In the Moonlight
George Lytton and Mary Lang ton, guests at the home of Mrs. Westley, Mary's sister, are strangely influenced while canoeing on the moonlit waters of a lagoon. Hours seem like minutes. When the two return to the house and Mary learns that Lytton is married, she upbraids her sister for having withheld this information. She realizes at once that she has been deceived by Lytton and the thought of his presence is unbearable to her, so she makes a hurried departure and endeavors to forget her troubles in travels. Lytton expresses surprise and pretends to be unable to offer a solution of the strange and unusual conduct of Mary. Mrs. Westley has had a business acquaintance with Lytton for years and this continues and grows into a warmer friendship as the children of the two families come into maturity. Several years pass. Dora gives a house party for her daughter, Sunshine, and Frank, the son of Lytton is invited, his father to come also for a week-end. Frank and Sunshine fall in love. Then Mary unexpectedly returns from abroad and Dora looks at her in astonishment, "Sorrow has made you beautiful, sister." Mary alone cares to go canoeing in the moonlight, with Frank, and the moon plays Cupid, so that Frank proposes (having been rejected by Sunshine) and, after great insistence, is accepted. And then "Sunshine shatters fond illusions" and Mary, in the light of the sun, does not bear comparison with her younger rival, Sunshine. Mary realizes that Frank is not for her and she returns the ring. Lytton has arrived and been presented to Mary by Frank as her new father-in-law, however. Just before this, and when Lytton searches her out he does not know of her renunciation. Still believing her the demimonde, he pleads with her "Spare my son," and again offers money. Mary's heart is broken. She rushes to the lagoon and paddles out. In the library Sunshine and Frank find happiness before the fireplace. Flashing back to the lagoon the empty canoe is seen drifting before the moon, which again breaks through the clouds that would cover its face.
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