Gertrude’s point of view
   XXII the offering of first-fruits
  XXIII A question of honour
   XXIV flight! 
    XXV an unexpected meeting
   XXVI “The width of A world between”
  XXVII the dark angel
 XXVIII good-bye! 
   XXIX on thin ice
    XXX seeking to forget
   XXXI towards unknown ways
  XXXII the green car
 XXXIII keeping faith
  XXXIV the white flame
   XXXV the gates of fate
  XXXVI Roger’s refusal
 XXXVII the great healer

  Empty hands

  Away in the sky, high over our heads,
    With the width of a world between,
  The far Moon sails like a shining ship
    Which the Dreamer’s eyes have seen.

  And empty hands are outstretched, in vain,
    While aching eyes beseech,
  And hearts may break that cry for the Moon,
    The silver Moon out of reach!

  But sometimes God on His great white Throne
    Looks down from the Heaven above,
  And lays in the hands that are empty
    The tremulous Star of Love.

  Margaret Pedler.

Note:—­Musical setting by Adrian Butt.  Published by Edward Schuberth &
Co., 11 East 22nd Street, New York.

THE MOON OUT OF REACH

CHAPTER I

THE SHINING SHIP

She was kneeling on the hearthrug, grasping the poker firmly in one hand.  Now and again she gave the fire a truculent prod with it as though to emphasise her remarks.

“‘Ask and ye shall receive’! . . . ’Tout vient a point a celui qui sait attendre’!  Where on earth is there any foundation for such optimism, I’d like to know?”

A sleek brown head bent determinedly above some sewing lifted itself, and a pair of amused eyes rested on the speaker.

“Really, Nan, you mustn’t confound French proverbs with quotations from the Scriptures.  They’re not at all the same thing.”

“Those two run on parallel lines, anyway.  When I was a kiddie I used to pray—­I’ve prayed for hours, and it wasn’t through any lack of faith that my prayers weren’t answered.  On the contrary, I was enormously astonished to find how entirely the Almighty had overlooked my request for a white pony like the one at the circus.”