FROM HOME 
 
 --- v -.-.- . ;;; 
 
 
 
 ISQBEL STRONG 
 
University of California Berkeley 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
The Girl from Home 
 
 A STORY OF HONOLULU 
 
 By 
 ISOBEL STRONG 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. 
 MCMV 
 
Copyright, 1905, by 
 McCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. 
 
 Published April, 1905 
 
 Copyright, 1905, by The Criterion Publication Company 
 
To my friend 
 JeannetttN orris 
 
* 
 
 x T 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 I The Arrival . 3 
 
 II Meeting Walter 19 
 
 III A New Friend 31 
 
 IV The Ross Family . 44 
 
 V Good-bye to Walter 60 
 
 VI The Bower 69 
 
 VII The Drive . 85 
 
 Vin The Accident 99 
 
 IX The Dance on The Mohawk .... 108 
 
 X Max to the Rescue 120 
 
 XI In the Garden 140 
 
 XII Dick 155 
 
 XHI In " Portugee Town " 167 
 
 XIV The Ring 181 
 
 XV The Magic Carpet 192 
 
 XVI Riding the Surf 210 
 
 XVII The Fish 236 
 
 XVIII Lessons 252 
 
 XIX The Palace Ball 266 
 
 XX Aloha Oe . 287 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
CHAPTER ONE 
 
 % 
 
 The Arrival 
 
 IT is strange to think," said the younger woman as 
 the two stood leaning over the railing of the ship, 
 " that this beautiful land will be my home. I may 
 spend a whole long lifetime in this country that is so new 
 to me now. " 
 
 " Your future home is prettier than this, " said her 
 friend. " The Huapala plantation is on another island 
 Maui. You will have a waterfall for a near neighbour, 
 high mountains and a view that cannot be beaten in the 
 whole kingdom." 
 
 " I have often thought," said Florence, " that the 
 more noble and awe-inspiring nature is, the more lonely 
 you feel. " 
 
 " Well, you will have company, too any number of 
 agreeable men riding in to see you from the other plan- 
 tations nice, clean Englishmen, mostly younger sons. 
 There won't be many women, but I guess you can stand 
 that I could. " 
 
 [3] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Mr. Sprague said he had some good horses. " 
 " If you are fond of riding you will be happy," replied 
 Mrs. Landry. "They say plantation life is pleasant 
 enough, but it isn't Honolulu. Oh, " she sighed, " I have 
 been so homesick I could hardly bear it. I hate cold 
 places and heavy cloth dresses and stout boots and 
 kid gloves. My dear, I descended to the ignominy of 
 flannels! Nothing short of pneumonia drove me to it. 
 Oh, when I felt the first warm breath of the tropics 
 when I could come out on deck in my first crinkly, 
 crackly, white linen, I felt I was nearing home ! " 
 
 The gown she wore carried in every crisp fold the un- 
 mistakable stamp of fashion. Her figure was of that 
 perfect proportion shop people call "stock-size," the 
 thirty-six bust and forty-two skirt that is advertised 
 for in cloak models, and though undeniably hand- 
 some, it bore too great a resemblance to a fashion- 
 plate. The nipped-in waist, the straight back, the long 
 line from the belt to the instep were as stiff and un- 
 compromising as though cut out of the last issue of the 
 Elite du Monde. Her hair, a little too brilliantly golden, 
 showed satiny coils under her smart, straw hat, and her 
 face, protected from the sun's rays by a white gauze 
 veil, was faultless in drawing and might have been 
 beautiful were it not marred by the mocking expres- 
 sion of her yellow eyes, as hard and as bright as topaz. 
 
 [4] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 The younger woman as she stood looking eagerly out 
 over the water was a strong contrast to Mrs. Landry. 
 The one was a product of art, self-contained, a wo- 
 man of the world ; the other was unaffectedly girlish 
 and simple. She was not so tall as Mrs. Landry, and her 
 figure, though slighter, was more rounded and graceful 
 She wore a plain blue sailor-suit, but there were touches 
 of dainty individuality about her dress. The large, 
 white collar turned back from her throat over a scarlet, 
 knotted 'kerchief; the silver belt matching the buckles 
 in her high-heeled shoes; even the hat pins of large 
 silver balls, and the red band on her straw sailor were 
 distinctly characteristic. The blues and reds in her cos- 
 tume harmonized with her own vivid tints. There was 
 vitality in every ripple and curl of her bright brown 
 hair, worn in a figure eight, low upon her neck. Her eyes, 
 sparkling with interest and excitement, deepened from 
 blue to black with varying moods, while her colour, clear 
 and fresh as a child's, came and went, leaving her pale 
 and flushed by turns. The expression of her face was 
 trusting and frank; but the slightly aquiline curve of her 
 small nose, and the firm line of her rounded chin re- 
 deemed it from any sign of weakness. In moments of ani- 
 mation a faint, almost imperceptible change passed 
 over her face, a quiver of the nostril, a momentary 
 trembling of the lips, showing a high-strung and sensi- 
 
 [5] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 live spirit, a nature capable of intense feeling whether 
 of suffering or of pleasure. 
 
 "Have you always lived here?" she asked of Mrs. 
 Landry. 
 
 "I came out to be married, just as you are doing 
 now, " replied the widow. " It was ten years ago, and I 
 was very young. But I don't want to remember any pre- 
 vious existence. I wish I were a real Hawaiian, that I 
 might call old Diamond Head mine. I am so sentimental 
 that I know when I die you will find Diamond Head 
 engraved on my heart. " 
 
 As the steamer sped onward through the blue 
 water, the noble headland that guards the entrance 
 to Honolulu loomed up grandly against the trade- 
 wind sky. 
 
 "You will love Diamond Head," continued Mrs. Lan- 
 dry. " Love it as the Japanese love Fujiyama. After the 
 rains there are little rivers running down its sides in all 
 those cracks and crevices. It is beautiful in the early 
 morning when it is grey and shadowy and vague and 
 misty; and in the afternoon it faces the west you see 
 it is splendid in the full light of the setting sun. But oh, 
 how can I describe it by moonlight ! It looks better from 
 the shore along there you see that clean sweep of 
 beach ? That is Waikiki. From any house along there 
 Diamond Head is glorious. At night, when it is in sil- 
 
 [6] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 houette, it has the outlines of a recumoent figure 
 covered by a shroud. You can see the head, the hump 
 where the hands are clasped and a smaller hump 
 where the feet stick up, and over all is the shroud that 
 flows down down that is the sides you know. Some 
 day we will go and explore. There are caves in Diamond 
 Head where old Hawaiian chiefs and warriors are 
 buried. Oh, there are so many things to see in Hono- 
 lulu, and one never, never sees them. " 
 
 "Why not?" asked Florence. 
 
 " Because you are dancing and riding and driving 
 and playing tennis and flirting, and find life too excit- 
 ing. Oh, I'm glad to be home. " 
 
 " I was afraid, " said the girl kindly, " that you might 
 find it sad coming back. " 
 
 " You mean about my husband's death ? Well, I was 
 sad for a year and a half. I wore mourning till I'm sick 
 of the very sight of black. Think of crepe in the tropics ! 
 Poor, old Joshua! My husband was a good deal older 
 than I, you know. He was ill a long time before he died. 
 Not suffering, but just moping around the house. Oh, 
 the dreary hours I've spent, sitting by his bedside hold- 
 ing his hand!" 
 
 "Poor man!" said Florence. "He must have loved 
 you. " 
 
 " He loved me, " said Mrs. Landry, " but it wasn't al- 
 [7] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 together affection. He wanted to know where I was. As 
 long as he had hold of me he knew I was there. " 
 
 "He and my father were old friends, weren't 
 they?" 
 
 " They went to school together, or something, " said 
 the widow. "I know Joshua used to talk a great deal 
 about Mr. Van Voorhis, and when he made his business 
 trips to the coast your father would put him up at his 
 club and all that. " 
 
 "I know papa was so glad you were coming down 
 on the same steamer, " said Florence. " Indeed, he hur- 
 ried me up to go sooner than I had intended so that I 
 might be under your charge. It has been awfully nice 
 for me, " she added, smiling. 
 
 " I never did chaperon before, " said Mrs. Landry, 
 not too cordially. " It's an entirely new role for me, but 
 you haven't given much trouble so far and I suppose 
 Mr. Sprague will come out on the pilot boat, and then 
 my duties will be over. " 
 
 " I hope he will come to meet me, " said Florence, the 
 quick flush deepening in her cheeks. " I'm getting very 
 nervous. It is such a new and strange experience, and 
 not at all like what I expected. I don't suppose anything 
 ever is, really. But I've seen so little of the world. That is 
 a pretty place, " she went on, after a pause. " Are those 
 little white things houses far up on the slope of that 
 
 [8] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 mountain ? The people who live there must have a won- 
 derful view of the sea. " 
 
 " That is Punchbowl, " said Mrs. Landry. " It is hol- 
 low on top where a volcano used to be. Some day it will 
 break out again, very likely, and sweep us all into the 
 sea. Away off there to the left are the Waianui ; we always 
 call them the Delectable Mountains. " 
 
 " I think, " said Florence, " that from here Diamond 
 Head looks like a Sphinx. That outward sweep of what 
 you call the shroud might be her paws, and she is keep- 
 ing guard over the town. " 
 
 "Now, you see," said Mrs. Landry delightedly, 
 " you're getting poetical already about Diamond Head. 
 Oh, you will love it!" 
 
 "I never saw a whole city at once before," said 
 Florence. " When you near San Francisco, from the bay 
 it is beautiful with all its hills, especially at night, lit up 
 against the western sky. But you only see the half. Here 
 you can look at the whole place in a sweet little bunch of 
 green, with the tops of the houses peeping through. See 
 how it thins out on this side toward Diamond Head and 
 over there toward the Delectable Mountains, and 
 straggles up the side of Punchbowl. You see it all, so 
 quiet and peaceful." 
 
 " My dear, that quiet, peaceful place is buzzing like a 
 bee-hive, " said Mrs. Landry. " Central is ringing up the 
 
 [9] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 town. Butcher and baker and candlestick-maker, they 
 are all excited over the prospect of getting their mail, 
 and hearing news of the outside world. They only re- 
 ceive their letters once a month. " 
 
 " Do you mean to say the telephone people ring up ? " 
 
 "Yes, indeed. Central rings you up if a sailing ship 
 comes in, or the King's boat wins a yacht race, or a mis- 
 sionary's wife has a baby. You don't miss anything in 
 Honolulu. Really, Central is a comfort. You can ask him 
 what time it is, and how to cook squid, and sometimes 
 I've just rung him up for company in the middle of the 
 night when I was sitting up with Joshua. Of course, it 
 isn't always the same person, but Central is sure to be 
 friendly and chirpy, and as full of gossip as a naval offi- 
 cer, and no one can say more than that. So, if ever you 
 are in doubt, ring up Central. Just now the lines are 
 busy, I can tell you. They are asking if Mr. Sprague's 
 fiancee is on the Suez, and has the lovely widow re- 
 turned. They are asking " 
 
 " Who won the prize-fight ? " 
 
 It was the voice of the pilot who shouted his question 
 from the rope-ladder, puffing and blowing, as friendly 
 hands pulled him over the side of the ship. The passen- 
 gers gathered in an excited group about him. 
 
 " Who won the prize-fight ? " he shouted again. 
 
 "John L. Sullivan," was the answer. 
 [10] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 "Ho, ho!" he cried. "I've won fifty on that." 
 
 A frail looking woman who had been ill nearly the 
 whole trip pushed forward and asked anxiously: "Is 
 the man-of-war Adams in port ? " 
 
 " Expect her in every day, " said the pilot, " but she 
 ain't sighted yet. She is considerably overdue already. " 
 
 " My husband is on board, " said the woman, who had 
 turned very pale. " Is there a letter for Mrs. Worthing ? " 
 
 " No, ma'am, " he answered. " I'm sorry, but the only 
 letter I've got is for Miss Van Voorhis. " Florence step- 
 ped forward impulsively. " Is that you, miss ? " he said. 
 "I'm glad to make your acquaintance. Welcome to 
 Honolulu. Here's the letter," and he pushed his way 
 through the group of buzzing passengers to take up a 
 proud position on the bridge. 
 
 Florence tore open her envelope with trembling 
 fingers, and after a glance at the letter, handed it to 
 Mrs. Landry. Scrawled across a card were these words : 
 
 "Dearest Florence. Unexpectedly detained. Witness 
 lawsuit. Go to hotel. Meet you there. Walter. " 
 
 " It reads like a telegram, " said the widow. 
 
 " It is very disappointing, " said Florence. Her sensi- 
 tive lips were trembling. " You'll come with me to the 
 hotel, won 't you ? It's miserable to arrive all alone, and go 
 on shore by yourself. Even at home I hated to go any- 
 where alone, and here it is all so new and strange. " 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Pouf ! " said Mrs. Landry. " Just take a carriage 
 they call it an ' express ' here, Heaven knows why there 
 will be plenty on the wharf. You 11 drive straight to the 
 hotel, that's all you have to do. I'd go with you, of course, 
 only some friends will be down to meet me and I've 
 made other arrangements. But, really, you shouldn't 
 mind. Mr. Sprague will be there to meet you and then 
 you'll be all right. " 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Landry!" cried the girl suddenly. " What 
 if I shouldn't like him ? " 
 
 The widow started. " My dear ! " she cried, in a tone 
 between commiseration and agreeable excitement. 
 " Aren't you sure ? Have you any doubts ? " 
 
 "I don't know," said Florence; "it's so long since I 
 saw him, and I'm afraid I've been thinking too much of 
 getting away from home. It has been a sad year for me 
 and I missed my mother so much. " She looked up at the 
 white clouds resting on the summit of Punchbowl and 
 sighed. " It's beautiful here, and I thought it would be 
 restful and far away. But but now I you see, I 
 really don't know him very well. " 
 
 " Well, if you don't love him, don't marry him, " said 
 Mrs. Landry. "Of course, he belongs to a good, old 
 missionary family, and will come into a share of the 
 Huapala plantation when his father dies, but he's only 
 a luna now, and when I first saw you I felt you were cut 
 
 [12] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 out for a better fate than being the wife of an overseer on 
 a sugar plantation. How did you come to meet him ? " 
 
 "When my mother was living," said Florence, "we 
 went, she and I, to the Calaveras big trees for a trip. I 
 had just left school that I might be with her, for we were 
 getting frightened about her health. We met Mr. 
 Sprague, who was on a vacation, and he was so kind to 
 mother. I didn't take it very seriously then, but we kept 
 writing to each other and I never saw anybody at all, as 
 we lived in the country for my mother's health. Then, 
 when she died, I was so lonely and so well, he 
 wrote and asked me " 
 
 " He proposed by letter, didn't he ? I remember per- 
 fectly when he sent you your engagement ring by the 
 purser of the Suez. " 
 
 " Oh! did you know about that ? " 
 
 "My dear, everybody knows everything in the 
 tropics. He wanted to send it by some trustworthy per- 
 son who would give it into your own hands, and he was 
 so excited over it he told Dick Leigh-Garrett who told 
 me, and the purser was so proud of his commission he 
 told me, and I told everybody I knew. " 
 
 Florence looked distressed. 
 
 "My dear," went on Mrs. Landry, "you needn't 
 think that this whole town look at it nestling at the 
 foot of Punchbowl looking so innocent and quiet you 
 
 [13] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 needn't think they don't know all about you. They 
 know you are coming down to marry Walter Sprague 
 and live on Maui, and they have counted to a cent what 
 your income will be." 
 
 " It will be a new sensation for me to be talked about, 
 or even noticed. I've lived such a quiet life at the ranch, 
 where the few neighbours we had were too far away to 
 trouble about us. " 
 
 "Well, you must be prepared for the worst. That 
 little green spot, that bouquet of gardens and lawns, is 
 a hot-bed of gossip. They'll tear you limb from limb ; 
 they'll gnaw your bones, and the prettier you are the 
 more ravenous they grow. I am used to it," she 
 added, self-consciously. " And I am sure they are talking 
 me over this very minute. They know the handsome 
 widow is coming back from San Francisco, with a moun- 
 tain of trunks they know my only errand there was 
 clothes. They're picking out my victims in advance, and 
 speculating on whom I shall marry; * catch,' they'll call 
 it." 
 
 "I should think you'd hate it," said Florence; "and 
 hate them. I'm glad my hpme will be on Maui. " 
 
 "My dear," said Mrs. Landry, laughing, "it is the 
 joy of my life to make Honolulu sit up. My time is com- 
 ing now, and I intend to keep the old place busy. The 
 missionaries will open their eyes when I come out of my 
 
 [14] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 shell, or my chrysalis, or whatever it is that a dreary little 
 caterpillar, all in mourning, comes out of when it 
 changes into a perfectly beautiful butterfly. Look at 
 those five ships all in a row, pointing their noses toward 
 the shore. " She put up her marine glass. " There's the 
 good old Mohawk a lovely deck for balls. That snub- 
 nosed one is German the decks are all cut up with 
 iron and brass pivots, and littered over with guns no 
 fun at all for dancing. One English, another American 
 new arrivals. I'm not sure about them, but they look 
 nice and roomy, and old-fashioned. What flag is that ? 
 Blue cross on white. Oh, I know! Russian. Now look 
 there are five men-of- war, full of charming men, with 
 nothing on earth to do but make themselves agree- 
 able to pretty dames like us, let me add, modestly. " 
 
 They were slowly nearing the dock. The wharf, roof- 
 ed over and piled high with loose coal, stacks of ban- 
 anas, barrels of sugar, heavy boxes, crates and cases, 
 was a confused tangle of trams, carts, wagons, mules, 
 and donkeys. Along the edge stood a fringe of waiting 
 people, looking, at a distance, as though they were all 
 dressed in white. Their voices came over the water, 
 loud shouts from the men, shrill calls from the 
 women that were answered by the passengers of the 
 nearing ship. 
 
 " Who won the prize-fight ? " 
 [15] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "John L.Sullivan." 
 
 There were cheers from the wharf; some of the men 
 leaped and danced, others threw their hats in the air. 
 There were more calls. 
 
 "How's Mary?" 
 
 " We've had a perfectly lovely trip. " 
 
 " Say, the Dunotter Castle was wrecked on Ocean 
 Island!" 
 
 As the ship drew nearer Florence eagerly watched 
 the scene. It interested her to see that many of the faces 
 were brown; a rich, warm tint that contrasted with the 
 pale colour of the white people. 
 
 Mrs. Landry plucked her sleeve. " Come over on the 
 other side, " she said, " and see the sailors. " 
 
 A smart man-o'-war's boat was approaching the ship. 
 All the oars rose in the air like clock-work as it curved 
 gracefully beside the steamer. A young officer in white 
 uniform came up over the side to the deck. He stopped to 
 smile at Mrs. Landry. 
 
 " Hurry along, Hammy ! " she cried gaily, " and then 
 come back and talk to us. That's Hamilton Todd, " Mrs. 
 Landry explained to Florence. " He's one of my Woolly 
 Horses that's what I always call a nice, young man. 
 Poor Joshua used to get so annoyed. He'd say: * You're 
 like a child with a woolly horse always ready to 
 throw the old one away when you've broken it to pieces, 
 
 [16] 
 
THE ARRIVAL 
 
 and glad to get a new one.' Well, Hammy is a woolly 
 horse, you know. He hasn't an atom of brains, and he 
 uses the most ridiculously long words, but he's a nice, 
 useful fetch-and-carry so I oh, you dear Hammy, it is 
 good to see you again ! " 
 
 The young man shook hands enthusiastically. He was 
 extremely tall and thin, with a long neck, and a kind, 
 youthful face, much given to blushes. 
 
 "This is my friend, Miss Van Voorhis, " said Mrs. 
 Landry; "and I want you to be very nice to her for my 
 sake. " 
 
 " I have had an acquaintance of considerable stand- 
 ing with your future with er Mr. Sprague, " said 
 Lieutenant Todd, bowing to Florence, "and I con- 
 sider it an occasion of unusual felicity to be the first one 
 to er know you. " 
 
 " Thank you, " said Florence, as the three walked over 
 to the other side. The ship was fairly alongside, and there 
 was a great running and shouting and throwing of ropes 
 as the ship made fast to the wharf and the gangway was 
 lowered. More people in carriages were coming in 
 crowds. Everybody was calling and screaming back and 
 forth, some in Hawaiian, some in English. 
 
 " What a pretty colour the natives are, " said Florence. 
 "I thought they would look like mulattoes, but they 
 don't a bit. They're not red, like the Indians, or yellow, 
 
 [17] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 like the Chinese, but the prettiest brown I ever saw. 
 Oh ! Do look at that nice boy in white, with a straw hat 
 isn't he beautiful ? and those girls, laughing see, 
 they're throwing wreaths. " 
 
 She stepped forward to watch the scene, while 
 Hammy whispered to Mrs. Landry in some agitation. 
 
 " It's too bad of Mr. Sprague " said the widow in a 
 low voice. " Go back to your ship at once it'll be 
 some time before we're docked make your silly 
 old reports and be at the hotel to meet Miss Van 
 Voorhis when she gets there. Tell her I'll be up this 
 evening. I just can't go now. The Bonner girls are 
 on the wharf and Dick is waiting for me. Fly, there's 
 a dear boy, and do as I tell you. " 
 
 [18] 
 
CHAPTER TWO 
 
 Meeting Walter 
 
 MRS. LANDRY was welcomed by a lively party 
 on the wharf, and whirled away in a carriage 
 full of people. The acquaintances Florence 
 had made on the steamer departed one by one, too busy 
 and excited to do more than wave a friendly hand to 
 the girl who stood so forlornly by the gangway. Mrs. 
 Worthing, the wife of the naval officer, was tenderly 
 helped into a carriage and drove off with the ship's 
 doctor. 
 
 The air was heavy with the heat and the combined 
 smells of sugar, seaweed, coal, and ripe bananas. 
 One carriage lingered on the almost deserted wharf. 
 "Want an express?" the driver called as Florence 
 stepped slowly down the gangway, her heart beating 
 fast with fright and nervousness. She nodded and 
 climbed in. 
 
 "My name's Quinn," said the man turning to ad- 
 dress the young girl, who sat in the back seat with her 
 
 [19] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 hands tightly clasped as they drove through the un- 
 familiar streets. "And if ye ring up the Royal Stables, 
 just ask if Dan Quinn's on the stand, and I'll be proud 
 to drive ye." 
 
 "Thank you," she said, for the man was evidently 
 friendly, and though his manner was unusual she could 
 see that he had no intention of presuming. 
 
 "That old building, jammed in among the shops," 
 he went on, with the ease of one who had driven count- 
 less parties of tourists, " is the Bethel Church that was 
 built by the early missionaries. There were heaps of 
 sailors here in them days, for Honolulu was a great 
 whaling station. I've heard tell as how you could walk 
 for a mile on the bay, just stepping from one whaling 
 ship to another. Old Mr. Tyler, he's living yet, mighty 
 rich and prosperous, got the whalers to donate barrels 
 of whale-oil to the mission, and he'd store it and sell it, 
 for he was a thrifty old Yankee ; and so he started that 
 church and the beginnings of his fortune at the same 
 time. Tyler is a good old missionary name in Honolulu. 
 You can't throw a stone in this town without hitting 
 a Tyler. There's Tyler the banker, and Tyler Brothers 
 the wholesale fruit and provision merchants, and a 
 raft of young Tylers off at Harvard University." 
 
 The streets through which they drove were narrow, 
 and the "express" bumped over the cobble-stones. 
 
 [20] 
 
MEETING WALTER 
 
 The shops were low, of red brick, with wide awnings 
 stretched out over the pavement. Here and there a tree 
 covered with bright flowers thrust its branches over 
 a stone wall, or a scarlet-leaved creeper struggled 
 through a crack or crevice, filling the air with colour 
 and fragrance. In Florence's state of agitation and 
 anxiety she unconsciously received impressions that 
 were stamped upon her mind forever. The aroma of 
 browning coffee as they passed May's grocery; the 
 heavy scent of gardenia from a group of native girls 
 decked with flowers, who stood in a laughing group 
 on the street corner, flirting with a couple of rakish- 
 looking Chinamen, were perfumes that ever after re- 
 called that first glimpse of Honolulu. 
 
 "This is Fort Street," said Quinn. "It's one of the 
 first laid out here, that's why it's so narrow. It shows 
 the intelligence of the early missionaries to make a 
 street like this in the tropics. All the rest of the town 
 has wide avenues it's a pleasure to drive on." 
 
 Fort Street, with its one line of horse-car tracks 
 down the centre, was crowded with vehicles ; prosperous 
 missionaries in private carriages; basket phaetons full 
 of women and children in starched summer clothes, 
 carrying parasols; smart dog-carts driven by young 
 Englishmen from the outlying plantations; expresses 
 filled with naval officers; old carryalls, tied together 
 
 [21] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 with rope and sinnet, crowded with hilarious natives, 
 garlanded with wreaths. 
 
 " Everybody's in town," said the driver. " You see it's 
 steamer day, and they all come in for their mail. This 
 street is quiet as the tomb thirty days in the month 
 and then, on steamer day, it's like what you see it now." 
 
 " Will we soon be there ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "Right around the corner," said Danny briskly. 
 "Did you notice the queer dresses the native women 
 wear ? The new-comers always ask about them. Some 
 say they look like what you ladies call a * Mother 
 Hubbard,' but you see, when the missionaries arrived 
 here the native people didn't wear much of anything, 
 so the white ladies handed 'em over their excuse me, 
 ma 'am, but that's what they did their nightgowns, 
 and they've followed that pattern ever since. That stone 
 wall you see at the end of the street," he went on, as 
 they turned a corner, " is the palace grounds. Our gate 
 is on this side. Here we are. And I warrant ye never 
 saw a prettier hotel." 
 
 They drove through a beautiful garden set out with 
 flower beds and palms. 
 
 "That pagoda thing," said Quinn, "is the band- 
 stand, and ye'll hear some fine music in it, for they 
 always play the night the steamer comes in, and have a 
 little randy-vow at the hotel." 
 
 [22] 
 
MEETING WALTER 
 
 The building was large, with deep, wide verandas, 
 screened in with brilliant creepers. The additions built 
 on gave the irregular homely look of a place that had 
 grown with the needs of the people. There were many 
 carriages drawn up before the wide steps. Florence 
 looked out hoping to see Mr. Sprague, but though she 
 recognized a number of her fellow passengers among 
 the people who were coming and going on the veranda 
 and about the entrance, he was not there. 
 
 "I don't like to get down in all that crowd, Mr. 
 Quinn," she said. 
 
 "Right you are, miss, I should have thought of 
 that, myself. We'll just go around to the other side." 
 And he turned into a road that curved about the hotel, 
 drawing rein at another entrance. A young man came 
 running down the steps to meet the carriage. It was 
 not the person she expected to see, but Florence was 
 glad enough to recognize Lieutenant Todd, who helped 
 her out. 
 
 "I've been watching for you," he said, "from the 
 upstairs veranda." 
 
 Danny's fare was twenty-five cents, which Florence 
 held up to him with a trembling hand. 
 
 "You've been very kind, Mr. Quinn," she said, 
 " I'm much obliged to you." 
 
 "Come upstairs," said Mr. Todd, "it's cool and 
 [23] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 pleasantly refreshing there, and no people about, so 
 we can wait very comfortably." 
 
 Florence followed the young man up the broad 
 stairs, through cool, darkened corridors, out upon the 
 veranda, where he pushed a rocking-chair to a corner 
 shaded by yellow creepers and the green tops of giant 
 bamboo. 
 
 "Mr. Todd!" cried Florence desperately, "where 
 is Mr. Sprague ? He said he would be here to meet me. 
 I can't understand it." 
 
 " Oh," said Hammy, " Mr. Sprague, of course 
 well, he wasn't very well last night " 
 
 "Is he ill?" asked Florence; "is anything the 
 matter?" 
 
 "No, no," stammered Hammy, "there is nothing 
 the matter with him." 
 
 "He wrote that he was witness in a lawsuit or 
 something," said Florence. "But even then he should 
 have sent some one to meet me. The wife of the Ameri- 
 can Consul " 
 
 "Mr. Burney is a bachelor," said Hammy, talking 
 quickly. "A most estimable man, though at present 
 unmarried. His manners are somewhat uncouth, 
 certainly, but I have heard him described as a rough 
 diamond. He wears a linen duster " 
 
 " I don't want to hear about Mr. Burney, I want to 
 [24] 
 
MEETING WALTER 
 
 hear about Mr. Sprague. You are keeping something 
 from me, Mr. Todd. Has there been an accident? Is 
 he hurt?" 
 
 There were several rooms opening out upon the 
 veranda where they sat. Before one door was a large 
 Japanese screen. A curious sound came from behind 
 it of people angrily expostulating in whispers. Mr. 
 Todd raised his voice in some irritation and went on: 
 
 "But I was telling you, Miss Van Voorhis," he 
 floundered, " I was about to explain to you, when you 
 interrupted me ; just when I was describing the manners 
 and customs of er our American Consul " 
 
 A chair overturned in the room noisily, and a voice 
 was heard to say : 
 
 " I will speak to lady my lovely bride! " 
 
 Florence jumped to her feet. "What is that!" she 
 cried. 
 
 The Japanese screen fell forward with a crash, dis- 
 closing three hot, perspiring young men, locked to- 
 gether in what appeared at first to be a sort of wrestling- 
 match. At sight of the girl, standing transfixed with 
 horror and indignation, two of the men drew off a 
 step, cruelly embarrassed, while the third swayed 
 unsteadily for a moment and then dropped into a chair. 
 In spite of his pale face, his bloodshot eyes, and wildly 
 dishevelled hair, Florence recognized her intended 
 
 [25] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 husband, Walter Sprague. His white duck clothes were 
 crumpled, he wore no collar, and his friends had evi- 
 dently been helping him into his coat when the screen 
 fell. He held out his arms toward Florence and tried 
 to rise. 
 
 "My bride!" he said thickly, "kiss me, my 
 sweet " 
 
 One of the young men pushed him back into the 
 chair. 
 
 " I give you my word, Florence " He was evidently 
 making a tremendous effort. "I have been extremely 
 unwell. I have a weakness of the heart; I had a bad 
 attack this morning. Didn't want to distress you, but 
 it's all right now. Married this evening 'Merican 
 Consulate, rooms engaged. Come and kiss me, my 
 dearest one." 
 
 Lieutenant Todd was fairly trembling with em- 
 barrassment and agitation. The two young men, who 
 were quite sober, had evidently acted the parts of good 
 Samaritans, and were deeply regretting it. 
 
 Florence stood looking wildly at them, her hands 
 clasped tightly against her breast. She drew in her 
 breath with a little gasp, and a quiver crossed her 
 face as though she were wincing from a series of 
 threatened blows. She made an inarticulate sound in 
 her throat and glanced appealingly at Hammy. 
 
 [26] 
 
MEETING WALTER 
 
 "He will not appear at such a disadvantage," said 
 Mr. Todd, " when he's he's recovered. You shouldn't 
 judge him now, Miss Van Voorhis, really. You know the 
 ship was expected yesterday and he was going to be 
 married to-day, and his friends invited him to partake 
 of spirits. I partook myself," he added honestly, his 
 face suffused with crimson, " anybody would partake 
 under the circumstances." 
 
 "You talk like a damned missionary," cried Mr. 
 Sprague, "with your partaking and partooking. I got 
 drunk, Florence, that's the truth. Give you my word 
 it never happened in my life before. I'd have been all 
 right only my head ached this morning and I took a 
 milk-punch. Punch increases the heart's action, and 
 I give you my word " 
 
 " Don't don't talk to me " cried Florence. 
 
 Here, to the consternation of the other men, Mr. 
 Sprague burst into tears. He was a slender man, with 
 a drooping black moustache, and full, heavy-lidded 
 black eyes. Under ordinary circumstances he might 
 have laid claim to a certain amount of good looks ; but 
 pale, tearful, with no collar, his black hair plastered to 
 his forehead and hanging into his eyes, he was an 
 object of pity. 
 
 " Don't go back on me, Florence," he sobbed. " You 
 are my lode-star. I've got the house all ready. I can't 
 
 [27] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 go back there alone I couldn't face the boys. Can't 
 you see, yourself, it's your duty to go ? You promised 
 and you ought to keep your promise. Oh ! " he cried, 
 weeping afresh, "you are my lode-star!" He wagged 
 his head from side to side, dolefully mopping his swollen 
 eyes. 
 
 "Oh, take him away!" cried Florence desperately. 
 "Mr. Todd, take him away!" 
 
 Hammy brightened up at the prospect of definite 
 action. 
 
 "He shall not stay here a minute longer," he said. 
 " We will get him away at once." 
 
 The two men nodded significantly. 
 
 "Come, Miss Van Voorhis," said Hammy, taking 
 her by the arm and leading her into the corridor. "I 
 am going to engage a room for you you go there and 
 rest." 
 
 "Florence! My bride!" cried Mr. Sprague, stagger- 
 ing to his feet. " Hear me I give you my word " 
 
 The two young men thrust him violently back into 
 his chair. 
 
 "Don't pay any attention to him," said Hammy. 
 " You are going to lie down in your room and rest." 
 
 " But I cannot," said Florence. " He might come and 
 try to speak to me ! " 
 
 "Stay here a minute," said Hammy, in the masculine 
 [28] 
 
MEETING WALTER 
 
 voice of authority. The girl instinctively obeyed, cow- 
 ering back in the corner of the hall. He returned in a 
 moment, followed by a Chinaman carrying a key. 
 Hammy spoke more directly under the stress of action. 
 
 "Come along," he said. "I have engaged number 
 forty-seven quiet little room. Here it is Lee will 
 show it to you." 
 
 "You are so good," said Florence. "I can't thank 
 you but oh ! I'm so frightened what if Mr. 
 Sprague refuses to go ? " 
 
 "He'll go, all right," said Hammy. "Don't you 
 worry about that." 
 
 " But he might come back." 
 
 "I have an idea! " said Hammy. "You go in and lie 
 down, and when I have him safely off the premises and 
 there is no danger of his returning, I will come to your 
 door and knock four times. You needn't answer. It's 
 just a signal to relieve your mind. Now, Lee, you look 
 after this young lady. Good-bye, and don't worry. 
 Oh - " he ran back, " what about your trunks ? " 
 
 "I forgot all about them," said Florence, "and my 
 valise is on the ship. But don't trouble about them, 
 Mr. Todd. I don't care about them at all. I don't care 
 about anything. I never, never want to see that man 
 again and I don't know where my keys are " 
 
 " I'll get your trunks," said Hammy. " No custom- 
 [29] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 house here. I'll send them up at once, but I promise 
 you I won't do a thing till Mr. Sprague is disposed of. 
 I will personally supervise that business myself. I leave 
 you to Lee," and he went off briskly down the stairs. 
 
 The Chinaman unlocked the corner room and 
 showed Florence in. 
 
 "Welly nice," he said. "Bath loom closs hall. Lil 
 piece velanda belong you." 
 
 Florence waited for him to go, repressing her im- 
 patience, while he hung a blue hammock from stout 
 hooks in the veranda posts, pulled out a rocking-chair 
 and arranged a Japanese screen to his liking. She 
 forced herself to smile and nod, when he looked to 
 her for approval. She watched his white-robed figure 
 moving reluctantly down the hall and then, turning 
 into the hot, darkened room filled with a strange 
 perfume, she threw herself on the bed, crying as she had 
 not cried since she was a child. 
 
 There was the sound of a step in the corridor and 
 then, on the door close beside her, came four distinct 
 knocks. 
 
 [30] 
 
CHAPTER THREE 
 
 A New Friend 
 
 FLORENCE was aroused from a deep sleep of fa- 
 tigue and exhausted nerves, by the arrival of her 
 valise and three trunks. She looked on, bewildered 
 and half -awake, while Lee turned on the electric lights, 
 helped bring in the trunks, paid the porters, and then 
 asked about dinner. It was long past the hour. He had 
 tapped at her door several times, but there was no 
 answer. 
 
 "I don't want anything to eat, thank you," said 
 Florence. 
 
 She had thought for a moment, on waking, that 
 she was back again in her old room at home, on the 
 California ranch ; but the unaccustomed heat, the heavy 
 perfume and the Chinaman's voice, brought her back 
 to reality. 
 
 "You take bath," said Lee encouragingly. "Plenty cold 
 water. Bye-and-bye you feel better. I bring you velly nice, 
 lil dinner. I come back pretty soon now you hully up. " 
 
 [31] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 When Lee returned, laden with a large tray, he found 
 Florence much refreshed, though still very pale. He 
 drew up a little table by the hammock on the veranda 
 where he laid out her meal. An alligator pear with may- 
 onnaise, broiled pigeon on toast, a glass of iced-tea, and a 
 dish of fruit. 
 
 " More better you stop here, " said Lee. " Too muchee 
 talk downstairs. Honolulu too muchee talk. " 
 
 Even the Chinaman knew her miserable story. 
 
 " Missy Splague come here I nick him down stairs, " 
 said Lee valiantly. 
 
 " Never mind, Lee, " she answered, but all the same 
 his friendliness was cheering. In California she had been 
 accustomed to Chinese servants from her childhood, and 
 it seemed homelike to hear the pidgin English. 
 
 He busied himself on the veranda, lighting a number 
 of coloured lanterns that swung from a line between the 
 posts, and then came back to remove the tray. 
 
 "Band consit to-night," he said. "You look over 
 velanda, see plenty people. " He turned down the lights 
 in her room. "You look out see everybolly; nobolly see 
 you. " 
 
 The young girl sighed. There must be a great deal of 
 gossip abroad to make Lee so solicitous. She drew her 
 chair close to the railing, pushing back a long branch, 
 heavy with waxen- white stephanotis, and looked down 
 
 [32] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 into the garden sparkling with lanterns and Hawaiian 
 torches. There were green benches under the palms; 
 here the humbler class sailors, native men and girls 
 were already congregating. Carriage after carriage 
 rolled up to the entrance of the hotel. Florence could see 
 the people getting out in the full glare of the electric 
 light, the men in evening dress and straw hats, the 
 women in muslins and lace, without wraps. They all 
 seemed to know one another very well, talking and 
 laughing, and calling out in English and Hawaiian as 
 they had done at the wharf. 
 
 Suddenly the band began to play. She could see the 
 musicians plainly, broad-shouldered, stout Hawaiian 
 men in white uniforms and brass buttons. The leader, 
 evidently a German from his sweeping yellow mous- 
 tache and whiskers, waved his baton with a firm air of 
 command. Florence expected to hear the notes of a vil- 
 lage band, and was startled by the noble burst of har- 
 mony that swelled from the little kiosk. The piece they 
 were playing was evidently a native air, with a 
 simple, tender melody and strongly-marked rhythm. In 
 the garden below, the lamps and torches lit up 
 the flower beds and winding paths, where sailors in 
 white uniforms mingled with groups of native girls, 
 dressed in gowns of brilliant blue, yellow and crim- 
 son; from the veranda came little bursts of laughter, 
 
 [S3] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 and at every pause of the music the clatter of voices 
 burst forth anew. 
 
 Florence leaned her head on her clasped hands and 
 thought of her home in California, the old ranch house 
 that she had known from her earliest childhood. She re- 
 called, in a passion of homesickness, the peace and 
 beauty of Glen Una, the aromatic air, redolent of pine; 
 the grapes growing on the hillside ; the plums lying thick 
 as a purple carpet under the trees. 
 
 Suddenly the Japanese screen moved aside, and Mrs. 
 Landry burst in, sparkling from head to foot in span- 
 gled silver net. Her too yellow hair elaborately coiled 
 and puffed was held in place by numerous jewelled pins. 
 Her glittering gown fell into the obviously graceful lines 
 of a well-done fashion plate. 
 
 " Oh, you poor child ! " she cried. " I tried my best to 
 get here earlier, but I simply couldn't tear myself away. 
 Wasn't it awful?" 
 
 " Wasn't what awful ? " asked Florence. 
 
 " Why, you, of course and Mr. Sprague. You 
 needn't look so horrified. I told you there were no secrets 
 in the tropics. I think he treated you shamefully. " 
 
 " But how did you hear about it ? " asked Florence in 
 dismay. 
 
 " My dear, the whole town is ringing with it. But you 
 are well rid of him. Hammy's outside can he come in ? 
 
 [34] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 Come in, Woolly, " she cried, " here's Miss Van Voorhis, 
 moping in the dark. " 
 
 Lieutenant Todd appeared and shook hands as 
 though he were meeting Florence for the first time. 
 
 " You needn't look so embarrassed, " commented the 
 widow. " You surely oughtn't to be afraid of Miss Van 
 Voorhis after what happened this afternoon. You lost no 
 time in telling about it, any way. " 
 
 Hammy gasped. " Telling ! " he cried. " I never did. 
 . . . I would be incapable of such a ... oh, 
 Miss Van Voorhis ..." 
 
 The widow laughed maliciously. " Never trust a naval 
 officer, " she said. " I know 'em. They're just a pack of 
 old women." 
 
 " But, honestly, Miss Van Voorhis, " he said, seriously 
 distressed. 
 
 "Oh, well! If you didn't tell, Willis and Lance cer- 
 tainly did. They said they held up the poor man while 
 you and Florence pitched into him. Danny Quinn's 
 been saying how shameful it was there was no one to 
 meet the beautiful young liddy but that no-account 
 naval officer, and Lee told the Bonner girls that he 
 would 'nick* Mr. Sprague off the veranda. Oh, my 
 dear! You'll have to brace up to it, and the sooner 
 the better. " 
 
 " What do you mean ? " demanded Florence. 
 [35] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Everybody's downstairs now, " said the widow. " It's 
 better to see them in a bunch than by driblets. " 
 
 "Do you mean that you want me to meet all those 
 strange people ? I could not. " 
 
 " But I feel responsible for you, " said Mrs. Landry. 
 " You are in my charge. Now, if you follow my advice 
 you'll sail downstairs, and get acquainted with every- 
 body. I'll introduce you to all my Woolly Horses. " 
 
 "Please don't ask me," said Florence decisively. 
 " I am quite comfortable here, by myself. Go down and 
 dance, and don't worry about me. " 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Landry cheerfully, "if you will 
 have it so, we'll look you up later. Come, my hero, ' ' and 
 she rustled and tinkled down the hall, followed by 
 Hammy. 
 
 Until that moment Florence had, unconsciously, de- 
 pended upon Mrs. Landry. She had been put under 
 that lady's protection, and, naturally, when trouble 
 came, had looked to her for help. But the pretty, silken 
 reed bent at the lightest touch, and now she felt more 
 desolately alone than ever. She felt the need, at that 
 moment, of a woman friend. 
 
 The screen that had shut in the corner of the veranda 
 remained thrust aside, as Mrs. Landry had left it, and 
 Florence saw Mr. Todd approaching from a distance, 
 followed by a short, plump lady in a trailing, grey silk, 
 
 [36] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 that hung in straight, soft folds from the shoulder, in the 
 native fashion. 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis, " said Hammy, " I hope you will 
 pardon me if I am taking a liberty. But I would like to 
 present to you a very dear friend of mine, Mrs. Ross. 
 Mrs. Ross, Miss Van Voorhis. I ah I am sure two 
 such charming ladies should know one another. " 
 
 Mrs. Ross sank smiling into the chair that Hammy 
 drew up beside Florence. 
 
 " Go back to the dance, Mr. Todd, " she said, " and 
 tell Emma where to find me. " 
 
 The stranger spoke in a soft, foreign voice, very musi- 
 cal and low. The shimmer of her grey silk matched the 
 colour of her hair that showed, thickly curling, under a 
 white lace scarf. Although very dark and evidently half 
 or a quarter Hawaiian, her eyes were a bright blue. 
 
 Florence had dreaded meeting any of the Honolulu 
 people, though she had not really believed Mrs. Lan- 
 dry's pleasantries about the island gossip. She received 
 Mrs. Ross somewhat formally, and listened to her talk 
 in a cold silence that in no way disconcerted her visitor. 
 In five minutes Florence learned that she was a widow; 
 that she had a son in America; that she was descended 
 from the Kamehamehas, and that she had a niece 
 named Emma. 
 
 "She's downstairs dancing now," she went on. "I 
 [37] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 came to chaperon her. Mr. Todd told me that you were 
 sitting up here alone, and I knew that you had just ar- 
 rived and were a stranger in Honolulu, so I begged him 
 to let me come up and talk to you. " 
 
 "You are very good." 
 
 The music began again, a wild barbaric theme with 
 a strangely familiar melody running through it. 
 
 " I almost seem to know what it is they are playing, " 
 said Florence. 
 
 " It's Hawaiian music, " Mrs. Ross explained " But 
 they always get some bit of an old hymn the mission- 
 aries brought here and weave it in with their own 
 music. Doesn't the band play well ? We were so lonely 
 when they went away. " 
 
 "Who?" asked Florence. 
 
 " The band boys. They are men, of course, but every- 
 body calls them the band boys. They went up to San 
 Francisco to compete in some big musical affair, and we 
 were so proud for they won the prize. Mr. Berger, he's the 
 leader, you know, had a good deal of trouble with them, 
 they were so popular. They kept giving away their but- 
 tons for souvenirs, and people treated them to drinks, 
 and when they got their money they'd hand it over to 
 beggars and tramps. Mr. Kuniakia, a cousin of mine, 
 plays the cornet, and he told me such pajthetic stories 
 about poor people in your country. He said many and 
 
 [38] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 many a time he had given a man a quarter just for a 
 place to sleep. And it seemed so sad to him not to see any 
 cocoanut trees. He told me he walked miles and miles, 
 and didn't find one." 
 
 " But they don't grow in California. " 
 
 " Yes, I know. That's what makes it so hard for the 
 poor people. For, if you are really hungry, you can al- 
 ways eat cocoanuts. " 
 
 The music suddenly changed from a melodious waltz 
 into the bold, serious notes of an anthem. There was 
 the sound of a general scraping of chairs on the lower 
 veranda. 
 
 "What is it?" asked Florence. 
 
 "The King," said Mrs. Ross. "Everybody is stand- 
 ing." 
 
 " Is that the National air they are playing ? " 
 
 "Yes. Hawaii Ponoii Hawaii Forever. It's grand, 
 isn't it?" 
 
 "I never saw a king," said Florence. "Is he nice 
 looking ? " She was beginning to like her friendly visitor. 
 
 " Oh, my dear! " she answered. " He is magnificent ! 
 Of course he isn't a Kamehameha. The reigning family 
 was extinct when Queen Emma's little boy died. I am 
 descended from Kamehameha by a collateral branch. 
 My grandfather was never addressed by any title but 
 Alii; that means chief, you know. " 
 
 [39] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " It is very interesting, " said Florence. 
 
 "You see," Mrs. Ross went on, "when the little 
 prince died, Queen Emma his mother was Regent, but, 
 as she was not of royal blood the people did not want her 
 for a ruler. Then they had a general election, just as you 
 have in the United States. It was between Kalakaua, a 
 young prince of good family, and the ex-Queen Emma. It 
 was awfully exciting. After Kalakaua was elected king, 
 he and Queen Emma never met or spoke to each other, 
 though it was years ago, until last Thursday on the Paw- 
 tucket. I was there myself and saw it. " 
 
 "Do tell me about it," said Florence, now entirely 
 won over by the kindly half-white. 
 
 " Well, you know, Honolulu people had always been 
 careful not to invite them both to the same entertain- 
 ment. Or, if Queen Emma was asked, she was always 
 told, delicately of course, that the King was coming, and 
 so she stayed away. But the Pawtucket people didn't 
 understand island politics, and asked them both. 
 Everybody in town was there, and all the officers from 
 the other ships. They had arranged a throne on the 
 quarter deck with flags and things, the way they al- 
 ways do, and of course, we knew the King was ex- 
 pected. Imagine our feelings when we saw Queen 
 Emma coming over the side ! She was given a seat beside 
 the throne, and we all waited. Of course, we told the 
 
 [40] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 officers of the Pawtucket and they were frightened 
 to death. Nobody knew what was going to happen. Then 
 we saw the royal boat coming, and the salute began 
 banging away. His Majesty walked slowly up the deck, 
 and everybody bowed. " Mrs. Ross rose to her feet to act 
 the story as she talked, assuming the urbane smile of the 
 King and the respectful homage of the people. " We all 
 watched him going up the companion-way to the 
 quarter deck. Queen Emma was standing like this, very 
 straight and haughty, with ropes of jessamine looped in 
 her hair. We saw the King walk up to her and hold out 
 his hand. She gave him hers. We could not hear what 
 they said, but instead of taking the throne himself he led 
 her to it. She hesitated a moment while we all held our 
 breaths and then, when she took the seat, he bowed low 
 before her, like this, and I declare, we all said after- 
 wards we felt like applauding. " 
 
 " How splendid of him ! " cried Florence. " That was 
 like a king. I wish I could see him. " 
 
 Mrs. Ross jumped up. "Come on, now," she said, 
 * and I will introduce you. " 
 
 " No, no ! " Florence drew back. 
 
 " Oh, of course!" said Mrs. Ross. " How stupid of me. 
 I knew you couldn't under the circumstances. " 
 
 Florence caught her breath. " What do you mean ? " 
 she said, rising. 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Oh!" Mrs. Ross was visibly flustered. "I noth- 
 ing only about Mr. Sprague, you know. " 
 
 " Does everybody know my affairs ? " cried the young 
 girl passionately. 
 
 " No no, only the American Consul told me " 
 
 Florence had been choking back her tears with diffi- 
 culty. She suddenly began to laugh. "The Chinaman 
 said " she gasped, "the two young men, the Am- 
 erican Consul " and then, with an hysterical cry 
 that was drowned in the clash of music, she fell back in 
 her chair. 
 
 Mrs. Ross caught her, laid her on the floor, and ran 
 for water. She sprinkled Florence's face, unfastened her 
 dress, put a pillow under her head, all the while heaping 
 maledictions on herself for a blundering, stupid fool and 
 calling Florence many sweet Hawaiian names of en- 
 dearment. Then she sat down beside her on the matting 
 and began gently clawing her arms and shoulders like 
 an amiable cat. 
 
 "What are you doing?" asked Florence faintly. 
 
 " Giving you a lomi-lomi I think they call it * mas- 
 sage' in English but it isn't the same thing. It quiets 
 the nerves. " 
 
 The petting of the plump, little hands, the sympathy 
 that she had craved, the gentle, feminine influence soon 
 restored Florence to calmness. 
 
 [42] 
 
A NEW FRIEND 
 
 " I'm ashamed of myself, Mrs. Ross, " she murmured. 
 " But I've been upset. It has been a terrible day " 
 
 " I know, I know, " said the good creature. " It was all 
 my fault. I'm so stupid. Don't mind me. I didn't mean 
 to hurt you. I could have bitten my tongue out for say- 
 ing a word. " 
 
 " You're so good, " said Florence, and, laying her head 
 on the grey-silk lap she cried quietly while Mrs. Ross 
 tenderly picked the hairpins out of her hair. 
 
 [43] 
 
CHAPTER FOUR 
 
 The Ross Family 
 
 IT was late that night before Mrs. Ross went home. 
 She had put Florence to bed like a tired child 
 and then sat by her side, patting her arm and 
 shoulder with the soothing lomi-lomi. It was then 
 that the last of Florence's reserve melted away 
 and she poured out her heart to the kind little 
 Hawaiian. 
 
 She told her of the prune ranch in the Santa Clara 
 Valley where her mother died, the home of her child- 
 hood that was a home no more, for it had been given 
 over to the superintendent to live in. He had repainted 
 and repapered it out of all semblance to the place 
 she had loved so well. 
 
 She told of the lonely year in San Francisco after her 
 mother's death, when she had lived with her father at 
 a hotel. He was a busy man, engaged in some kind of 
 shipping business she did not understand; the prune 
 ranch was only one of his many interests. The life had 
 
 [44] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 been so lonely, that she tried visiting relations in South- 
 ern California, but the dreariness of that was beyond 
 words, and she was glad to get back to the privacy 
 of her corner room at the hotel. She would have gone 
 on to talk of Mr. Sprague and the difficulties of her 
 present position but Mrs. Ross considerately led the 
 conversation away from agitating subjects, and wan- 
 dered on to stories of her own youth, when she had 
 known and loved Prince Lunalilo. His death had cast 
 a gentle sadness over her life, and she loved to talk 
 of him and tell stories of his gaiety and humour and 
 popularity. At his death he had been buried with chiefly 
 honours and the firing of guns. Many years after, when 
 the Royal Mausoleum was built they carried his body to 
 lie with the other descendants of Kamehameha, and 
 begged the authorities for another salute of twenty- 
 one guns which was refused. But Heaven remembered, 
 and when the body of the beloved Prince was carried 
 up Nuanu Valley, a great storm arose, and the thun- 
 der pealed twenty-one times. 
 
 Mrs. Ross had been maid of honour to Queen Emma 
 when Kamehameha IV. was king; she described the 
 court life of those days, the great doings when the Duke 
 of Edinburgh paid his famous visit to Honolulu in 
 his own man-of-war; the compliments he paid to the 
 beautiful Hawaiians, the dances, the flirtations; prat- 
 
 [45] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 tling on in her soft foreign voice, gently and soothingly, 
 till the young girl fell asleep. 
 
 The next morning Mrs. Ross came again to see her 
 new friend and sat patiently swinging in the hammock, 
 waiting for her to wake. A light breeze, salt from the 
 sea, rustled the leaves and shook out the scent from the 
 clusters of stephanotis. 
 
 It was the voice of Mrs. Ross, singing softly to her- 
 self in Hawaiian, that finally awoke Florence to her new 
 surroundings. 
 
 " Why, Mrs. Ross ! " she cried. " How good of you ! 
 I dreaded this morning to wake and find myself 
 alone in a strange place." 
 
 "That's why I'm here, my dear," said her friend. 
 " You are to come to my house and breakfast with me, 
 and then we will talk over all our problems." 
 
 Florence was soon dressed and was surprised to find 
 herself almost light-hearted. She put on one of her 
 prettiest gowns, a white lawn elaborately befrilled with 
 ruffles and lace, and her white kid shoes with the silver 
 buckles. 
 
 "I didn't know you were such a pretty girl," said 
 Mrs. Ross, looking her over admiringly as they started 
 down the hall. 
 
 At the head of the stairs they met two tall young 
 women talking and laughing loudly. They were dressed 
 
 [46] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 in smart, well-fitting divided skirts, with neat riding 
 boots and wore felt hats bound with leather straps. 
 Each carried a silver-mounted whip. Mrs. Ross intro- 
 duced them as the Misses Bonner of Kauai. 
 
 "We're in town on business," said the elder frankly, 
 after shaking hands in a boyish fashion with Florence. 
 " Betty, here, is selling her pigs, and I'm looking up the 
 Japanese Commission to get more labourers for the 
 plantation." 
 
 They were tall buxom girls, black-eyed and red- 
 cheeked, with pleasant sun-burnt faces, an open-air 
 breeziness of manner and smiles of engaging imperti- 
 nence. They looked enough alike to be twins, and as 
 they swaggered down the stairs, clicking their boot 
 heels, and swishing their riding whips, Florence noticed 
 that they wore their hair in longer braids than she had 
 ever seen out of an advertisement. If one started a 
 sentence the other finished it, or they both talked at 
 once in their loud, cheerful voices. 
 
 " We've just come in the nick of time," said Polly the 
 eldest. 
 
 " To take in all the gaieties " supplemented Betty. 
 
 " We'll stay over for Rex's ball " 
 
 " And the dance on the Mohawk " 
 
 And then together "There's a lot of other things 
 beside!" 
 
 [47] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 As the party passed the hotel desk the clerk handed 
 Florence a letter. 
 
 "The messenger has been waiting for an answer," 
 said the man, " ever since eight o'clock this morning, 
 and it's after ten now." 
 
 Florence hesitated. 
 
 "Teh 1 him to go away," said Mrs. Ross decisively. 
 "Miss Van Voorhis will send the answer from my 
 house." 
 
 Out on the gravelled driveway in front of the hotel 
 a native man was holding, with difficulty, a pair of 
 restive horses, saddled and bridled. They were hand- 
 some animals, and Florence looked them over with 
 interest. Round the neck of each horse was a wreath 
 of marigolds. 
 
 "Jolly morning for a gallop, isn't it?" said the 
 younger girl, Betty. " I wish you were coming with us." 
 
 " Thank you," said Florence, " I love to ride." 
 
 With one leap they were sitting astride the saddles, 
 their black divided skirts falling faultlessly, without 
 a wrinkle, on either side of the horse. Florence rather 
 suspected them of showing off, for there was a good deal 
 of rearing and prancing and pawing the air before 
 they saluted, cavalry fashion, wheeled about and gal- 
 loped away with a thumping of hoofs on the gravel 
 road. 
 
 [48] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 Florence was looking after them a little enviously 
 when Mrs. Ross called to her that the express was 
 waiting. 
 
 " Regular island girls," she said, talking of the Misses 
 Bonner, as they took their seats and settled back for a 
 pleasant morning drive. "Born and bred on Kauai. 
 They run their own plantation ; and it's a big paying 
 concern." 
 
 " Those two young girls ? " 
 
 "Oh, there are several others," said Mrs. Ross, 
 " and they are all exactly alike. One married and went 
 off to America, but her husband died within a year and 
 she came back to Kauai. Another one went for a trip 
 abroad, and brought back a foreign husband. No one 
 bothers to remember her married name. She's just 
 called Milly Bonner. They run the plantation on shares, 
 and I guess they are making money, for sugar is up. 
 That's what makes Honolulu so gay just now, it's 
 always lively when sugar is up." 
 
 As they talked, Florence looked out upon a new world 
 of vivid colours, sparkling and clear, the tall moun- 
 tains purple against a deep blue sky. She unconsciously 
 held tightly to a fold of Mrs. Ross's holaku. 
 
 "It's all so wonderful!" she said enthusiastically, 
 " and oh, what a lovely, lovely place! " 
 
 " This is my home," said Mrs. Ross complacently, as 
 [49] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 they turned into a gravelled road, shaded by royal palms. 
 On all sides were strange looking plants, bushes with 
 sword-like spikes, variegated leaves in crimson, yellow 
 and green, and here and there, throwing their shad- 
 ows on the flower beds, were great trees of giant bam- 
 boo, blossoming coffee, tamarind and mango. The 
 rambling one-storied house stood far back in the garden 
 on a slight eminence. A scarlet-creeper swept like a 
 flame almost to the peak of the roof, enclosing the deep 
 veranda that faced the street. The driveway led to the 
 side entrance, shaded by drooping clusters of golden 
 blossoms. In front of the house, sloping down to the 
 hibiscus hedge, were flower beds, while a small banana 
 plantation closed in the back premises. 
 
 Mrs. Ross dismissed the carriage, and ushering her 
 guest into the sitting-room, went off in search of Bella, 
 the Portuguese servant. 
 
 The doors and windows were open, in the hospitable 
 island fashion, but the veranda with its curtain of 
 Bouganvillia, shut off the light so that the room seemed 
 cool and refreshingly dark after the sunshine outside. 
 Florence looked curiously about. Against the wall was 
 a glass cabinet containing sea-shells, Chinese earrings, 
 ivory chess men, and a ship in a glass bottle. A piano 
 stood in a corner, on old-fashioned carved legs, a native 
 mat, with worsted work around the edge, draped over 
 
 [50] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 it. Between the windows was a singular object, some- 
 thing like an immense feather duster, with an exquis- 
 itely carved handle. It was six feet high, and broad in 
 proportion, the feathery part composed of beautiful 
 white plumes. Beside this was a large glass case, cover- 
 ing what appeared to be a neatly folded cape, made 
 entirely of small yellow feathers sewn on a foundation, 
 one overlapping the other. 
 
 Above the mantel, two enlarged crayon portraits 
 decorated the wall, one of a mild-featured, bald gen- 
 tleman with whiskers, the other evidently Mrs. Ross 
 in her youth. Even the smudgy crayon and wavering 
 lines could not disguise a certain comeliness in the youth- 
 ful face. Between the portraits were innumerable loops 
 of necklaces, some of small amber-coloured sea-shells, 
 others of scarlet seeds, hard and bright as coral. The 
 mantel was arranged stiffly, with an ornamental gilt 
 clock flanked by photographs in frames, and a pearl 
 shell, its exquisite surface defaced by a painting of 
 Diamond Head. The furniture was well worn; the 
 chairs smooth and shiny with age, and over all there 
 hung the faint perfume of sandalwood. 
 
 Mrs. Ross came back, apologizing and hospitable, 
 followed by a Portuguese woman carrying a tray. Bella 
 was an undersized leather-coloured person, with black 
 braids wound about a bullet head. She wore a stiffly- 
 
 [51] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 hanging holaku of large black and white squares like 
 a checker-board, so short that it disclosed her bare 
 feet. 
 
 She set out a small table on the veranda, brought 
 the coffee and buttered toast, and drew up two chairs. 
 Mrs. Ross and Florence breakfasted in the pleasant 
 shade, looking out on the sunlit flower beds. 
 
 "If there's one thing I pride myself on," said Mrs. 
 Ross, " it's my coffee. This is real Kona, grown on Wil- 
 liam's plantation." 
 
 "I make him," cried Bella, in a sudden loud voice. 
 " Too muchee good." 
 
 "That'll do, go to the kitchen!" said Mrs. Ross 
 crossly. "I've had that girl for years," she went on, 
 " but she never seems to get any sense. She's physically 
 incapable of learning manners." 
 
 " She's Portuguese, isn't she ? " asked Florence, tak- 
 ing another slice of the crisp, hot toast. 
 
 "She came over with a batch of emigrants from 
 Madeira, that were imported to work on the sugar 
 plantations. Of course they all brought their families 
 along. Bella's father died on the way out, so she wasn't 
 wanted particularly and I took her. She breaks every- 
 thing she lays her hands on, and if I don't keep a sharp 
 eye on her she gives away kerosene and matches out 
 of the cook-house to her Portuguese friends. But she's a 
 [52] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 good servant and I only have to slap her occasionally 
 and she's all right." 
 
 "You have such a pretty garden," said Florence. 
 " I don't think I ever saw a lovelier place." 
 
 "It is pretty," said Mrs. Ross. "My Japanese gar- 
 dener is a treasure. He bothers me a good deal, training 
 the plants into birds and umbrellas they look per- 
 fectly horrid but he makes things grow, and I sell 
 a lot of my rare plants." 
 
 "Sell them? The place seems so full of gardens I 
 shouldn't think anybody did more than throw seeds 
 about." 
 
 "Ordinary things grow easily, but I am always 
 experimenting. Mr. Ah Sue brought some Lychee 
 plants from China years ago as presents to his friends, 
 and mine was the only one that grew. Haka, the gar- 
 dener, saves nearly every seed and I've made a 
 good deal selling the little plants. You see, my dear, 
 I'm not rich, and every little counts. I have a small 
 income from my husband's life insurance, and my son 
 sends me help now and then. When he was here last he 
 built that little cottage at the other end of the garden. 
 I'll show it to you bye-and-bye, you can't see it from here. 
 I rent it to Count Tatsu, a young Japanese gentleman 
 who belongs to the Commission. He speaks English 
 perfectly. My niece, Emma, has enough money of her 
 
 [53] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 own to buy dresses and things, and then there are the 
 two Princes." 
 
 " Princes ? " asked Florence, interested. 
 
 "They are the Queen's nephews, Vida and Mana. 
 Their mother was a cousin of mine, and when she died 
 the Queen begged me to take charge of the two boys 
 until they were old enough to go to boarding school. 
 She knew they would have a home life here that was 
 impossible at the palace. She wanted them to learn 
 English too for, though we are all Hawaiians, I have 
 made it a rule to speak English for Lulu's sake." 
 
 Florence looked somewhat puzzled. 
 
 " Well, you see," explained Mrs. Ross, " my husband 
 came from your country and as I'm only a quarter- 
 Hawaiian, Lulu might be called an American, so I 
 wanted her to speak the language well. She is a bright 
 child, and oh, she has been such a help in looking 
 after the Princes ! The King pays very handsomely, but 
 they have been a trial to me, those boys! I've had 
 entire care of them ever since they were so high. But 
 now my daughter Lulu takes charge of them, and I 
 leave their bringing up to her. She's only thirteen, and 
 so helpful and capable I don't know what I'd do 
 without her. Then I rented my corner room, for a 
 long time, to a young man who was here from Ger- 
 many, studying leprosy, but he left on the last steamer. 
 [54] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 He paid ten dollars a week for his room and board. 
 It wasn't much, but I miss it all the same." 
 
 "May I look at it?" asked Florence. An idea was 
 dawning in her mind. 
 
 It was a large corner room, with windows to the 
 floor, opening out on a broad veranda shaded by awn- 
 ings, and cut off from the rest of the porch by a green 
 lattice-work screen, with a door let in the middle. The 
 garden sloped downward on that side of the house, so 
 the corner veranda, railed in like a balcony, was some 
 six feet above the ground. 
 
 "It's beautiful!" cried Florence. "Oh, Mrs. Ross, ' 
 will you take me for a boarder ? For one month, any- 
 way!" 
 
 The little half -white clapped her hands. "The very 
 thing!" she exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that 
 before! It will be so quiet for you here, too, and you'll 
 be away from that gossipy old hotel, and if you want 
 to go anywhere I'll chaperon you ! " 
 
 "It was a lucky day for me when I met you." 
 They were sitting on the veranda steps at the side 
 entrance by Florence's door, looking out over the 
 garden. 
 
 "It was Mr. Todd really we both ought to thank," 
 said Mrs. Ross. "For it was he who brought us 
 together." 
 
 [55] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "You see," said Florence, "I could not bea- go 
 back on this steamer, it would be too humiliating. I 
 would have to carry my own explanations with me. 
 But if I stay over a month I could write to my father 
 and he'd tell everybody and then, when I get back, 
 it will all have blown over." 
 
 " Then suppose you write to him this very day from 
 here ? You needn't go back to the hotel at all. I'll tele- 
 phone to have your things sent up." 
 
 " But I'll have to go down to pack my bag " 
 
 There was the sound of crashing china from the 
 cook-house accompanied by a shrill Portuguese scream. 
 Mrs. Ross flew off to investigate, leaving Florence 
 sitting alone on the steps. It was past noon and very 
 hot. The leaves seemed to hang limply from the trees. 
 Florence drew out her handkerchief to wipe her fore- 
 head and found the letter she had tucked into her belt. 
 She had known, when the clerk handed it to her, that 
 it was from Walter Sprague; she recognized the familiar 
 handwriting. Strange that she could have so completely 
 forgotten all about it in the excitement of her visit ! She 
 drew the folded leaves out reluctantly. Four pages 
 of almost illegible handwriting the unfortunate young 
 man filled with reproaches of himself. He was penitent to 
 tears; indeed, there were tear-stains on the paper. He 
 grovelled; he threw dust and ashes on his head. The 
 
 [56] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 ink had blotted through the thin paper making it diffi- 
 cult to read. The pitiful appeal only roused Flor- 
 ence to scorn and anger. It wound up by begging her to 
 see him again before the steamer sailed for Maui," where 
 our happy home was to have been," ran the letter, 
 " and where I shall return an unhappy, broken-hearted 
 man. Let me see your beautiful face once more. May I 
 not press again that hand I have lost by my hideous 
 folly and crime ? I may not live to reach Maui. If you 
 hear that I have ended my miserable existence by jump- 
 ing off the boat, you will understand that I do not 
 reproach you. I am only ending a worthless life, that 
 has no charms for me without my darling Florence. 
 Let me see you once more. I am at Mr. Lansing's. 
 Send me a line " Here the letter was crossed and 
 Florence crumpled it up with a gesture of exasperation. 
 Just then the bell rang and Mrs. Ross's voice called. 
 
 " Come in to lunch. Come in to lunch." 
 
 Florence tore the paper to fragments and threw it 
 guiltily behind a gardenia bush before she obeyed the 
 cheerful summons. 
 
 Mrs. Ross introduced her to the rest of the family as 
 she took her seat at the table. Emma was a silent young 
 woman, dark, even for a half-white, with a low fore- 
 head and black eyebrows that gave her a fiercely sullen 
 expression. She acknowledged Florence's greeting 
 
 [57] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 with a scowl, but her voice was unexpectedly high- 
 pitched and mild. Lulu, Mrs. Ross's daughter, was very 
 fair, with dust-coloured hair drawn tightly off a high 
 white forehead. She had full, pale blue eyes and a keenly 
 inquisitive manner. Florence shrank under a scrutiny 
 that was busily taking in every detail of her dress. 
 
 The two Princes were boys about eight and nine; 
 Vida, a sturdy little fellow, with rings of coal-black 
 hair, and Mana slighter and more graceful, with a 
 delicate face and large, lustrous eyes. Both showed, in 
 the rich, warm brown colour of their skins, that they 
 were full blood Hawaiians. Their manners were very 
 elaborate and careful, evidently inspired by Lulu, upon 
 whom the boys kept an anxious eye as each shook hands 
 with Florence, saying politely, "glad to make your 
 acquaintance." 
 
 " Oh, dear ! " cried Mrs. Ross. " I forgot to ask if you 
 have ever had the whooping-cough ? " 
 
 " I had it when I was a child," said Florence. 
 
 "Oh, then, it's all right, the boys are just getting 
 over it." 
 
 Mana pressed his handkerchief to his lips, growing 
 purple in the face and looked wildly at Lulu. 
 
 She instantly rose to the occasion. "Leave the table 
 at once ! " she cried. " You know I always told you to go 
 outside to whoop. Stay where you are, Vida," as the 
 
 [58] 
 
THE ROSS FAMILY 
 
 elder boy started to his brother's aid. "You must not 
 keep getting up and down." 
 
 "Miss Van Voorhis is going to board with us," said 
 Mrs. Ross to the table generally. 
 
 " I too much like ! " cried Bella, who was bringing in 
 a large dish of hot baked taro. No one seemed to notice 
 her remark. 
 
 Lulu laid down her knife and fork to take another 
 long look at the stranger, and then asked suddenly, 
 " Why didn't you marry Mr. Sprague ? " 
 
 [59] 
 
CHAPTER FIVE 
 
 Good-bye to Walter 
 
 A SMALL table had been drawn out in the 
 sitting-room; here Mrs. Ross laid envelopes, 
 several sheets of pink ruled paper, a very fine 
 pen, a bottle of ink that was almost colourless, and 
 left Florence to write the letter to her father. It was a 
 difficult task, and the young girl studied the great 
 feather duster and stared long at the folded yellow 
 cape under the glass case and the strings of sea-shells 
 on the wall, before she drew a long breath and began to 
 write. 
 
 It was a wildly incoherent letter, a jumble of indigna- 
 tion, self-pity, gratitude to Mrs. Ross and descriptions 
 of the scenery. " It is impossible for me to go back now," 
 she wrote, " and I know how comfortable you are at the 
 club. 
 
 " Mr. Sprague doesn't live in Honolulu, you know, 
 and once he has left town I will feel more comfortable. 
 I have quite enough money to last me this month, and 
 
 [60] 
 
GOOD-BYE TO WALTER 
 
 the thousand dollars you promised to send me next 
 mail will help me to stay on a while. Even if it was a 
 wedding present, I know you won't mind letting me 
 have it for my expenses here. Dear Dad, you know how 
 I hate the idea of coming home just now, and I'm 
 with dear, good people who take the best of care of me, 
 so you needn't worry at all. I have a descendant of the 
 Kamehamehas for a chaperon and that ought to im- 
 press you. I wouldn't stay here a minute if that man 
 lived here, but as soon as he leaves I'll try hard to for- 
 get the whole miserable, humiliating experience." 
 
 With a few words of affection Florence sealed her 
 letter and wrote out the name and club address. Poor 
 Dad; he was so young to be her father! She had come 
 into the world before he was twenty-one, and here, at 
 what he considered the ridiculously youthful age of 
 forty-two, he found himself the sole guardian of a grown 
 young woman. Though he was kind and indulgent, 
 Florence felt that her presence was a continual re- 
 straint and embarrassment to him; and her projected 
 marriage had beer a great relief to them both. 
 
 Mrs. Ross had been on the lookout for passers-by, 
 and called to Florence from the garden to bring her 
 letter which was handed over the wheel of a phaeton 
 crowded with girls, who were going down to the post- 
 office with the family mail. 
 
 [61] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Florence preferred to walk to the hotel. Honolulu 
 held all the charm and mystery of a first foreign town 
 to one who had never left her native land before. She 
 started out in the cool of the afternoon and loitered on 
 her way to look about. The wide street, shaded by 
 flowering trees had been newly sprinkled to lay the dust. 
 In place of fences many of the gardens were closed in 
 by green hedges resplendent in scarlet hibiscus flowers. 
 The houses were mostly low and broad with deep 
 verandas and wide awnings. Through the open doors 
 and windows Florence caught glimpses of domestic 
 interiors ; a woman in white swinging idly in a hammock, 
 an old lady reading aloud to a couple of girls grouped 
 on the floor at her feet; under a bread-fruit tree in the 
 centre of a small garden, a number of children were 
 busily playing with dolls and little dishes; in a larger, 
 more pretentious place, a tennis game was in full swing ; 
 the girls in white, the men in flannels, shouting and 
 laughing, while a gay party of young people looked on 
 from the veranda, where, in their midst, a solemn look- 
 ing old gentleman with a beard sat isolated under an 
 odd square gauze structure that looked like a bird cage. 
 Florence walked more slowly, studying the scene, and 
 wondering if the man were a lunatic, when the flapping 
 of hats and handkerchiefs gave her a clue to the mystery. 
 He had evidently constructed a refuge from mosquitoes, 
 
 [62] 
 
GOOD-BYE TO WALTER 
 
 and was reading his paper in peace, oblivious to the 
 world about him. 
 
 As Florence wandered on she noticed that many car- 
 riages passed her, all going in the same direction 
 toward town. She knew the steamer was to leave on 
 the morrow, and conjectured, rightly enough, that the 
 month's accumulation of letters were being carried to 
 the post. One old family carryall drew up and a white- 
 haired lady, an utter stranger, called out to Florence, 
 offering her a lift. "There is plenty of room .'"she 
 cried. "Jimmy can sit on the front seat." But the amia- 
 ble offer was refused with an interchange of smiles and 
 nods and Florence walked on. 
 
 A couple of bare-footed native girls loitered to say: 
 "Aloha" in passing. Encouraged by the young white 
 woman's friendliness, one of them took a wreath of 
 fragrant green leaves from her own neck and threw it 
 over Florence's shoulders. 
 
 "Makai!" she said. " Makaino" and the other girl 
 spoke to her at more length in Hawaiian, but Florence 
 could only shake her head and smile. They both 
 laughed and turning at the corner of the street said 
 "aloha" again, and were evidently pleased when she 
 repeated the salutation after them " aloha I " 
 
 There was something frank and simple in this little 
 adventure that left Florence in a pleasant mood as she 
 
 [63] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 turned into the shady entrance of the hotel grounds. 
 Here there were several small cottages under the trees, 
 closing in the garden and driveway. On the porch of 
 one a pleasant party were having afternoon tea; at 
 another three young men in white duck were awaiting 
 the arrival of a Chinaman who skimmed across the 
 grass balancing a tray laden with tall glasses and 
 bottles; a small boy on the lawn was practising with a 
 stock-whip. Florence ran up the steps of the hotel, 
 walked in at the wide open door and met Walter 
 Sprague face to face. She started back with an exclama- 
 tion of dismay. 
 
 " Oh, Florence ! I beg your pardon Miss Van Voor- 
 his," cried the young man. " I must speak to you. I have 
 been here to see you six times to-day." He looked 
 around hastily. " Come into the drawing-room, there is 
 nobody there. Only for a minute!" He was perfectly 
 sober, and though pale and agitated was entirely mas- 
 ter of himself. A Chinaman was sprinkling down the 
 steps with a small watering pot ; several young men stood 
 talking at the hotel desk, and there was the sound of a 
 guitar and singing voices from the front veranda. She 
 saw there was no escape and followed him into the 
 parlour, a large, hot room, furnished in magenta red. 
 The wall, papered in gilt leaves, was adorned by a single 
 large painting of a volcanic eruption on Kilauea. 
 
 [64] 
 
GOOD-BYE TO WALTER 
 
 " Now,'* she said, " I want to ask how you dare come 
 and speak to me ? " 
 
 This attack disconcerted the young man, who had 
 evidently hoped to efface the bad impressions of the 
 previous day. 
 
 " My dear Miss Van Voorhis," he said, "I am ashamed 
 of myself. Miserably, hopelessly ashamed. There is no 
 excuse for me whatever, but I beg of you, I implore you 
 to wipe it all off the slate. It can never happen again." 
 
 She looked at him with minute scrutiny. His black 
 moustache was curled up at the corners ; his hair, parted 
 exactly down the middle of his head, bore the crease 
 left by the band of his hat on its smooth surface; he was 
 smartly dressed, and made a rather good though fop- 
 pish appearance. 
 
 " I can never wipe the memory of your reception of 
 me off my mind," she returned coldly. 
 
 " My dear girl I give you my word " 
 
 " Don't ! It is a waste of time for us to talk over any- 
 thing. We only need to say good-bye and part." 
 
 "But you can't mean it!" he cried. "Think of our 
 house all ready and furnished my father and mother 
 waiting to receive us at Huapala ! " 
 
 " It would have been in better taste if they had been 
 here to receive me in Honolulu, on the day of my 
 arrival." 
 
 [65] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " My God ! " cried the young man, " do you imagine 
 I haven't thought of that? But my mother couldn't 
 stand the trip she hasn't been to Honolulu for five 
 years. I might have brought my father. He was dying 
 for the chance to come. He'll tell you all about it." 
 
 " Indeed, he will not," she replied firmly, "for I 
 never intend to see him or any member of your family 
 if I can help it." 
 
 Mr. Sprague threw his hat on a gilt-legged chair and 
 sat down disconsolately on the piano stool. 
 
 " It's all up, then," he said. 
 
 " Mr. Sprague," she stood up very straight and cold 
 before him, "I intended to write all this to you, and 
 save both of us the pain of an interview. I cannot go 
 into explanations or recriminations, I only want to say 
 that I will never marry you, and when you leave Hono- 
 lulu I hope I may never see you again. " 
 
 The young man twirled entirely about on the piano 
 stool. 
 
 " You couldn't forgive me ? " he asked, with an up- 
 ward pleading glance. 
 
 "It isn't a matter of forgiveness, I am glad of the 
 chance that separated us for we should never have been 
 happy together." 
 
 " How can you say that ! " cried Walter passionately, 
 " I would have died to make you happy. Our life would 
 
 [66] 
 
GOOD-BYE TO WALTER 
 
 have been one long dream of bliss. You loved me, 
 Florence " 
 
 "I did not!" she cried, exasperated. "I perhaps I 
 thought I did but it wasn't you it was the person 
 I thought you were " 
 
 "Well," said the young man dolefully, "if I go now 
 it will be forever. You don't know what this means 
 to me. I'm a broken-hearted man. I'll never return 
 to Honolulu, but in my lonely cabin on the mountain 
 side" 
 
 "I thought you had a very comfortable house," 
 said Florence cruelly; "at least, you described it so in 
 your letters." 
 
 " What will it be to me without you ? " he went on, un- 
 dismayed. " Only four walls. Home is where the heart 
 is and God knows mine will not be there ! You are send- 
 ing me into exile. I won't ask you again to forgive me 
 now, but if, at some future time " 
 
 "You must let me go!" said Florence. "There is 
 nothing more to be said." 
 
 Walter burst into ready tears, he begged and im- 
 plored. She would have left the room, but he had fallen 
 upon his knees and clutched her skirts. There was just 
 enough real misery in the young man's voice to keep 
 Florence from disbelieving every word he said, but she 
 could not find any sympathy for him in her heart. If 
 
 [67] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 he had gone away at once after that meeting on the 
 veranda, she might have regretted her harshness if not 
 her decision to break off the marriage. She might have 
 felt that she had been too severe, and an overture later 
 would have found her less resentful. But seeing him 
 again so soon after, while she was still burning with 
 mortification and anger; this scene in the hotel parlour, 
 with the element of the ridiculous in it, and the agoniz- 
 ing consciousness that every door and window was open 
 and some passer-by at this very moment might be an 
 interested spectator; the anxiety lest some one should 
 walk in and find this creature clinging to her knees, 
 turned her heart to stone. Finally, as her only hope of 
 putting a stop to the interview, she said : " I will shake 
 hands, and we will part friends, if you will get up and 
 say good-bye, in a proper manner." 
 
 " God bless you, Florence," said the young man, ris- 
 ing to his feet and preparing for an impressive farewell. 
 " You have taken a load off my heart." 
 
 "Very well," said Florence, giving his hand a hard 
 little shake and walking briskly to the door. "Good- 
 bye ! " and she fairly flew down the corridor and up the 
 stairs to her veranda room. 
 
 [68] 
 
CHAPTER SIX 
 
 The Bower 
 
 FLORENCE had been some days at Mrs. Ross's 
 and was now busily engaged getting settled in 
 her new quarters with the enthusiastic help of 
 the Princes supervised by Lulu. 
 
 "I too much like!" said Bella. "Look, see! Pretty 
 shawl!" 
 
 The Princes, with hammer and nails, were helping 
 Florence to strengthen a long, narrow shelf. 
 
 "Ow!" cried Mana, "I banged my thumb!" and he 
 set up a wail that ended in a cough. 
 
 " Run!" screamed Lulu, from under a billow of tulle, 
 where she was picking out basting threads. "Go out- 
 side and whoop !" 
 
 "Please, Lulu," said Florence, "let the boys whoop 
 wherever they like/* 
 
 "See, Bella," cried the Portuguese girl, "look all 
 same Queen," and she stood grinning in the doorway 
 draping a long embroidered scarf over her head. 
 
 [69] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 She had broken three " HI cup aig " in the kitchen 
 that morning; but Mrs. Ross felt herself lucky to have 
 lost nothing more valuable than egg cups, for Bella 
 had thrown herself at the work with fury in her frantic 
 endeavours to finish in time to join the excitement of 
 unpacking. 
 
 " That isn't a shawl, is it, Miss Van Voorhis ? " asked 
 Lulu. 
 
 "It's a piano cover," said Florence. "It was one of 
 my wedding I mean it was a present from a girl at 
 home. She embroidered it for me herself." 
 
 "Let's hang it over the shelf," said Mana. "You 
 know Mrs. Landry has a scarf over her mantel." 
 
 "That's a good idea, Mana," said Florence, remov- 
 ing it from Bella, who went back into the room 
 where she resumed the absorbing work of unpacking 
 things from the trunks and laying them out on the 
 bed. It was a somewhat slow business, as it entailed 
 a minute investigation of each object. Lulu sat at 
 the open French window, where she could see 
 all that was taken out of the trunks yet keep an 
 eye on the veranda, where the Princes were busily 
 helping Florence. 
 
 " It is like the boudoir of a Princess," she said. 
 
 " My Aunt, Princess Likelike," said Vida, " has a big, 
 big room, with palms and flowers growing inside." 
 
 [70] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 "And Aunt Liliuokalani is a Princess," said Mana. 
 " She has two houses, but she hasn't any bower." 
 
 "I mean a fairy story Princess," said Florence, 
 abashed. "Don't you know the tale of the Princess 
 with the Golden Locks ? " 
 
 " What's locks ? " asked Vida. 
 
 She explained. 
 
 "Princess Likelike has black hair," said Mana, 
 " and Princess Liliuokalani has grey." 
 
 " Mrs. Landry's hair is golden," said Vida. 
 
 " Do you know," said Mana, " I often think, if you 
 dropped a gold ring in Mrs. Landry's hair you couldn't 
 find it again. " 
 
 " Mrs. Landry's hair is dyed," announced Lulu. " I 
 remember when it was quite brown. She went off to 
 San Francisco with brown hair and when she came 
 back it was yellow. She told Emma it curled naturally, 
 but it has been straight as sticks ever since I can 
 remember." 
 
 "There, there," said Florence hastily, "the shelf 
 looks beautiful now. Bella, bring me some of those pic- 
 tures in the little black frames." 
 
 Mana showed very good taste in arranging the decora- 
 tions. 
 
 " Haven't you a big picture," he asked, " to hang up 
 in the middle over the shelf ? " 
 
 [71] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Have you seen Mr. Maxwell yet?" interrupted 
 Lulu. 
 
 "No," said Florence. She has brought out a large 
 framed water-colour of the Golden Gate and was hold- 
 ing it over the mantelpiece. 
 
 "A little higher up," directed Mana. 
 
 " He's got eleven millions," said Lulu. 
 
 " Millions of what ? " asked Florence. " That's right, 
 isn't it ? You put a nail here, Vida." 
 
 "Dollars!" cried Lulu. "Mrs. Landry is trying to 
 catch him for a husband. That's why she went off to 
 San Francisco to buy clothes." 
 
 " Oh, Lulu, you shouldn't say such things. " 
 
 "Well," said Lulu, "it's true, for Mrs. Tyler told 
 Harry the half-white, and he told Emma, and Emma 
 told mamma and I heard her. " 
 
 "You shouldn't listen to such things, you're too 
 young." 
 
 " I'll be thirteen next October," she said, undisturbed. 
 " I look young because I'm little. Vida, take those tacks 
 out of your mouth. What if you should whoop and 
 swallow them!" 
 
 There were screams from Bella. She had brought out 
 a ruffled white silk petticoat, which she held up to her 
 waist. "Oh, look, see!" she cried. "All same circus!" 
 
 Lulu hastily recovered the petticoat. She had finished 
 [72] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 pulling the basting threads out of the tulle dress, which 
 she neatly and deftly shook out, folded and laid away, 
 covered with tissue paper. 
 
 She hung up the silk petticoat in the oak wardrobe 
 and soon reduced the room to something like order. 
 There were several embroidered silk pillow covers 
 which the Princes were pulling over cushions a shade 
 too large. 
 
 " I wish I had something to put on my table," said 
 Florence. 
 
 " I have something nice," said Mana, Lulu objecting, 
 not that she had any reason, but from force of habit. 
 
 "That's the piece of tapa the Queen gave you," said 
 the little girl reprovingly as Mana returned breath- 
 lessly. 
 
 "I know," said Mana, "it just suits this table, I'm 
 glad I had it." 
 
 His brother had been looking thoughtful. "I can 
 give her my carved cocoanut," he said. " Oh, no the 
 calabash Princess Likelike gave me ! That's it ! " 
 
 He brought a round smooth bowl cut out of wood 
 and finely polished which he set down on the table. 
 "There!" he said. "If people come, and leave their 
 cards, you can put them in the calabash. Princess 
 Liliuokalani has a big one on the marble table in her 
 room, filled up so high with cards. I wish people would 
 
 [73] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 hurry up and call on you so that we could fill this one ! " 
 
 " You are such sweet boys," said Florence. " See how 
 much improved my table looks with the cover and the 
 shiny bowl." 
 
 Lulu had been growing uncomfortable. Though she 
 was so fair in colour she was an eighth Hawaiian, 
 and even one drop of native blood tells for generosity. 
 
 "You can have my little chair," she said, dragging 
 in a diminutive rocker. "I'm getting rather big for it 
 now, but Vida and Mana can sit in it when they are 
 visiting you and besides, it will sort of help furnish." 
 
 The Portuguese woman was not to be outdone. She 
 proudly presented a small green crochetted mat, bor- 
 dered with red. 
 
 " Bella make him," she said. " Put bottom side lamp. 
 No get him tapa dirty." 
 
 Florence thanked her. Mana eyed the thing scorn- 
 fully, but -was too polite to make any objections. 
 
 "Let's call mamma in," said Lulu, "to see how 
 pretty it all looks." 
 
 "Why, it isn't the same place!" cried Mrs. Ross, 
 standing in the lattice doorway and looking about ad- 
 miringly. "Herr Stuber had awful things in bottles 
 ranged on that shelf and horrid pictures of lepers. He 
 was such a nice young man, too." 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis calls this her bower," said Mana. 
 [74] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 " She said boudoir" corrected Lulu. 
 
 "Well, it's all the same," said Florence. "Let's call 
 it the bower." 
 
 " I like bower too much," said Bella. 
 
 It certainly was very bright and pretty, with the red 
 and white matting on the floor of the veranda, the gay 
 silk cushions piled on the long cane chair by the railing, 
 the pictures, the photographs, the little hanging shelf 
 full of books, hibiscus flowers in a red vase and a mass 
 of roses in a squat green jar. The awning in front 
 opened out upon the garden where a vista of paths, 
 flower-beds and gardenia bushes were shut off by the 
 drooping branches of a noble old tamarind tree. By 
 the side of the balcony, quite close, a small banana 
 plantation made a screen of broad, shining green leaves. 
 
 Lulu took off the Princes, who retired reluctantly 
 to sew patchwork for their tyrant's dolls. Bella returned 
 to the cook-house the richer by several ribbons and 
 coveted odds and ends, while the new tenant sank into 
 a rocking-chair to rest. No sound penetrated to the 
 bower; a deep, hot, peaceful silence surrounded her. 
 The tree-tops in the garden, even the feathery branches 
 of the bamboo were motionless in the sunshine. Florence 
 drew in a deep breath of perfume and content. 
 
 Her first visitor was Lieutenant Todd. Bella an- 
 nounced his arrival with such an air of mystery and 
 
 [75] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 excitement that Florence thought it must be Mr. 
 Sprague. 
 
 " Is he a young man ? " she asked breathlessly. 
 
 "Yes, yes," said Bella, nodding violently. 
 
 " Black moustache ? " 
 
 " No, no moustache. Got neck like a chicken," and 
 Bella gave a very unflattering imitation of Lieutenant 
 Todd's naval carriage. 
 
 "Oh, then," said Florence, recognizing her friend, 
 " show him in here." 
 
 Lieutenant Todd gave up his only claim to distinc- 
 tion when he laid aside his uniform. In white flannels, 
 with a red sash, he looked an elongated boy of sixteen. 
 He carried a straw hat, and a small parcel done up in 
 brown paper. 
 
 " What an artistically arranged apartment," he said, 
 looking about the bower with admiration. He was very 
 much embarrassed and glanced hesitatingly at Lulu's 
 rocker. Florence directed him to a more substantial 
 chair. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Todd, I'm so glad you came. You are my 
 first visitor here in my new abode. You know you were 
 the first to welcome me to Honolulu." 
 
 "Don't mention it," said Hammy, reddening, "what 
 an exquisite mat," he went on trying to change the sub- 
 ject, as he took Bella's humble offering in his hand and 
 
 [76] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 examined it carefully, with an air of exaggerated inter- 
 est. " Did you make it yourself ? " 
 
 " It is a present from Mrs. Ross's cook." 
 
 He put it down hastily. 
 
 "Our ship is giving a dance and I brought you an 
 invitation " He handed a letter to Florence. 
 
 She drew out an engraved card and read : 
 
 "'The captain and officers of the U. S. S. Mohawk 
 request the pleasure of your company at a reception on 
 board, Thursday afternoon, April 12th, 1883, from 
 two till six. Boats will be at the landing. Dancing.' ' 
 
 " Can you go ? " asked Mr. Todd. 
 
 "Thank you, very much," she said, "but I think 
 I'd better not. I feel so self-conscious since I've found 
 out how people talk in Honolulu. Mr. Todd, I want to 
 ask you something, and yet I hate to mention the 
 subject " 
 
 "I you you can address any remark to me, 
 Miss Van Voorhis." 
 
 " Well, did Mr. Sprague leave on the Kinau ? I won't 
 feel really comfortable here till I know he has left the 
 island." 
 
 " Yes," said Hammy, " he took his departure yester- 
 day. At least, I didn't see him go, but I met Lansing 
 and he said they were leaving together at four o'clock. 
 So it's all right." 
 
 [77] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Well, then," said Florence, "that's settled and 
 finished, and we'll never mention his name again. But 
 all the same, even though I say nothing I will never, 
 never forget what I owe you " 
 
 " I have brought you a present," interrupted Hammy, 
 producing the paper parcel. 
 
 "Really!" she said. "I'm very lucky to-day. I've had 
 several presents already." 
 
 " It is lucky I mean it's intended for luck." 
 
 He unfastened the parcel and took out a small stone 
 image, rudely carved into the semblance of a woman; 
 squat, flat and hideously ugly. 
 
 She looked at it doubtfully. " Thank you very much," 
 she said. 
 
 "I obtained it in Peru," said Hammy. "We were 
 ashore there and had permission to excavate in the 
 graves of the Incas for a pecuniary consideration. I 
 dug up a mummy " 
 
 Florence began to be interested. 
 
 " It was wrapped up in stuff that came to pieces in the 
 air. And the the lady, too, evaporated. All into dust, 
 you know. But just at first she was perfect and she had 
 this diminutive image clasped to her breast." 
 
 " How curious ! " said Florence, looking at the strange 
 object in her hands. 
 
 " She must have been a lady of quality, for she had 
 [78] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 a beaten gold mask on her face and two tear vials. 
 But my mummy was the only one that had an idol. I 
 sent the mask and tear vials home to my sisters; I 
 regret it now for I would have chosen to present them 
 to you." 
 
 "Oh, I'd much prefer to have the idol," she said. 
 "See how her eyes are carved and that band across 
 her forehead. Oh, there are little holes in her ears. I 
 do believe the mummy lady put jewels in her idol's 
 ears." 
 
 "She must have esteemed it highly to be interred 
 with it in her arms." 
 
 " I wonder if it brought her luck ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "Miss Van Voorhis," said Hammy, drawing "his 
 chair a little closer, "that was my idea. I hoped she 
 would bring you good fortune and that you might owe 
 it to me." 
 
 " I tell you what," she said gaily, " I'm going to ask 
 the little Princes to make me a temple and I'll place it on 
 that shelf in the corner. She shall be my household 
 goddess." 
 
 "Can a goddess herself possess a goddess?" said 
 Hammy, flushing violently. " Could a deity " 
 
 There was a timid knock at the door for which Flor- 
 ence was grateful. It was the two Princes followed by a 
 very small Japanese gentleman in a silk hat and frock 
 
 [79] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 coat. Lulu sidled in, attracted by the advent of com- 
 pany. 
 
 "Can we come in?" asked Mana. "We've brought 
 Count Tatsu to call on you. He was just coming home 
 when we met him at the gate." 
 
 The little Japanese bowed and took a proffered seat 
 with great self-possession. He spoke English with literal 
 correctness. 
 
 "Their young Highnesses invited me to call upon 
 you," he explained. " I would have hesitated at taking 
 such a liberty, but for the fact that I am a neighbour 
 of yours. I live across the garden in that small cot- 
 tage." 
 
 " Mrs. Ross was telling me about you," said Florence. 
 "And it is very good of you to be so neighbourly. See," 
 she said, holding up the idol, "what Mr. Todd has 
 brought me." 
 
 "Ah" said Count Tatsu, with interest. "A stone 
 idol South American, evidently of Aztec antiquity. 
 Supposed to be three thousand years old." 
 
 "How extraordinary!" said Mr. Todd. "They in- 
 formed me in Peru that these mummies were at least 
 that age." 
 
 "You have idols in your own country, haven't you, 
 Count Tatsu ? " asked Vida. 
 
 "Ah, yes, in Japan there are many religions. You 
 [80] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 are Christian, no doubt ? " he said, addressing his young 
 hostess. 
 
 " Why, yes," she answered, smiling, " I hope so." 
 
 " What is your religion, Count Tatsu ? " asked Lulu. 
 
 " I am a hypocrite." 
 
 He said it so seriously that Hammy stared in as- 
 tonishment. 
 
 " Surely you are joking," said Florence. 
 
 " No," returned the Count, " a hypocrite is a person 
 who professes a religion he does not believe. When we 
 came to Honolulu, the commissioners were given their 
 instructions from the Emperor, and one of the most im- 
 portant was to find the prevailing religion and join the 
 most popular church of that denomination. We did so, 
 and are, consequently, hypocrites." 
 
 " I am an idolater," Mana announced solemnly. 
 
 "Nonsense," cried Lulu sharply. 
 
 " I am," said Mana. " We often go to the Hawaiian 
 Museum, and I love those old idols. Whenever I see 
 one I bob my head." 
 
 "Nobody believes in idols any more," said Lulu. 
 " The native people used to but they were ignorant and 
 wicked and the missionaries made them stop it, and 
 broke all their old, heathen images." 
 
 " I'm not afraid of missionaries," declared Vida. " We 
 are going to bob our heads whenever we see an idol." 
 
 [81] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Then I'll slap you," said Lulu with determination. 
 
 Florence explained that she wanted a shrine for the 
 little image and the Princes began excitedly discussing 
 the whereabouts of some boxes. 
 
 It was boy's work, and they much preferred the ham- 
 mer and saw to Lulu's work-basket. 
 
 "We'll make some little stairs in front," said Mana, 
 " so you can set a candle out as they do in the Catholic 
 churches. I know just what you want." 
 
 "You will turn those boys into heathens again, Miss 
 Van Voorhis," said the Count. 
 
 " I want to be a heathen," said Mana with a defiant 
 glance at Lulu, who only replied by shutting her eyes 
 and assuming an expression of infinite contempt. 
 
 " You should have a name for the little goddess, Miss 
 Van Voorhis," suggested Hammy. 
 
 "Ko Ung means 'good luck' in Japanese," said the 
 Count. 
 
 "It is rather incongruous to call a South American 
 lady by a Japanese name," said Florence, " but as she 
 was given to an American girl in Hawaii that will only 
 add to the romance. We will call her Ko Ung, Count 
 Tatsu." 
 
 " May she bring you all the luck her name implies," 
 said the little Japanese, bowing. " By the way," he went 
 on, " are you going to the dance on the Mohawk ? " 
 
 [82] 
 
THE BOWER 
 
 "Oh, did you get an invitation?" cried Vida. The 
 Princes were sitting side by side on a cretonne-covered 
 box, a napkin spread across their knees, trying to eat 
 cake in a genteel manner under the watchful eye of 
 Lulu. 
 
 Florence showed her invitation. 
 
 " Put it in the calabash ! " cried Vida, relinquishing his 
 corner of the napkin to lay the card in the bottom of the 
 bowl. 
 
 "Where did you put your card, Mr. Todd?" he 
 asked. 
 
 " I I I didn't leave any." 
 
 "Well," said Vida politely, "perhaps you wouldn't 
 mind leaving one now." He begged another from the 
 Count and laid the two in the calabash with the interest 
 of a collector, returning to his seat with a side-long glance 
 of triumph at Lulu. He had not dropped a crumb. 
 
 Bella opened the lattice door. " King soldier come," 
 she announced. 
 
 A native man on horseback, in the uniform of the 
 Hawaiian army, rode up through the garden. He reined 
 in his horse by the veranda where the party was sitting. 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis live here ? " he asked. 
 
 "Yes," said Florence. 
 
 He leaned from his saddle to hand up a square en- 
 velope. Florence turned it over in her hand. It was very 
 
 [83] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 large, bordered with gold and had a gilt crown stamped 
 on the flaps. 
 
 "Aloha!" said the soldier, and then volunteering 
 amiably, " Invitation to the King's ball ; hope you can 
 come;" he wheeled about his horse and trotted off 
 saluting the company in the most friendly manner. 
 
 " Mama Ross got hers a week ago," said Mana. 
 
 "It's the ball in honour of the Russian officers," Mr. 
 Todd explained. 
 
 "But I haven't been presented to the King yet." 
 
 "He knows you are here," said Hammy, "and he 
 always likes to make it pleasant for new-comers." 
 
 "Let's see it!" begged Lulu, and Florence handed 
 her the card : 
 
 THE CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD 
 
 IS COMMANDED BY 
 
 HIS MAJESTY 
 
 to invite Miss VAN VOORHIS to a Ball 
 
 at lolani Palace on 
 Wednesday, May the 2d, at 9 o'clock. 
 Full dress. 
 
 [84] 
 
CHAPTER SEVEN 
 The Drive 
 
 FLORENCE was shown in by a Chinese servant 
 to a cool little room all in white and amber, 
 where she sat waiting, card-case in hand; she 
 was making her first formal call on Mrs. Landry. 
 A hoarse voice suddenly exclaimed solemnly: 
 "Damn fool !" 
 
 The visitor looked about somewhat startled. 
 Mrs. Landry came in laughing. " Don't be alarmed," 
 she said, "it is only the parrot. Keep quiet, Loretta! " 
 
 "But you are going out," said Florence, "don't let 
 me keep you." 
 
 The widow was in mauve, with a charming toque of 
 the same colour and was drawing on a pair of long, em- 
 broidered silk gloves. 
 
 " I'm awfully sorry," she said, " why didn't you tele- 
 phone ? I'm going out driving with Dick Leigh-Garrett. 
 He won't be here for some time, though. He always 
 keeps people waiting, so do stay till he comes. Let's go 
 
 [85] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 out on the veranda where we can watch for him and 
 talk. Sit down there, and I'll take the hammock. This 
 porch is hardly wide enough to turn around in." 
 
 "Then you haven't always lived here?" asked 
 Florence. 
 
 "No, indeed," said the widow. "The old Landry 
 house is up the Valley. You'll see it when you drive that 
 way, a great, dreary, damp place, with two iron lions at 
 the gate. I rented it after Joshua died and took this 
 little den which is quite large enough for a lone-lorn 
 woman." 
 
 " It's very pretty," said her visitor. 
 
 " I like it, the other reminds me too much of Joshua." 
 
 " Damn fool ! " observed Loretta. 
 
 "Oh, that bird!" cried' the widow. "That's the only 
 thing it says. So you are going to stay here ? " she went 
 on. "I'm so glad. Have you had an invitation to the 
 King's Ball yet ? I saw Rex last night and he said he 
 would send you one. I told him you were at Mrs. 
 Ross 's; how do you like it there ? " 
 
 "Very much, indeed. I never knew any one so 
 kind." 
 
 "I don't deny she has her virtues, but I get a little 
 weary of the daughter of the Kamehamehas, and her 
 everlasting niece." 
 
 "The girl looks very fierce," said Florence. "I was 
 [86] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 afraid of her at first, she glared at me so, but she is 
 really a soft-hearted creature." 
 
 " She's a sheep in wolf's clothing." 
 
 "Poor Emma!" 
 
 "Poor Emma!" echoed Mrs. Landry scornfully. 
 " She is just like all the half -whites, only not so pretty 
 as some. They never say a word, whether from 
 stupidity or shyness I don't know, and yet they al- 
 ways have a crowd of men adoring their footsteps. 
 Poor Emma! Mrs. Ross complains about the snubbing 
 her niece gets, but I've never seen any of it. As for 
 our girls, they have all they can do to hold their own 
 against the attractions of the half -whites." 
 
 "I would not mind that kind of snubbing very 
 much," said Florence. 
 
 " The upper class natives and half -whites hold a very 
 good position here; I suppose it is because the King and 
 Court are Hawaiians. Their standing in society would 
 soon disappear if the monarchy went out." 
 
 " I hope it never may." 
 
 "It would be good-bye to romance in Honolulu if 
 ever that happened. Imagine this lovely island with no 
 King, no Royal Court, no native army. Even the navy 
 is a joy forever. Do you know the extent of the King's 
 navee ? " 
 
 " Do you mean men-of-war ? How many has he ? " 
 [87] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " One ship ! " said Mrs. Landry. " The Kaimiloa. Oh, 
 no, without the King, Hawaii would be like the play of 
 Hamlet with the immortal Dane left out." 
 
 " It is certainly interesting here now," said Florence. 
 " Long live the King!" 
 
 There was a curious patter of tiny feet on the floor. 
 She looked down and saw Loretta ambling along the 
 veranda. The bird climbed up a post with the aid of its 
 hooked beak and sat on the railing, her green feathers 
 smoothed down, her head cocked on one side. 
 
 "Pretty Polly," said Florence. "Polly want a crack- 
 er?" 
 
 " Damn fool ! " was the quick and brilliant retort. 
 
 Mrs. Landry laughed. "You brought that on your- 
 self. It is her only repartee. But I want to ask you be- 
 fore Dick comes, what have you done with Walter 
 Sprague?" 
 
 " He has gone back to Maui," said Florence. 
 
 " So you have cast him off. Poor Walter, I can imagine 
 him leaving with a wreath about his neck and the tear 
 of sentiment in his eye." 
 
 "Please don't talk about him," said Florence. "I 
 want to forget his very existence. You'll make me wish 
 I had gone back on the Suez." 
 
 "You'll never be sorry you missed that trip," said 
 Mrs. Landry. "Wait till the spirit of Honolulu gets 
 
 [88] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 into your blood, you'll be as frivolous as the rest of us, 
 dancing and flirting and riding " 
 
 " Well, I like riding at any rate, and I always rode a 
 great deal on my father's ranch in California. Those 
 horses the Bonner girls had were beauties." 
 
 " Oh, dear," said Mrs. Landry, " I hate horses. I know 
 it is an awful thing to say, but I hate horses and violets 
 and nice long walks and a Sunday at home." 
 
 " But surely you like a fine horse for driving ? " 
 
 " Not a bit," said Mrs. Landry. " When a man takes 
 you out for a drive why on earth should he have a beast 
 that nearly pulls his arms off and keeps his attention 
 fixed every moment ? It isn't complimentary to the 
 lady." 
 
 " I don't believe you'd like it, either," said Florence, 
 "if he drove up with a donkey." 
 
 "Yes, I should," said Mrs. Landry. "If it were the 
 fashion I'd just love to jog along in a donkey-cart. I am 
 going out driving now and I do hope Captain Leigh- 
 Garrett won't bring along one of his lively prancing 
 steeds. They shy and they kick, and they stand upon 
 their hind legs and paw the air oh, I've been fright- 
 ened out of my wits. " 
 
 "Then why go?" 
 
 "Because Dick is such a charming fellow! He's an 
 Englishman and the handsomest man in Honolulu." 
 
 [89] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Wasn't he the tall man on the wharf to meet you 
 when we arrived ? " 
 
 " Yes, that's Dick you can't forget him if you've 
 ever met him. But oh, my dear, I wish you could 
 have seen him at the Coronation Ball in the full dress 
 uniform of the Huzzars. All scarlet and silk and white 
 and gold, the most gorgeous creature you ever beheld." 
 
 " But what is an English Huzzar doing out here ? " 
 
 "Nobody knows, that's what makes him so inter- 
 esting. He must be a great swell at home, for the silver 
 buttons on his hunting coat have three feathers on 
 them. That means the Prince of Wales is Master of the 
 Hounds, doesn't it? He says he owes so much money 
 he came here to ' lay low ' and let his income polish off 
 his debts." 
 
 " Has he left the army for good ? " 
 
 " I don't think so. He talks of going back. It may be 
 leave of absence, or perhaps he's suspended or some- 
 thing. The Mohawks call him 'the gilt-edged cad.' He's 
 a great friend of the King's, though, and Rex made him 
 an equerry. I believe the King likes to have handsome 
 men on his staff. Dick is fair and Rex is dark, and they 
 are nearly the same height; a stunning looking couple, 
 and with Curtis laukea he is chamberlain, you know 
 they make a splendid show in their uniforms." 
 
 "Uniforms and brass buttons improve a man won- 
 [90] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 derfully," said Florence, smiling. " Mr. Todd isn't the 
 same person in his shore clothes." 
 
 " Oh, he wouldn't shine if he were covered with stars 
 and garters, but there is one man here who looks like a 
 Roman emperor even in a tennis suit, and that's Christo- 
 pher Maxwell. But let me tell you that he's my prop- 
 erty; who borrows Christopher Maxwell, borrows 
 trouble." 
 
 " You need not be afraid, I'm not likely to meet him, 
 as I don't intend to go out at all while I'm here." 
 
 "Don't be a silly," said Mrs. Landry. " But I won't 
 worry about you when you once get caught in the 
 whirl you can't draw back you'll meet Christopher 
 Maxwell. He's the sort that men call good looking. He 
 has thick grey hair and black eyebrows, and flashing 
 eyes, and a sort of Marcus Aurelius look of power that 
 makes common people cringe, and yet I heard a little 
 old maid describe him as the kind of man that would 
 make the dreariest tea or tamest whist party a scene of 
 wild excitement by his very presence." 
 
 " Damn fool ! damn fool ! " screamed Loretta, curtsey- 
 ing on the railing with outspread wings. 
 
 "There's Dick Leigh-Garrett," said Mrs. Landry, 
 rising. 
 
 " Then I'll say good-bye, and do come and see me. I 
 must show you my little bower." 
 
 [91] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 The two walked down the path to the gate. 
 
 " Heavens ! " cried the widow. " What on earth is he 
 driving ! " 
 
 A tall, fair man, in a smart trap, was holding in two 
 horses that were harnessed in tandem. They were almost 
 unmanageable and he called out with only a hasty side 
 glance, "Get up quick. I can't help you in, but I'll 
 hold them still." 
 
 "I wouldn't get in that thing for any consideration 
 on earth!" cried Mrs. Landry. 
 
 " Don't be a fool, Sally," said the man. " Hurry up 
 I can't hold 'em in long." 
 
 "But those beasts are awful. I know it's the first 
 time you've driven them tandem." 
 
 Florence was looking at the horses with undisguised 
 admiration. 
 
 " You're not afraid, are you ? " said the man to her. 
 
 "Not a bit." 
 
 " Then you climb in," he cried. " Sally can introduce 
 us. I am Dick Leigh-Garrett and you're Miss Van Voor- 
 his. Come along ! " 
 
 " Oh, no," she said, drawing back. 
 
 " Go with Dick," said the widow, " I'll help you up. 
 He'll be furious if you don't." 
 
 "But you" 
 
 " Don't mind me. Hurry up." 
 [92] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett shifted the reins for a moment 
 to give Florence a hand. The horses bounded forward 
 and were half way down the street before she caught her 
 breath. She felt that she had been rather hasty in saying 
 she wasn't afraid, but she gripped the seat and held on 
 pluckily as they swerved round sharp corners and nar- 
 rowly escaped passing carts. Carriages and traps made 
 way for them hastily, while children and dogs scattered 
 to the sidewalks. 
 
 "You're a trump!" said Captain Leigh-Garrett be- 
 tween his teeth. 
 
 The young girl made no answer. She watched the 
 man drive with increasing confidence and admiration, 
 as they threaded their way through the narrow streets. 
 It was not till they swung into the broad straight avenue 
 of Beretania Street that the horses settled into a steady 
 trot. 
 
 "They're all right now," said the Captain. "Tandem 
 is much harder driving than four-in-hand; the horses 
 don't balance. When you see the leader wobble from 
 side to side, it means the driver is a duffer. See how 
 steady this one is going and he's proud as Billy, too. A 
 good leader always shows off a bit. He's a pure Arab. 
 I've some good blood in my stables." 
 
 "Have you many horses here?" asked Florence in 
 surprise. 
 
 [93] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " I keep a livery stable." 
 
 She laughed incredulously. 
 
 " It's true," he said. " I had to earn my living out here 
 some way, and as I know all about horses I went into 
 the gee-gee business. The only other accomplishment 
 I have is boning a turkey, but I couldn't turn that into 
 a lucrative profession. I have two partners. They put 
 in more money than I did, but then it's equal all round, 
 for I know more than they do. We have the best horses 
 in town at the Royal Livery Stables. God!" he 
 muttered an oath under his breath. "Here comes a 
 hay-wagon. Hold on, now, for there's going to be 
 trouble." 
 
 The leader balked and shied. "He's only showing 
 off," said Dick. " But we'll turn down this lane, all the 
 same." They swept round the corner on one wheel. 
 
 "Discretion is the greater part of valour," said 
 Florence breathlessly, "we'll live to laugh another 
 day." 
 
 They returned along King Street, a wide road bord- 
 ered by handsome residences, buried deep in trees and 
 gardens. The horses were now well in hand, and Flor- 
 ence had an opportunity for the first time to look at 
 the captain who was an extremely handsome man. His 
 face was sunburned a healthy red that contrasted with 
 his yellow moustache. He had strong, well-marked 
 
 [94] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 features, and bold blue eyes that scrutinized her 
 under their dark lashes with evident admiration. She 
 looked up and met his glance and her heart beat a little 
 faster. 
 
 " Why did you come to Honolulu ? " she asked hastily, 
 making conversation, and then blushing at her apparent 
 inquisitiveness. 
 
 " For my country's good," said Dick frankly. " You'll 
 find some queer fish out here, Miss Van Voorhis, and 
 I'm one of them. Have you ever heard of a man's ' going 
 to the wall ? ' Well, Honolulu's the wall." 
 
 " I shouldn't have thought of it in that light." 
 
 "It's an improvement on putting a bullet through 
 your empty head. But I've no quarrel with Honolulu. 
 I've been in worse places. There aren't any snakes here, 
 or jungle-fever, or gentlemen with assegais, and I've 
 had experiences with all three. This place suits me and 
 the King is a good fellow." 
 
 " I haven't seen him yet," said Florence. 
 
 " We played poker last night at the boat-house and 
 the King was A 1. He told the fellows to drop all cere- 
 mony and just call him * Rex,' and what do you think 
 they said, 'All right, Your Majesty!' Oh, Kalakaua 
 and the Prince of Wales are the best bred men I've ever 
 met." 
 
 " Is he always so dignified ? " 
 [95] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Well," said Dick, "it isn't exactly dignity, for he 
 can twang a eukalele and sing : 
 
 " Hoky poky winky wum 
 How do you like your taters done, 
 Boiled or with their jackets on, 
 Says the King of the Sandwich Islands" 
 
 and whoop it up with the rest of the crowd and still he 
 keeps his distance all the same. He leads the fun and 
 yet no one dares to cross the line. Even the cheekiest 
 kind of a cad braces up and behaves when he's with the 
 Xing. We had a good joke on him once, though. Out at 
 his beach-house at Waikiki we were sitting in the lanaii 
 looking at the moonlight. We had been at poker half 
 the night and the King was drinking champagne 
 in goblets. It was a pretty sight on the water with the 
 moon shining and all that, and the King called out to 
 the band boys to play something appropriate to the oc- 
 casion. And what do you think they gave us ? " The 
 Captain laughed aloud, 'The Old Man's Drunk 
 Again!'" 
 
 " Oh, I think that's a horrid story," said Florence. 
 
 "Well, cut it out," said the Captain cheerfully, "and 
 go back a topic. Why did you come to Honolulu ? But 
 I won't ask, for Mrs. Landry told me all about it." 
 
 She blushed up to her eyes. " Everybody knows every- 
 [96] 
 
THE DRIVE 
 
 thing here, it seems. Mrs. Landry tells me ' there are no 
 secrets in the tropics.' " 
 
 "That's the reason I'm so frank about my own af- 
 fairs; I want to tell you the worst about myself, and tell 
 it my own way. You'll hear enough about me before 
 you're here very long, and I want you to stand by me 
 and not believe half the stories they tell. I own I'm 
 something of a black sheep, Miss Van Voorhis, but I'm 
 not half so black as I'm painted. I really have quite a 
 number of white spots. Will you let me come and 
 gambol on your lawn? I think we might be pretty 
 good pals if we got acquainted." 
 
 Florence looked at Captain Leigh-Garrett doubtfully. 
 In spite of his good looks and air of frank fellowship 
 there was a suggestion of coarseness, almost of brutality, 
 in the man, that she instinctively felt, though she did not 
 formulate the thought in her mind. She was too un- 
 used to the ways of the world to know how to refuse his 
 request, especially as she was sitting beside him driv- 
 ing behind his tandem." 
 
 " You may come and see me, if you mean that," she 
 said, and then, a little embarrassed at the lack of 
 warmth in the invitation, added : 
 
 " Don't I hear music somewhere ? " 
 
 "Good idea!" said Dick. "The band is playing at 
 Emma Square. We'll drive round and see the crowd. 
 
 [97] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 I don't know how the horses will stand it, but you're 
 not afraid, are you ? " 
 
 " Not since I've seen you drive." 
 
 " You're a brick," said the Captain. 
 
 [98] 
 
CHAPTER EIGHT 
 
 The Accident 
 
 IN the centre of Emma Square was a band-stand, 
 where Mr. Berger and his Hawaiians played 
 melodiously while all Honolulu gathered to listen. 
 At the four corners of the park, turn-stiles admitted 
 crowds on foot; native girls in gay holakus garlanded 
 in wreaths; beautiful large-eyed half -whites, the colour 
 of golden cream; young men in duck, with cummer- 
 bunds and hat-bands of coloured silk; Chinese merchants; 
 Japanese nurse maids in kimonos leading small befrilled, 
 besashed, bare-kneed children. The benches were filled, 
 and more people walked back and forth or gathered 
 in groups under the trees. Small boys frolicked on the 
 paths occasionally rebuked by a bulky brown policeman 
 in white, with a large shining star on his breast. The 
 four streets surrounding Emma Square were crowded 
 with carriages, some drawn in the shade by the side of 
 the road, others slowly driving round and round. 
 As Captain Leigh-Garrett turned his leader int& the 
 [99] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 procession Florence set her teeth and held on. The 
 horses were frightened by the crashes of music, but 
 Dick kept them steady. 
 
 The Bonner girls, on horseback, surrounded by a 
 number of young men were the first people they ran 
 into almost literally. Florence gave them a nervous 
 bow, but Polly Bonner cried out in her loud voice, 
 " Why don't you look where you're going, Dickie ? " 
 
 The leader was refusing to turn the corner properly 
 and both horses backed. 
 
 " You're running foul of the Pawtuckets / " screamed 
 the other Bonner girl. 
 
 Florence glanced apprehensively over her shoulder 
 to see a group of young men scattering. Dick laughed 
 as they rounded the corner safely, where they were 
 hemmed in by other vehicles and the horses could do 
 nothing but dance sideways and prick up their ears. 
 
 "Those were the Pawtuckets" said the Captain. 
 "That's Christopher Maxwell. Look quick! The one 
 taking off his hat to some ladies. Sally, by jove! She's 
 lost no time getting here." 
 
 The widow, radiant in her mauve gown, was talking 
 to a distinguished looking man in white flannels, who 
 stood hat in hand before her. Florence turned to look 
 at him again, a striking figure, that stood out among 
 the crowd with a certain strong inolividuality, and 
 [100] 
 
THE ACCIDENT 
 
 though his clean shaven face, flushed with the high 
 colour of health, showed no signs of age, his hair was 
 of a crisp iron grey. As he talked he threw out both 
 arms in a fine gesture of enthusiasm. 
 
 " He is inviting the crowd to a bun-struggle of some 
 sort," said Dick contemptuously. " You never see him 
 but he's doing the ' Man from Cooks.' " 
 
 "He does look like a Roman emperor," said Flor- 
 ence. " All the other men seem common beside him." 
 
 The Captain scowled. "That's the glitter of eleven 
 millions," he said. "Watch Sally setting her cap at 
 him. She'll spoil her chances in that quarter if she's 
 seen much with me, for Max has no use for Dickie. I 
 tell you there isn't a match-making mother or a design- 
 ing widow in Honolulu who hasn't sharpened her claws 
 on Christopher Maxwell." 
 
 " I thought Mrs. Landry " Florence looked up at 
 the Captain doubtfully. 
 
 "Oh, you mean me?" he said shamelessly . . . 
 " But I'm a detrimental. It's the dollars she's after." 
 
 There was a crash of music, and then the Hawaiian 
 voices took up the refrain in chorus : 
 
 "Be still , my pu uwai ! 
 E nae iki nei, 
 Hanu malie nahe nahe, 
 Sweet lei Lehua" 
 [101] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 The horses dashed suddenly forward, excited by the 
 music. Dick pulled and steadied them with great diffi- 
 culty as they turned out into Emma Street. 
 
 " We nearly knocked over that man with the red band 
 around his hat," said Florence. 
 
 " Didn't you recognize him ? That was Hammy Todd. 
 I wish we had shaken him up a bit. It's rummy the way 
 you can judge a whole man-of-war by one officer, like 
 a box of cigars. Todd's ship is the muffiest one in the ser- 
 vice. They have waffles and maple syrup for breakfast, 
 and psalm singing on Sundays, and one of the men keeps 
 a canary. The Pawtucket is a bully ship, good men, 
 good wine, all round sport. The Russian man-of-war 
 is a racketty, rowdy tub, wetter inside than out, and I 
 defy any man to leave her sober. I know the whole lot, 
 and if you'll come on Thursday I'll introduce you to 
 the pick of 'em." 
 
 Several of the carriages, on turning into Emma Street, 
 drove off, but Dick started his leader to make the cir- 
 cuit of the park again. 
 
 " The horses are getting awfully nervous," said Flor- 
 ence, "do you think they'll stand going all the way 
 round another time ? " 
 
 "They're all right," the leader was dancing skit- 
 tishly " but you haven't answered my question. 
 You'll come Thursday, won't you ? " 
 [102] 
 
THE ACCIDENT 
 
 "But I've already refused." 
 
 " Then change your mind I want something jolly 
 to look forward to." 
 
 Just then a large painted ball, thrown by some child 
 in the park, went flying past the leader's head, falling on 
 the ground in front of him. He shied suddenly, fright- 
 ening the second horse. 
 
 "Damn these brutes!" muttered Dick, winding the 
 reins about his wrists and pulling hard. " Don't jump 
 hold on!" 
 
 There was wild commotion among the crowd. Pedes- 
 trians scattered, carriages and traps tried to turn out of 
 the road. One man jumped in front of the leader waving 
 his arms, adding to the creature's terror. The young 
 girl uttered no sound but held on to the seat with both 
 hands, only giving one apprehensive glance downward, 
 for the trap was a high one. The horses were plunging 
 wildly. Even then Dick could have managed them, but 
 a basket phaeton crowded with young children, and 
 driven by a terrified governess, got in the way; the in- 
 fants lifted up their voices and peeped like a nest full 
 of frightened sparrows. As Dick made a desperate 
 effort to avoid them, pulling violently on the reins, 
 the horses reared backwards, crashing the trap into 
 the trunk of a tree with such violence that the two 
 occupants were thrown out with the force of a catapult. 
 [103] 
 
THE GIRL FROM 'HOME 
 
 It all happened so suddenly that Florence had no 
 chance to realize that she was falling; there seemed no 
 interval in her mind between the moment of the shock, 
 and the time she found herself in Christopher Max- 
 well's arms, clinging convulsively to his shoulders as he 
 half dragged, half carried her through the crowd to a 
 bench under a tree by the wayside. 
 
 " Are you hurt ? " he asked, bending anxiously over 
 her as she struggled to regain her composure, straight- 
 ening her hat mechanically, smoothing her dress and 
 then looking up into his face. 
 
 "No, no," she said breathlessly, "I'm all right. Go 
 and see if the Captain's hurt ! " 
 
 The crowd had closed in about the scene of the acci- 
 dent. People were holding the horses' heads, others were 
 righting the overturned trap. Florence stood up shak- 
 ily, steadying herself by the trunk of the tree to look on 
 as the crowd parted before a group of men carrying a 
 heavy inanimate object. It was Captain Leigh-Garrett, 
 white and limp, his arms hanging down and dragging 
 along the grass. They laid him on the ground, while 
 an old man with a white beard, evidently a doctor, bent 
 over him. The Pawtuckeis formed a line about the 
 prostrate figure keeping back the crowd that craned 
 and surged behind them. 
 
 Suddenly she felt her arm clutched violently, and 
 [104] 
 
THE ACCIDENT 
 
 turned to see Mrs. Landry, pale and wild-eyed, holding 
 to her desperately. Even at that moment Florence was 
 surprised to see the widow, usually so calm and cynical, 
 in such a state of agitation. She talked in a stifled, 
 hoarse voice like an angry person. 
 
 "Dick is dead!" she cried. "Don't tell me he will 
 live I know he will die I can't bear it ! " She seemed 
 unconscious of what she was doing or saying. " It is the 
 end," she went on. "He is dead. It is the end of the 
 world for me." She gave a choked gasp and staggered. 
 Florence pulled her down on the bench where she lay 
 back moaning and wringing her hands. Maxwell ran 
 back to them. 
 
 " He's coming to," he said. 
 
 Mrs. Landry began to revive, drawing long breaths, 
 holding Florence's hand, and leaning weakly against 
 her skirts. 
 
 The doctor had broken a capsule in a handkerchief 
 which he held to Dick's face. The effect was surprising. 
 The young man sat up suddenly, looking about with 
 the intent strained gaze of a near-sighted person at the 
 faces bending over him. 
 
 "What's the matter?" he said. "I'm all right." He 
 tried to rise, tottering to his feet by the aid of a dozen 
 willing arms. "Don't let anybody touch those horses. 
 I'm going to drive them home myself." 
 [105] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 He staggered over to the bench under the tree, making 
 no attempt to brush off the dust that covered him from 
 head to foot. He put on his hat all battered as it was. 
 and said more firmly, " I'm all right. Just had my wind 
 knocked out. It was that basket full of kids. Come along 
 Miss Van Voorhis, I'll drive you home." 
 
 " Don't go," said Christopher Maxwell in a low tone, 
 There was tenderness in his voice, and command, and 
 something deeper and stronger that Florence had felt 
 with her whole being from the first moment his arms 
 closed about her. 
 
 The horses were being led up by officious bystanders. 
 
 " Come along," said the Captain. " It isn't like you 
 to hang back. You are plucky enough for anything." 
 
 Maxwell laid his hand lightly on Florence's arm. She 
 answered with a glance. 
 
 "Oh, Dick!" cried Mrs. Landry, "you've given us a 
 terrible fright!" 
 
 The Captain looked at her with close scrutiny, taking 
 in her pale face, her shaking hands, the embroidered 
 silk gloves, torn to ribbons, and grinned compre- 
 hensively. 
 
 " I dare you to come with me, Sally." 
 
 To Florence's intense surprise Mrs. Landry stood up. 
 
 "I'll go, Dick," she said. 
 
 The battered trap was brought up. Captain Leigh- 
 [106] 
 
THE ACCIDENT 
 
 Garrett took the driver's seat ; Mrs. Landry, pale but 
 composed, and with the concentrated courage that leads 
 heroes to the cannon's mouth, climbed up beside him. 
 The horses were freed, and as they started off with a 
 spring and a jump, the crowd gave a cheer. 
 
 It was growing late. The band-boys, dispensing with 
 the rest of the programme, stowed their instruments 
 into bags and cases and departed. The crowds, after 
 lingering in excited little groups to talk over the acci- 
 dent, melted gradually away. The carriages drove off; a 
 few belated children lingered to frolic on the grass 
 while Florence and Maxwell sat on the bench under 
 the algeroba tree, talking like two friends who had just 
 met after a long separation. 
 
 [107] 
 
CHAPTER NINE 
 The Dance on the Mohawk 
 
 FLORENCE had been sincere in her intention of 
 refusing all invitations, but she began to find 
 it almost impossible to resist going to the dance 
 on the Mohawk. She was young, her surroundings were 
 new and interesting, and every path opening before her 
 seemed a pleasant one. Since her school days life 
 had been dull and grey. Her mother's illness and 
 death, and the long term of mourning, had filled in the 
 years between childhood and her arrival in Honolulu, 
 and this was the first time that she had the chance of 
 enjoying the gaiety of youth. Her life, devoted to the 
 sick-room, had been shut off from the ordinary amuse- 
 ments that fall to the lot of an attractive young girl, so 
 that the social life of Honolulu had all the excitement 
 of novelty, and she found herself looking forward with 
 eagerness to the dance she had at first resolutely refused 
 to attend. 
 
 Dick Leigh-Garrett was laid up for several days after 
 [108] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 the accident, but he sent Florence a note begging her not 
 to forget him, and assuring her that he would be well 
 enough to attend the King on the Mohawk, where he 
 looked forward to seeing her. With this letter he sent 
 a basket tied with ribbons containing six red apples. 
 Florence hardly knew what to make of this gift till Mrs. 
 Ross assured her that apples were a great luxury in 
 Honolulu, and these must have come in by a sailing 
 vessel from California. 
 
 "I should think he would have sent flowers," said 
 Florence. 
 
 "They never do," said Mrs. Ross. "We have 
 too many. A friend of mine, who was a Mormon 
 Missionary here, sent me a crate of potatoes when he 
 went back to Utah, the largest you ever saw. That's 
 the kind of present Hawaiians appreciate." 
 
 Lieutenant Todd came up to call and inquire after 
 Florence's health. He had been very much exercised 
 about the accident, and implored her never to trust her- 
 self again with Captain Leigh-Garrett. Hammy also 
 put in a plea for the Mohawk dance. Several of his fel- 
 low officers had seen the attractive stranger at Emma 
 Square and sent word through Hammy that they would 
 be honoured by her presence on board. 
 
 Mrs. Landry walked over one evening to ask if Flor- 
 ence was going. The widow was as cool and cynical as 
 [109] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 ever and laughed at herself for doing what she called 
 " heroics " in driving home with Dick. 
 
 "I didn't want to go a bit," she said, "and I was 
 frightened to death, but I cannot resist taking the 
 centre of the stage." 
 
 "You certainly brought down the house," said 
 Florence, laughing; she could see that Mrs. Landry 
 was trying to make light of the exhibition of feeling she 
 had made about Dick Leigh-Garrett. 
 
 " It was foolish of me all the same," said her visitor, 
 "for I left Christopher Maxwell to fall into your net." 
 
 The girl was angry to feel herself blushing. 
 
 "Has he been to see you since?" asked Mrs. 
 Landry, and Florence shrewdly suspected that one 
 question to be the real object of the widow's visit. 
 
 "He came to call," she answered, "just to inquire 
 how I was and ask if I were going to the dance on the 
 Mohawk." 
 
 The widow jumped up. " That explains it ! " she said, 
 waving a silk finger at Florence. " Now I know why all 
 your resolutions are thrown to the four winds of heaven. 
 Of course you are going! But didn't I warn you he was 
 my property?" 
 
 Florence had had no time to think or analyse her 
 emotions, but from the moment she first met Christopher 
 Maxwell her life in Hawaii had taken on a deeper, 
 [110] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 richer note. They seemed to understand each other so 
 perfectly; as he had said, they "spoke the same lan- 
 guage." She winced under the widow's banter, and 
 could not trust herself to reply. 
 
 "I don't say I am engaged to him," Mrs. Landry 
 went on, " but I could be if I wanted to. My dear, I tell 
 you frankly, any woman can marry any man she wants, 
 provided, of course, that she has youth and the ordi- 
 nary attractions. But she has to be in earnest. It is a 
 handicap to be distracted by somebody else. If I could 
 only get Dick out of my head " She stopped suddenly 
 at the expression on Florence's face. "You look scorn- 
 ful," she said, "but you'll be wiser when you've had 
 more experience. Nothing takes down your pride more 
 than to find out just how much of a fool you can make 
 of yourself, and you standing to one side watching your- 
 self do it! I'm a fool, an arrant fool and the worst of my 
 folly is standing here talking to you. I'll say no more 
 about Christopher Maxwell, but I'm forewarned and 
 forearmed and I defy you to do your worst ! " She went 
 off laughing, leaving Florence to wonder how much of 
 her talk had been sheer frivolity, or whether there was 
 a grain of real feeling in anything she said. 
 
 Florence was beginning to feel very much at home 
 with the Ross family. They had accepted her as one of 
 themselves, surrounding her with an atmosphere of 
 
 [in] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 friendliness and admiration that was very sweet to the 
 lonely girl. Bella served her with fulsome flattery; the 
 two little Princes frankly adored her this beautiful 
 champion who softened the rule of the tyrant Lulu. 
 The black-browed Emma, fierce of eye and soft of heart, 
 offered Florence, at various times, every trinket in her 
 possession. Mrs. Ross looked upon the young stranger 
 as her own discovery, and her manner towards the girl 
 was a curious blend of motherliness and patronage. 
 Lulu still held out against the fascination of the new 
 boarder, devoting more interest to her movements and 
 clothes than to her person. The little girl launched 
 avalanches of questions about Florence's goings and 
 comings, and spent long hours in round-eyed unblinking 
 stares at her ornaments, from the gold beads about her 
 neck to the paste buckles on her satin slippers. But in 
 spite of the sharp voice and domineering ways there 
 was something to admire in Lulu. She was very neat, 
 could sew and embroider, braid straw for hats, make 
 charming little baskets, curious shell and bead work, 
 and was as industrious as a bee. 
 
 Florence's affection for the household was com- 
 posed of the gratitude of a lonely, frightened girl who 
 had found a home, and the keen appreciation of some- 
 thing too good to last. She would not dwell on the future 
 or the thought that once on board the homeward-bound 
 [112] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 steamer, all this life would fade into a memory of 
 the past. So she enjoyed the present to the full, and re- 
 turned their kindness with a passionate friendship for 
 every member of the family. She took extraordinary 
 pains to learn Bella's patois, listening with sympathy 
 to the girl's long rambling description of far-off Ma- 
 deira, where oxen drew the sleds over the stony streets, 
 understanding not so much the words, as the woman's 
 homesickness for the land she would never see again. 
 
 As for the two Princes, their gentle manners, their 
 lively talk, the uncomplaining courage with which they 
 endured a harassing existence, and their instinctive 
 appeal to her as to one who could shield them, touched 
 Florence deeply. Their discreet little knock on the 
 veranda door was never unwelcome, and her two friends 
 were always greeted with a smile. 
 
 The family had spent a pleasantly excited morning 
 preparing for the dance. Emma arranged natural flow- 
 ers with an art and understanding peculiarly Hawaiian. 
 She had a large black hat, which she trimmed anew 
 every time she wore it with fresh flowers from the garden, 
 and she worked busily wiring pomegranate blossoms, 
 combining them with sprays of red leaves to decorate 
 it for the afternoon. Florence remodelled a bonnet for 
 Mrs. Ross, composed of a lace handkerchief, some 
 chiffon and silvery ribbons to match her grey silk holaku. 
 [113] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Lulu acted as general lady's maid running from 
 room to room, fastening hooks and eyes, tying rib- 
 bons, arranging the fall of lace or sash deftly, and 
 with innate good taste. She was in her element and 
 flew about with an air of busy importance. The 
 Princes improved the shining hours by turning somer- 
 saults on the lawn. 
 
 As Florence came out on the veranda, pulling on her 
 gloves, Emma frowned at her under her fierce brows and 
 then cried in her high mild voice: " Oh, isn't she lovely! 
 All in white like a bride!" 
 
 "Oh!" cried Florence, flushing hotly, "am I, Mrs. 
 Ross ! I never thought of that. Almost all my dresses are 
 white!" 
 
 " Don't worry, child," said Mrs. Ross, " all the girls 
 wear white. But, perhaps, under the circumstances, you 
 might put on a bit of colour. " 
 
 " I'll get your yellow sash," cried Lulu officiously. 
 
 " You can wear my yellow feather lei" said Emma, 
 which Florence accepted graciously. The object the 
 half-white girl tied so carefully round Florence's neck 
 was composed of tiny orange-coloured feathers. 
 
 " Only chiefs could wear those in the old days," said 
 
 Mrs. Ross. " That feather cloak under the glass case in 
 
 my parlour and this lei belonged to my ancestors, and 
 
 descended directly from the Kamehamehas. Just you 
 
 [114] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 remember that, Emma, if those missionary girls turn up 
 their noses at you. They have all the land and all the 
 money, but they haven't the blood. They haven't any. 
 I believe it's only chalk and water that runs in their 
 veins, the poor white-eyed things, and I'll tell 'em so, 
 too, if they snub my niece." 
 
 The tears rose to Emma's eyes as they always did 
 when her aunt started the well-worn theme. She would 
 never have seen any slights, had not Mrs. Ross pointed 
 them out to her. If the missionary ladies (a term her 
 aunt applied to the rich and fashionable set in 
 Honolulu society) were kind to her niece, Mrs. Ross 
 resented it as patronage, and if they passed Emma by 
 with only a smile, she took bitter offence, and vented 
 her injured feelings upon the defenceless daughter of 
 the Kamehamehas. 
 
 "For Heaven's sake," she went on complacently, 
 buttoning her gloves (she showed the mark " No. 5 " to 
 Florence, for she was vain of her tiny hands). "For 
 Heaven's sake, have a little backbone, Emma. Don't 
 you let those people ride over you. Show some 
 spirit." 
 
 "But what can I do, Aunt Vally?" asked Emma. 
 Mrs. Ross's name was Valeria. " I never know when 
 they are rude, and even if I did, I couldn't slap them, or 
 make faces at them, could I ? " 
 [115] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Here's the express ! " cried Vida and Mana, racing 
 in from the garden. 
 
 " Harry will meet us at the wharf," said Emma with 
 a self-conscious glance. 
 
 The two Princes ran to the carriage, holding their 
 little brown hands out over the wheels, that the ladies' 
 dresses might not be soiled. Danny Quinn, who was 
 driving, tucked the linen lap-robe about Emma very 
 carefully as she took her place beside him, giving the 
 back seat to Mrs. Ross and Florence. 
 
 "It's a fine day we're having for the party," said 
 Mr. Quinn genially as they started off, Bella and Lulu 
 waving good-bye from the veranda. 
 
 "You must introduce me to Harry to-day," said 
 Florence. She had often heard the name of Harry the 
 half-white and Lulu had volunteered the information 
 that he was " paying attention " to Emma, but Florence 
 had only caught glimpses of his figure in dark corners 
 of the veranda. 
 
 "I hope he'll wear his uniform and all his orders," 
 said Emma. " He has a whole string of them. He wears 
 the big ones for full dress, and then for an afternoon 
 party like this, he has miniature ones all hung on a gold 
 bar like a lot of pendants. It's awfully pretty." 
 
 " Are they foreign orders ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "Yes, he got them when he went around the world 
 [116] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 with the King's embassy. They visited all the courts of 
 Europe and Asia. He had a lovely time." 
 
 "The King of Siam was very kind to Harry," said 
 Mrs. Ross. " He must have been a nice man. The Tzar 
 of Russia, too, showed such an interest in Hawaii and 
 asked a lot of questions." 
 
 " He liked the Queens best," said Emma, turning in 
 the front seat. "He said the Queen of Italy was the 
 nicest one of all. He had to talk French to the Queen of 
 Servia, but almost all the rest of them spoke English." 
 
 "What is his position," asked Florence, much in- 
 terested, " that he wears a uniform ? " 
 
 "He's in the diplomatic service," said Emma, "but 
 at home he's a clerk in the post-office." 
 
 They drove down the wide esplanade to the water 
 front, and stopped on the end of the wharf where 
 a number of well dressed people were waiting for 
 the men-of-war boats. There were no bystanders or 
 lookers-on; it was the hottest part of the day, and the 
 going and coming of guests to the war ships had long 
 ceased to interest the public. Mrs. Ross introduced 
 Florence right and left, whispering explanatory asides. 
 There was stout, motherly-looking Mrs. Tyler, with her 
 black-eyed daughters and nieces (missionaries); Mrs. 
 Cawson-Ealing, wife of the British Commissioner, with 
 the tall, pale Misses Cawson-Ealing (English set); two 
 [117] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 noble-looking young women with large eyes and coal- 
 black hair, evidently half-whites (the beautiful Coney 
 girls) ; and numbers of young men. They all greeted the 
 new arrivals very graciously, but Florence could see 
 that Mrs. Ross kept a wary eye out for insults and was 
 unusually haughty in her manner. 
 
 Other carriages kept driving up every minute. Harry, 
 the half- white, came with Count Tatsu. Harry was a slim 
 young man, wearing the gold stripe and embroidered 
 fern-leaves of the Hawaiian diplomatic corps, but other- 
 wise so like any number of young Americans of his age, 
 that Florence did not detect the least sign of native 
 blood until he spoke; his deep, soft voice was dis- 
 tinctly Hawaiian. Count Tatsu sweltered in a frock 
 coat and silk hat and carried a small gold-headed cane. 
 Almost all the other men were in white duck or very 
 light tweed and straw hats. 
 
 Two loads had been taken off before it came to Flor- 
 ence's turn to step into the boat, which started off 
 crowded, with long sweeps of the oars, the stars and 
 stripes floating to the breeze, the sailors pulling in uni- 
 son and all glowing with suppressed excitement. Flor- 
 ence sat facing the oarsmen and felt embarrassed under 
 the gaze of so many eyes, sitting so close to men whom 
 everybody ignored. Harry whispered to her that sailors 
 take in every detail of ladies' dresses, looks and manners, 
 
 [118] 
 
THE DANCE ON THE MOHAWK 
 
 to be gossiped about and discussed minutely during 
 their long voyages. 
 
 The sunlight on the water was blinding. Honolulu, 
 with its background of blue mountains, topped with 
 clouds, seemed to waver and scintillate in the heat. To 
 seaward, several ships were lying at anchor, flying flags 
 of various nations. One was dressed out in bunting 
 and evergreens, with awnings spread and the sound of 
 music on board. 
 
 At the foot of the accommodation ladder an officer 
 in uniform stood to receive the new-comers. Florence's 
 gloves were no whiter than the rope that steadied 
 her hand. As they came over the starboard gangway 
 and down upon the deep deck of the old-fashioned 
 man-of-war, they were greeted by a semicircle of offi- 
 cers, among whom Florence was glad to recognize 
 Mr. Todd. To the right, evidently toeing a chalked line, 
 was a solid mass of crisp, white sailors, rising tier above 
 tier as they stood on coils of ropes and raised hatches, 
 until some seemed to hang in the air tangled in the rig- 
 ging. Several of them wore flowers tucked behind their 
 ears or fastened to the band of their sailor caps. 
 
 [119] 
 
CHAPTER TEN 
 Max to the Rescue 
 
 NUMBERS of guests had already arrived and 
 officers of the Mohawk went about with hos- 
 pitable intent, welcoming friends and intro- 
 ducing strangers. 
 
 The bulwarks of the man-of-war were high; the em- 
 brasures of the deep portholes were fitted in with 
 benches, and draped in .front by flags of all nations. 
 Banks of flowers covered the hatchways, awnings 
 shaded the quarter-decks, the boards were waxed for 
 dancing and every bit of brasswork glittered with polish. 
 Hammy led Florence to the captain's cabin which 
 had been turned over to the ladies for a dressing-room. 
 "This man-of-war," he said, "has engaged in battle 
 more than once during the war of rebellion and has a 
 commendable record, but all the same, if the truth 
 must be told, I believe she has seen more dancing than 
 fighting." 
 
 There was a crowd of women in the cabin, some ar- 
 [120] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 ranging their hair at the mirror, others studying the 
 photographs of the captain's wife and children that 
 ornamented the wall; a few stood at the port-holes, 
 commenting on the guests who were arriving in the 
 ship's boats. 
 
 " Hello ! " said a voice beside her, and turning, Flor- 
 ence recognized the Bonner girls, in blue sailor suits and 
 straw hats, their hair worn in long braids down their 
 backs, and each carrying a fan tied to the belt by a man- 
 o'-war ribbon. 
 
 "Ever been at a naval dance before?" asked Polly 
 Bonner. 
 
 " No," Florence answered. 
 
 " Then let me give you a word of advice " and Betty 
 supplemented " Refuse to look at guns or photo- 
 graphs of South American beauties ! " 
 
 "But why?" 
 
 " They'll bore you stiff! " said Polly. 
 
 Mrs. Landry came sailing in on the arm of the Cap- 
 tain who bowed low at the door. She wore one of her 
 new importations, an exquisitely fitting ecru lace with 
 touches of green against her bright yellow hair. She 
 attracted general attention; the girls at the port-holes 
 drew their heads in to look at her and study her new 
 gown; the crowd about the mirror made way as she 
 stood, imperiously handsome, pressing her fingers down- 
 [121] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 wards on her belt, and giving that little shake of the fig- 
 ure that betrays tight lacing. 
 
 " Are you talking about guns ? " she said to the com- 
 pany at large, " I hate guns, and I hate to have them 
 explained to me. The only useful thing about them is 
 that they're nice and shiny and you can use them for a 
 mirror if your hat isn't on straight." 
 
 "Those are the best kind," said Polly Bonner. "I've 
 no objection to them, but some of these nasty new quick- 
 firing things the men are so proud of are all cut up into 
 little trimmings." 
 
 "Look at that German ship," said Mrs. Landry, 
 making way for some new-comers, but still the centre 
 of attraction. "The port-holes are no bigger than a 
 monocle, and the deck is ridged all over with pivots to 
 turn the guns on, which spoils it absolutely for dancing." 
 
 " They say the new American ships are even worse," 
 said one of the beautiful Coney girls who stood, with her 
 sister, by the door. 
 
 ** There's no doubt about it," said Mrs. Landry, 
 "the navy is deteriorating." 
 
 Mrs. Ross and Emma came in and there were more 
 introductions. 
 
 " I find it so hard to keep my hair in curl here," said 
 a short plump girl to Florence. She was on a visit from 
 Boston. Her round face was scarlet with the heat, and 
 [122] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 speckled over with mosquito bites. " My hair hangs in 
 strings." 
 
 One of the Tyler nieces unpinned her sailor hat and 
 disclosed a row of curl papers. " Why don't you try my 
 plan ? " she asked. 
 
 "Here come the Ah Sues's!" cried some one. 
 
 "The name sounds Chinese," said Florence. 
 
 " It is," said Mrs. Landry, " Papa Ah Sue is a Chinese 
 Mandarin and his wife is a Hawaiian half -white." 
 
 " And his children are brought up like Americans ! " 
 said Polly Bonner. " Think of it sixteen girls and 
 one boy." 
 
 " And they're just as pretty as a string of sea-shells," 
 said Mrs. Ross. " That is, the girls are. Billy Ah Sue is 
 a nice boy, too." 
 
 " He's a Yale graduate," said Betty Bonner. " He's 
 great fun. Sings college songs, and plays the banjo, and 
 wears his hair cut short he's just like an American 
 tinted yellow." 
 
 "Only he speaks Chinese," said Mrs. Landry. 
 " Whenever I hear him do it I always think he is mak- 
 ing those ridiculous high-low sounds for a joke, and 
 laugh at him." 
 
 "Here comes a boat-load from the Stupendous" 
 cried a Sister Anne at the gun-hole. 
 
 " Do you see any midshipmen ? " asked Polly Bonner. 
 [123] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "They are my delight; I love the little dears with their 
 dirks and buttons ! " 
 
 " If you want to know what I think," said Mrs. Lan- 
 dry, "I tell you we'd have better partners, and more 
 real appreciation, if we were the guests of the sailors, 
 instead of the officers. They all dance like angels." 
 
 "Did you see that blue- jacket in the rigging with a 
 rose in his cap ? " said Betty Bonner. " I choose him ! " 
 
 " Come outside," said Mrs. Landry leading the way, 
 " it is stifling in here." 
 
 Mr. Todd, who looked remarkably well in his blue 
 uniform and brass buttons, was waiting with a group of 
 brother officers to meet the ladies as they came out on 
 deck. He presented the Captain and some of his friends 
 to Florence with much ceremony. 
 
 " Don't give all your dances away," whispered Mrs. 
 Landry, good-naturedly, in passing. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because, you silly, the men you like best always 
 come last. Put down a lot of * John Does ' for ' Woolly 
 Horses!'" 
 
 Lieutenant Todd and his partner walked about the 
 deck stopping every minute to speak to friends or join 
 in introductions. An almost continuous stream of people 
 were coming over the side; bevies of girls with smiling 
 excited faces, matrons, looking very warm and bland; 
 [124] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 civilians standing aimlessly about trying to appear at 
 ease, groups of officers from the other ships; haughty 
 Germans, who clicked their heels and squared their 
 shoulders in recognition of an introduction; lively 
 Russians, talkative and noisy, with effusively polite 
 manners; Englishmen from the Stupendous, very pink 
 and cordial. 
 
 "There's Christopher Maxwell; he has doubtless 
 been lunching on the British ship." 
 
 Florence had seen him before Hammy spoke; had 
 noted his impressive reception by the semicircle of 
 Mohawks and the quick glance he cast about the deck 
 as though in search of some one. Her heart beat quickly, 
 but she turned away and looked over the water. 
 
 "There goes a party from the Catholic Convent," 
 said Hammy. A whale-boat, rowed by native girls, 
 was passing quite near. Several nuns in their white 
 head-dresses sat in the stern. Florence looked after them 
 with interest. 
 
 " They are approaching the Pawtucket. How strangely 
 incongruous for women of peace to board a man-of- 
 war!" 
 
 As they turned again to the deck Mrs. Landry, in 
 her ecru dress, with the touch of green in her hair, was 
 just disappearing into the wardroom, followed by 
 Christopher Maxwell. 
 
 [125] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Florence felt a strange sensation of disappointment, 
 but quickly stifling it she turned to Hammy and asked : 
 
 " Where are the cannons, Lieutenant Todd ? " 
 
 The sudden glow on Hammy's face, the light in his 
 eyes, recalled to Florence, too late, the warning she had 
 received from the women in the dressing-room. 
 
 "The guns have been shifted forward and stowed 
 in the gangway," he said, "and some have been used 
 most advantageously as screens. But perhaps you 
 would be interested to see our new, automatic, water- 
 cooled, rapid-fire Gatling ? " 
 
 She made the best of her blunder by saying, agreeably 
 mendacious : " I'd be delighted." 
 
 The young lieutenant excitedly led her to the poop, 
 where a chubby brass gun was displayed in all its glory 
 by the taffrail. He explained, elaborately and techni- 
 cally, with an expression of intense seriousness: "The 
 magazine sits on here and it feeds down into this slot. 
 Then you turn the crank. If you'll step in front you'll 
 see the way the chambers revolve. The flange of the 
 cartridge engages in this groove of the magazine slide. 
 One man feeds it, while another fires it, thus only two 
 do the work of many, for it fires up to 250 shots a min- 
 ute. The water-chamber keeps it cool in spite of the 
 rapid firing. You train the gun by raising and lowering 
 the muzzle; you see, you make this sight correspond with 
 [126] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 that notch. If you were firing into a small boat at close 
 range " 
 
 Florence couldn't understand a word, but smiled 
 sweetly, and studied her own reflection in the shining 
 brass surface which distorted her face grotesquely, and 
 thought rather poorly of the chubby gun as a mirror. 
 
 "See!" she said, looking out over the water, "here 
 comes a splendid boat with the Hawaiian flag flying ! " 
 
 "It is the King," said Hammy, reluctantly leaving 
 his gun. " Prepare yourself for a noise." 
 
 Suddenly there was a loud report that shook the 
 ship. 
 
 "Oh, what is it!" cried Florence. The banging con- 
 tinued. 
 
 "The royal salute," said Hammy. "Twenty-one 
 guns. His Majesty is coming on board." 
 
 Everybody rose to their feet and formed a lane, 
 Hammy pushing Florence to the front as they all craned 
 forward. The band, almost drowned by the accompani- 
 ment of thundering guns, played Hawaii Ponoi. Kal- 
 akaua, in a well-fitting uniform of white cloth orna- 
 mented with gold, and carrying a brass helmet in the 
 crook of his arm, came over the gangway where he was 
 greeted by the Captain and officers of the Mohawk. He 
 walked slowly up the deck, Captain Leigh-Garrett and 
 a tall, dark Hawaiian in attendance. 
 [127] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 The ladies all curtsied deeply, and the men bowed 
 low as the King passed on his way to the quarter-deck, 
 where a throne had been arranged for him under a 
 canopy, draped with American and Hawaiian flags. 
 
 " It is like a scene in a theatre," whispered Florence 
 to Hammy. 
 
 "His Majesty has a box in the centre of the dress 
 circle!" 
 
 The guns had ceased firing, the music changed into 
 the " Likelike Waltz " and the dance began. 
 
 Florence, starting off with Hammy, was interrupted 
 at the top of the companion-way by Mrs. Ross and 
 Emma, who carried her off to be presented to the King. 
 She followed somewhat reluctantly, for His Majesty 
 occupied a conspicuous place, and besides she was con- 
 scious that among the gentlemen behind his chair was 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett. 
 
 Mrs. Ross and Emma bowed low and kissed the 
 King's hand. When Florence was presented, in some 
 embarrassment, His Majesty put her at her ease by 
 shaking hands democratically. 
 
 Kalakaua was an imposing personage; a tall, dark 
 man, with closely curling black hair. He was blandly 
 courteous, self-possessed, and in speech, appearance and 
 manner, royal. 
 
 He looked at the young girl with evident interest. He 
 [128] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 had heard every detail of her story, and found the hero- 
 ine even more attractive than she had been described. 
 
 " We hope your stay in Honolulu may be a pleasant 
 one," he said. "We should like you to carry away as 
 agreeable an impression of our country as we shall 
 always cherish of yours." 
 
 "Thank you, Your Majesty." She was too shy to say 
 more, but quickly felt the genuine ring of kindliness in 
 the King's voice, and instantly liked him. The words 
 of respect came naturally to her lips as she bowed and 
 stepped back, leaving him to open a conversation in 
 Hawaiian with Mrs. Ross and Emma. 
 
 " Have you kept a dance for me ? " said a voice be- 
 hind her. She turned to face Captain Leigh-Garrett. 
 
 Florence gave him a "John Doe." 
 
 "Is that all I'm to get?" he said discontentedly, as 
 he scribbled her name on his empty card. 
 
 "I'll see how you can dance," she said, and then 
 added : " You look very well ! " 
 
 "Don't I?" said Dick complacently, thrusting a 
 thumb into his gold belt, and squaring his shoulders to 
 show off the epaulettes. 
 
 "I wasn't referring to your physical attractions," 
 said Florence, laughing. " I meant I was afraid you 
 might have suffered some bad effects from the accident." 
 
 " No, I'm all right now. I felt seedy for a day or two, 
 [129] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 but I think it was that smelly stuff the doctor gave 
 me." 
 
 " This is our dance," interrupted Hammy meekly. 
 
 "But here, wait," cried Dick. "Don't desert me 
 I'm in attendance on the King, and I have to stay here 
 for half an hour more, anyway. Don't go!" But 
 Florence went off with Hammy, leaving the Captain 
 still protesting. 
 
 Following the waltz with Lieutenant Todd were sev- 
 eral more round dances with the Mohawks and Paw- 
 tuckets. The deck was pretty crowded, and Florence 
 thought of sitting out the next number, when 
 Christopher Maxwell asked her for a waltz. It hap- 
 pened, fortunately, to be a "John Doe," and she 
 felt grateful to the widow for her timely hint. 
 
 As he held her for a moment waiting to catch 
 the time, she looked up at him with a shy, quick glance 
 of approval. He had met her with enthusiasm, and the 
 glow of it was on his cheek. His grey eyes sparkled un- 
 der their black brows; such strange eyes, matching in 
 colour the thick, crisp hair, with lashes so black they 
 looked pencilled. The shoulder Florence touched so 
 lightly felt like iron under her hand ; they glided about 
 the deck to the exquisite music of the ship's band with 
 as much ease as though they two were the only couple 
 on the floor; avoiding clumsy dancers, slipping away 
 [130] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 from energetic Germans and spinning Russians, keep- 
 ing perfect time, threading their way between bumping 
 couples, not pausing to rest or breathe till the last notes 
 had died away. 
 
 Max found a secluded seat just outside the ward- 
 room, where he and his partner sat on an ensign's box, 
 while the negro steward served them with iced punch. 
 Florence's face was flushed, little tendrils of hair clung 
 in rings to her forehead, and her eyes were bright with 
 the exercise and excitement. 
 
 "I tell you what," said Max, waving a Japanese 
 fan vigorously, "it takes skill to dodge Russians. I 
 thought we were lost when that automaton rushed down 
 on us." 
 
 " He went round and round like a dancing Dervish," 
 said Florence. " I should think he'd have a fit." 
 
 "Perhaps he was having one, and that's what ailed 
 him." 
 
 "The King was awfully nice," said Florence. "I 
 thought it would be so difficult to say 'Your Majesty;' 
 but it came quite naturally. I couldn't have said any- 
 thing else. " 
 
 " He is dignified, and yet he has a sense of humour. 
 
 After all, this is a toy kingdom, and if Kalakaua put 
 
 on the airs of a Tzar he'd be ridiculous, but he takes 
 
 you into his confidence, as it were, and you love him. 
 
 [131] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 By the way, he said a pretty thing about you he 
 said you looked like a spring rose and was very much 
 interested in you, suggesting to me that we get up a 
 surf-riding party to show you something of the old 
 Hawaiian sport. You can swim, can't you ? " 
 
 "Oh, yes." 
 
 " Then you'd love surf-riding; but even if you couldn't 
 there's no danger with natives around, they're so much 
 at home in the water. He'll give it at his Beach House, 
 at Waikiki, some moonlight night. He was talking it 
 over with Mrs. Ross when I came up." 
 
 "Isn't he good!" said Florence. "He sent me an in- 
 vitation to the Palace Ball, too, before I met him." 
 
 "You must go to that. There is another English 
 ship expected in, and then the Adams ought to come in 
 any minute now, so you'll have plenty of partners." 
 
 "Oh, that's the ship Mrs. Worthing's husband is 
 on. I came down in the steamer with her, and she was 
 so anxious because it hadn't arrived." 
 
 "I know," said Max. "She has been very ill at 
 the hotel, poor thing. But the ships are often delayed 
 or put in somewhere else, or turn back for repairs, and 
 not having any cable here we get no news. I'm sorry 
 for Mrs. Worthing. The more I see of sailors' lives, 
 the more I think navy men have no right to marry." 
 
 "I don't think men ought to marry, anyway," said 
 [182] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 Florence decidedly, and then laughed at herself. "I 
 mean my views on matrimony are rather tangled. I want 
 all women to marry and all men to remain bachelors ! " 
 
 Max laughed and drew a little closer. 
 
 " Explain," he said. 
 
 "It isn't quite so silly as it sounds," she went on. 
 "You know married women are much nicer than girls. 
 You needn't smile, they are. More at their ease, more 
 charming and entertaining. A girl is always at a dis- 
 advantage. If she is quiet and shy, she is thought a fool, 
 and if she is pleasant and fascinating, men think she 
 is * setting her cap,' as Captain Leigh-Garrett says. 
 But the married woman has an assured position and 
 can afford to be natural." 
 
 " And doesn't that hold good with men ? " 
 
 " No, indeed. A bachelor is far nicer than a married 
 man, and the longer he remains a bachelor," with 
 pointed flattery, " the nicer he becomes. But a married 
 man is fettered by matrimony. He is conscious of being 
 a detriment. Did you ever see a dog decorated with a 
 paper collar ? Well, some look very proud and pleased, 
 and sit up in the most dignified manner, while others 
 are shamefaced and mortified, and put on uncon- 
 scious airs, hoping you won't notice it, but not one of 
 them is the same jolly, lively, unaffected dog he was 
 without his collar." 
 
 [133] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "And matrimony is the paper collar, I suppose?" 
 said Max. 
 
 "Sometimes it is a steel one." 
 
 "Don't you think that under very exceptional cir- 
 cumstances it might be a garland of roses ? " 
 
 "I I oh, here comes my partner," said Flor- 
 ence, jumping up, somewhat confused at the turn of 
 the conversation, adding naively, "Heavens! I forgot 
 all about him ! " 
 
 It was Captain Leigh-Garrett who came up to 
 claim Florence. 
 
 "I have been looking for you everywhere," he said 
 reproachfully, as he offered his arm. "Our dance is 
 nearly over." 
 
 The two men nodded coldly to each other, and as 
 Florence glanced over her shoulder to smile farewell at 
 Maxwell, she was surprised to see that he looked very 
 serious, almost stern. 
 
 " I told you Max had no use for Dicky," said Cap- 
 tain Leigh-Garrett as they joined the throng on deck. 
 " I might have known where you were, but I warn you, 
 look out for Sally!" 
 
 The dance was a glide polka, which is difficult 
 
 on a crowded floor, and Dick fell out of step and out of 
 
 time, though he swaggered with an air of consummate 
 
 ease. They bumped into people, knocked elbows, 
 
 [134] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 and finally caromed against a steward carrying glasses, 
 with disastrous results. 
 
 "You can drive, Captain Leigh- Garrett," said Flor- 
 ence, "but you cannot dance. Let's sit out the rest of 
 this number and talk." 
 
 " I'd much rather talk than dance, any day, especially 
 with you." 
 
 "Does that mean that I dance so badly, or talk so 
 well ?" 
 
 " I mean oh, well, you know what I mean. Really, 
 though, I didn't sleep a wink last night thinking what 
 I was going to say to you to-day, and you won't give me 
 a minute." 
 
 " I'll give you till the end of this dance," she said, 
 sweeping aside her white draperies and making room 
 for the Captain beside her on the narrow bench against 
 the bulwarks. 
 
 " Why not come to a port-hole see how they've 
 screened this one in with guns and flags, like a cosey 
 corner ! " 
 
 " We're just as well off here." 
 
 " But I want to talk to you, " 
 
 "Well, talk!" she said aggravatingly. "You can say 
 a tremendous lot if you talk fast enough." The Cap- 
 tain looked down, pulling the end of his moustache. 
 Forence had almost put him out of countenance. 
 [135] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " There's the deuce of a row going on over there," 
 he said, nodding his head towards the other side of the 
 ship. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "Some ass of a fellow has had too much to drink. 
 Dancing the can-can or something. Making a fool of 
 himself." 
 
 She was but slightly interested. She remembered 
 Max's face as she saw it last, and there was something 
 disapproving in his glance, an anxiety behind the stern- 
 ness that made her uneasy. 
 
 "Mrs. Ross is signalling to me," she said suddenly, 
 jumping up. " Let's go over to her " 
 
 "No, no," cried Dick, but Florence had walked off 
 quickly, and there was nothing to do but follow. 
 
 The young girl threaded her way through the crowd, 
 coming out on the other side of the hatchway; the people 
 before her parted, and she beheld the figure of a slender 
 young man dancing with nimble steps. A group of half- 
 white girls were in paroxysms of laughter at his antics. 
 Some of the officers looked slightly nervous; at that 
 moment the dancer turned, and Florence gave a gasp 
 of horror. It was Walter Sprague. Not the young man 
 of the tearful eye and doleful countenance, whom she 
 had seen last weeping on his knees, but a gay, dfoonnaire 
 creature, skipping about to the lively music as though 
 [136] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 he had not a care in the world. He was using his hat as 
 a tambourine, and smirked and bowed in imitation of 
 a Spanish dancer, evidently in the highest spirits, and 
 evidently also, from his flushed countenance and fool- 
 ish smile, under the influence of punch. 
 
 Florence stumbled forward and almost fell into a 
 draped port-hole that was fortunately empty, and cow- 
 ered in the recess, half hidden by the flags and bunting. 
 The blare of the music that had sounded so gaily in her 
 ears but a few minutes before, now seemed horribly dis- 
 cordant. The patter of many feet on the waxed floor 
 reminded her of one dancing figure. Voices rose and 
 fell near her; there were sudden bursts of laughter, and 
 she heard scraps of conversation as couples stood back to 
 rest for a moment beside her retreat. 
 
 " How was she to get home ? " she wondered wildly. 
 She could not go out and order a boat. If she spoke to 
 Mrs. Ross, there would be explanations and exclama- 
 tions; poor Emma would be dragged away and all their 
 enjoyment spoilt. If she spoke to Captain Leigh-Gar- 
 rett but no, she instinctively shrank from that. Ham- 
 my! How could she ever have slighted the dear fellow. 
 She would be glad enough to see him this minute. And yet, 
 what could he do ? Taking her home would not change 
 matters or stop that foolish creature, who was not only 
 making himself ridiculous, but Florence as well. 
 [137] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Suddenly the bunting parted. She looked up, startled 
 and timid, to see Christopher Maxwell ; he came in and 
 knelt down beside her, taking her hand. 
 
 " My dear girl," he said quickly in a low voice,"don't 
 cry whatever you do. I have ordered the cutter and I'm 
 going to take Walter Sprague away from the ship my- 
 self. I promise you I will not leave his side till I've put 
 him on board the steamer to-morrow morning for Maui. 
 That man shall not trouble you again in Honolulu." 
 
 "But what shall I do, Mr. Maxwell? I can't stay 
 here." 
 
 " Yes, you can. Don't make a mountain out of this. 
 Everybody in Honolulu knows Walter Sprague, they 
 are used to his foolishness, and if they see you quiet and 
 composed, no one will think of saying a word. But you 
 must not show by a look that you care. Who is your 
 next partner ? " 
 
 " Mr. Hooker, the navigating officer." 
 
 "The very man! You needn't dance, just ask him 
 to show you the Gatling and he'll take you up on the 
 poop, and be so interested in his own talk you won't 
 have to say a word, but just let him explain guns. Then 
 Mrs. Ross will take you home later and nobody will 
 have noticed anything." 
 
 There was the sound of a long, shrill whistle and the 
 call, "Away, first cutter!" 
 
 [138] 
 
MAX TO THE RESCUE 
 
 "That's my boat," said Max. "They are dancing 
 now, and I can get that man off so quietly no one will 
 pay any attention to us. You will do what I say ? " 
 
 " Everything/' said Florence. 
 
 "That's right, you're looking better already. I'll 
 send Mr. Hooker here to find you, and remember to- 
 morrow morning Walter Sprague leaves the island. 
 Trust me for that. Good-bye." 
 
 When the navigating officer came he found Florence 
 composed, though still very pale. 
 
 " I'm a little tired," she said, " and would prefer not 
 to dance, but if you would be so good I'd like to see the 
 cannon." 
 
 "Really!" said Mr. Hooker, with a look of pleased 
 surprise. "We have a new model of a quick-firing, 
 water-cooled, automatic Gatling that I'm sure will 
 interest you immensely. Would you like to see it ? " 
 
 'Wery much," said Florence. 
 
 [139] 
 
CHAPTER ELEVEN 
 
 In the Garden 
 
 CHRISTOPHER MAXWELL was as good as 
 his word ; no one had noticed his departure from 
 the ship, and Walter Sprague sailed the next 
 morning for Maui, somewhat surprised at the unusual 
 friendship of the great Mr. Maxwell, but flattered by his 
 attention, and not a little proud to wave a hand to him 
 from the departing steamer. 
 
 With that obstacle removed from her path, Florence 
 allowed herself to be swept into the gaieties of Honolulu 
 society with a light heart. The telephone was constantly 
 ringing in Mrs. Ross's house, with messages and invita- 
 tions for Miss Van Voorhis. There were rides with the 
 Bonner girls ; long, exhilarating gallops up the valley to 
 the great precipice of the Pali, from whose dizzy height 
 one could look over miles of sugar plantations to the blue 
 sea beyond. There were impromptu dances at the Ah 
 Sues's house, the Chinese merchant with the half -white 
 wife, whose sixteen daughters, and one son, Billy, were 
 [140] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 Florence's devoted friends; there were little suppers at 
 Mrs. Landry's, under the old hau tree that shaded the 
 back porch, where lanterns were hung in the branches, 
 and gay parties gathered round the widow's table, 
 talking and laughing, till far into the night. It was here 
 that she met many of the officers of the various ships in 
 port Russian, German, English, and American, each 
 with some enthusiastic plan of entertainment on shore, 
 or afloat. Dances on the ships, tennis on shore, 
 garden parties, church bazaars, and picnics followed 
 one another in rapid succession. The cordial good 
 fellowship of her new friends, the admiration, the 
 gaiety, even the flowers and sunshine 6f Honolulu, con- 
 tributed to her pleasure. 
 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett joined the King and a party of 
 officers from the various ships on a hunting trip after 
 wild cattle, that took them off to Hilo for a couple of 
 weeks after the Mohawk dance, but the time was so 
 filled up with excitement for Florence, that she hardly 
 noticed his absence. 
 
 Hammy was growing to be more and more her slave; 
 nor was he the only one. The Mohawk, the Pawtucket, 
 and the Stupendous contributed devoted swains, and her 
 little bower hung with trophies; a sailor's carved ditty 
 box; frames made in imitation of a life buoy, with the 
 name of the ship in gold letters ; shells, small model ca- 
 [141] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 noes, a spray of African silver sword, and a bunch of 
 Australian flannel flowers. The little stone idol, in its 
 gorgeous white-and-gold temple, gave Count Tatsu the 
 excuse to send, as an offering, a plate of rare, scarlet lac- 
 quer, and a Japanese vase of cloisonne. 
 
 Mrs. Ross's afternoon teas in the garden, under the old 
 tamarind tree, grew more and more popular; while 
 Emma, whose gaieties heretofore had been of a sober, 
 quiet kind, under the wing of a defiantly aggressive 
 chaperon, found herself swept into the tide on the cur- 
 rent of Florence's success. 
 
 Twice that afternoon sounds of wailing came from 
 the cook-house, and the Portuguese girl waited at dinner 
 with red eyes and audible sniffs, for Mrs. Ross, depriv- 
 ed of sleep and exhausted by late hours, was distinctly 
 cross. Bella was to make chutney the next day, and had 
 forgotten to pick the mangoes. 
 
 "Then you'll have to get them to-night," said Mrs. 
 Ross. " It's just like you to put it off till the last min- 
 ute. I will have chutney made to-morrow, and it 
 ought to be on and boiling the first thing in the morn- 
 ing." 
 
 It was a beautitul, white night, the moon lighting up 
 each shimmering leaf, as Bella, with a basket on her 
 head, came through the banana plantation from the 
 cook-house. 
 
 [142] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 " Come out in the garden, Miss Florence, " cried Vida, 
 " and help pick mangoes. " 
 
 She and Emma had refused at least five invitations 
 for that evening, as they were both feeling tired. 
 
 " It won't hurt you to stay at home for once, " said 
 Mrs. Ross. She had put on gardening gloves and carried 
 a pruning knife. 
 
 " You girls keep me going so, " she said fretfully, 
 " that I haven't had time to look at my garden. Fortu- 
 nately it is as bright as day. The idea of Bella putting off 
 picking her mangoes till this time of night ! " 
 
 " Mana and I went up the valley early this morning, " 
 said Vida, " and got some lovely, fresh, ginger roots." 
 
 The mangoes were still green and hard, but Bella ex- 
 plained that they were just right for chutney. Vida 
 climbed the tree, shaking its branches violently; Lulu 
 and the Portuguese girl gathered up the fruit, while 
 Emma and Florence, who had brought out a rug and 
 some cushions, reclined restfully, as Mana frisked on 
 the grass. Mrs. Ross, who had been wandering about 
 the garden plucking dry leaves off here, breaking dead 
 branches there, suddenly screamed aloud as though she 
 had seen a snake 
 
 "Oh," she cried, "will you look at that! My lovely 
 camelia ! " 
 
 " What is the matter ? " asked Florence, alarmed. 
 [143] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Do you see what that idiotic gardener has done to my 
 camelia ? He is training it into an arm-chair!" 
 
 Mrs. Ross sat down on a garden bench, her voice 
 raised to a doleful wail. " I talk, and I talk, and nobody 
 pays the least attention to anything I say. I've told that 
 Jap a thousand times I didn't want any umbrellas, or 
 beasts, or birds, but I never thought of telling him I 
 didn't want an arm-chair. He's never around, either, 
 when I want to find him. " 
 
 "He's gathering same tamarinds for Bella," said 
 Emma. 
 
 "Oh!" cried Florence. "Look! Isn't that he out on 
 the end of that branch ? Aren't you afraid he'll fall off ? " 
 
 "I wish he would!" declared Mrs. Ross, unmoved. 
 " I wish he'd break his neck. It's the best thing he could 
 do. I don't see how I go on the way I do without being 
 positively ill with it all. Sometimes I have the most ter- 
 rible palpitations, just from nervousness. When Wil- 
 liam was at home he used to say ' mother, go to a doc- 
 tor,' but I said, ' no, I'm not that kind.' I can suffer, and 
 suffer, and never say a word. I don't complain. What I 
 put up with would have killed twenty women. It's a 
 wonder I didn't die with the trouble I've had with Vida 
 and Mana. " 
 
 The two Princes, who were pushing each other about 
 cheerfully on the grass, became stricken at the sound of 
 
 [144] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 their names, and looked apprehensively at Lulu. Flor- 
 ence and Emma were helping Bella peel and slice the 
 green mangoes into a large, china bowl, as they all sat 
 on the rug in the pleasant moonlight. 
 
 " Those boys will be the death of me yet, " went on 
 Mrs. Ross. Florence had never seen the cheerful little 
 lady in this mood before, but the Princes knew, from 
 sad experience, what was coming. 
 
 " I'll not forget about the bottles ! " she said, evidently 
 raking up a sore subject. " When my husband built this 
 house, Florence, he laid down a lot of wine in the cellar 
 rows and rows of bottles on their sides, and they've 
 been there ever since, and once when the cellar door was 
 left open " 
 
 "We didn't know there was anything in them," 
 said Vida pleadingly. 
 
 " Well, you ought to have known ! " said Mrs. Ross. 
 "They played soldiers with those bottles all the after- 
 noon, and when William came home he was here on 
 a visit I never saw him so angry. He wanted to whip 
 the boys, and they well deserved it, but I said ' no, we'll 
 shut them up in my room all day,' and then what do you 
 think they did?" 
 
 Mana was sitting very close to Florence. He touched 
 her hand and whispered anxiously: "That was a long 
 time ago, and we were very young then. " 
 [145] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "You were old enough to know better," said Mrs. 
 Ross. " They cut my best silk dress up with the scissors ! 
 Snipped little pieces out of it all the way down the 
 front. " 
 
 "Oh, wasn't that awful!" cried Lulu, making large 
 eyes at the boys. "I remember, you didn't have any- 
 thing to eat all day but poi. " 
 
 " What is poi ? " asked Florence briskly, to create a 
 diversion. 
 
 "It's native food, like paste," said Mana sullenly. 
 " When the sitting-room was papered last year the men 
 stuck the paper on with poi, and then they ate what was 
 left over for lunch. " 
 
 "We have it for dinner when there isn't any com- 
 pany, " said Vida. " You eat it with your fingers, with 
 raw fish and squid. " 
 
 Mrs. Ross looked uncomfortable. " I'm very fond of 
 raw fish, " she said, " and poi, too. The King always 
 serves it at the luaus that's a native feast. You must 
 learn to like poi if you are to stay here. But poi isn't 
 what it used to be when I was young, " she was evidently 
 in a doleful mood, and nothing pleased her. "The 
 Chinamen make it now, and it isn't half so good as it 
 used to be. The natives are getting so lazy they won't 
 even pound their own taro. " 
 
 " I'm not lazy, " said Vida incautiously. 
 [146] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 "You are so lazy you don't want to go to school," 
 said Mrs. Ross. " You've kept up that cough just as long 
 as you could whoop, and you haven't done a thing for 
 days. " 
 
 "We made some patchwork for Lulu's doll's quilt 
 yesterday, " said Mana. 
 
 " Do you like to sew ? " asked Florence surprised. 
 
 " Not very much, " said Mana, " but Lulu makes us 
 do it. " 
 
 "And why not?" said Mrs. Ross. "The most beauti- 
 ful embroidery I ever saw was done by an American 
 sailor. But that's just the way, you don't like to do any- 
 thing Lulu asks of you. I heard you to-day making a 
 great fuss because you didn't want to play tea-party with 
 her nice little dishes. I never saw such boys. Did you 
 learn that piece she was teaching you ? " 
 
 " Yes, we did, " said Mana meekly. 
 
 "Oh, that's lovely!" said Florence, seeing a cheerful 
 opening. " Won't you recite it for us ? " 
 
 Lulu threw down her knife and assumed an air of 
 great importance. 
 
 "They do it together, I taught them," she said. 
 
 "Get up, Vida." 
 
 The two boys walked out on the gravel path and stood 
 facing each other. Bella looked on delightedly, dropping 
 her work. Even Mrs. Ross was diverted from her woes. 
 [147] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Now begin," said Lulu. "You first, Mana." 
 That young person stiffly extended one arm, and 
 
 shouted in a loud voice : " Haul down that flag ! " 
 
 Mana raised a finger in the air and recited, " No, no I 
 
 he cried. " 
 
 "Both together now," screamed Lulu, and the two 
 
 boys went on in unison : 
 
 " And we marched out with all the honors of the war !" 
 The two boys sat down, much pleased with them- 
 
 " Oh ! " said Florence, somewhat disconcerted at the 
 brevity of the performance, " that's lovely ! " 
 
 M They do seem to have a real dramatic talent, " said 
 Mrs. Ross relenting. " But it's wonderful what Lulu can 
 do with them. I don't know what I should do without her. 
 Emma hasn't a bit of spirit. " 
 
 " Bella help, Bella very good, " cried the Portuguese 
 girl, dashing in to save her beloved Miss Emma. 
 
 "You needn't talk," said Mrs. Ross, rising to the 
 charge. " You are no good at all. When that gentleman 
 called yesterday you screamed so loud he could hear 
 every word, * little fat man come, too big tummy, ' you 
 did, and it was the Captain of the Pawtucket! " 
 
 There was the sound of voices at the Japanese cot- 
 tage; through the trees they could see the long windows 
 open, the lights lit, and a group of fantastic figures ap- 
 [148] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 peared on the porch, shimmering in silks of rainbow 
 hue. 
 
 " It's Count Tatsu and his friends, " said Mrs. Ross. 
 "They are so much prettier in their kimonos, you'd 
 hardly know the count for the same man if you saw him 
 in his Japanese clothes. " 
 
 "They look just like fluttering butterflies," said 
 Mana. 
 
 Bella's dish was filled to the brim with sliced green 
 mangoes; she carried them to the cook-house, aided 
 gallantly by the Princes, who were waylaid on their re- 
 turn by Lulu, and taken off to bed. Emma had slipped 
 away to meet Harry the half -white, who had come to 
 call, and the two disappeared in the shadow of the dark 
 veranda, leaving Florence and Mrs. Ross sitting under 
 the tamarind tree. The quiet of the night, the beauty sur- 
 rounding them, had soothed the little woman's over- 
 wrought nerves. 
 
 " When I was a young girl, " she said, " we never went 
 to bed when the moon shone. The natives love beauty in 
 any form, and on such an evening as this all my Ha- 
 waiian blood comes to the surface. " 
 
 c< I only know your American side, " said Florence. "If 
 it were not for your voice, which is softer and sweeter 
 than ours, you might be one of my own people. " 
 
 "And yet I'm very different. I believe in all sorts of 
 [149] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 strange things that would only make you laugh, though 
 I've seen them with my own eyes. It's my Hawaiian 
 superstition. " 
 
 " The Scotch people are the same, " said Florence dip- 
 lomatically. " And the Irish. They talk about ghosts and 
 banshees, and second sight, and the Yankee Puritans 
 used to believe firmly in witchcraft. " 
 
 "Did they?" said Mrs. Ross surprised. "I thought 
 we were the only people who were so ignorant, and yet I 
 can't help it. Whenever the red fish appear in the bay, I 
 always feel a little fright, lest it may be my own end they 
 are foretelling; you know they are only seen before the 
 death of a Kamehameha. When Kamehameha the 
 Fourth died, the natives announced, a week before, that 
 the red fish were in the bay; and it was the same when 
 his little son died. My own mother's brother was 
 prayed to death, and I know if I saw two little sticks in 
 front of my gate, I'd lie down and die of it. " 
 
 Florence did not smile, for the woman was deeply in 
 earnest. 
 
 "I only know one man who was saved from being 
 prayed to death, " she went on. " It was at the Bonner 
 girls' plantation, and their luna Pilani announced that 
 he was going to die on a certain night, for an enemy was 
 doing incantations against him. He prepared for the end 
 and gathered his family about him. The Bonner girls 
 [150] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 came down to see him, and argued and scolded, but it 
 was no use, he had made up his mind. Fortunately the 
 plantation house took fire. One by one the mourners, 
 who had been wailing and despairing, sneaked off to 
 carry water. Pilani found himself deserted ; going to the 
 door to look out, he saw what was happening and ran 
 to help, and then he got so interested saving the build- 
 ing that the time for his death passed, and he's living 
 yet. But if he hadn't been interrupted he'd have surely 
 died, and no doctor could have saved him. " 
 
 "Aren't there native doctors who understand such 
 things?" 
 
 Mrs. Ross lowered her voice. " The Kahunas, " she 
 said, " are magicians, and their power is almost always 
 used for evil. It is easier for them to kill than to save. I 
 tell you, Florence, in a great calamity the natives do not 
 call upon the Kahunas for help, but beg the protection 
 of a true descendant of Kamehameha. " 
 
 " What do you mean ? " asked the young girl. 
 
 " I saved the town of Hilo from destruction. The lava 
 was rolling down the mountain side towards the sea, a 
 molten mass more than half a mile wide, and the little 
 town of Hilo lay in its track. The natives were leaving 
 in boats, the Portuguese people were fleeing in every 
 direction, prayers were held in the churches, but the tide 
 swept slowly down, relentlessly, creeping and crawling, 
 [151] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 putting out red tongues of fire and then coating all 
 over black as it cooled. The natives were frantic, and it 
 was then that they sent for a Kamehameha. I knew I 
 could do it, Florence. Standing up before that flow, 
 I gave the old Hawaiian incantation, and performed the 
 heathen rite, sacrificing a live pig, and then spreading 
 my mats on the ground in the track of the lava I lay 
 down and slept. Florence, it stopped ! It not only stopped 
 short, but it rolled back on itself and hardened, a great 
 mass six feet high, and you can see it there for yourself 
 any day you go to Hilo. I did it, for I am a Kam- 
 ehameha!" 
 
 Mrs. Ross, relieved from any fear of ridicule, and won 
 over by the young girl's rapt attention, went on telling 
 more strange tales; stories of the evil eye, of weird in- 
 cantations followed by sudden death; of plants whose 
 very perfume is deadly poison; of apparitions, re- 
 incantations, and secret heathen rites. When she wearied 
 and went off to bed, Florence retired to the bower, in- 
 tending to follow her example, but her mind was filled 
 with the strange, creepy horrors; the night in its bril- 
 liance seemed crowded with weird fancies. She did not 
 light the lamp but, drawing a chair to the edge of the 
 balcony and resting her elbows on the railing, she looked 
 out at the garden, where every leaf and twig was lit 
 by the moonbeams. From the shady recesses of the 
 [152] 
 
IN THE GARDEN 
 
 veranda came the musical trill of the eukalele; Emma 
 and Harry were singing softly, their voices mingling in 
 the tender song of " The Gardenia. " 
 
 "Auhea wale ana oe 
 Kuu pua Sadinia 
 I pulu ike kehau 
 Oke kakahi aka." 
 
 With its odd little " half -white " chorus: 
 
 "O/t, I never will forget you, 
 Tender vow that you gave me. 
 A eia no me a'u 
 Kahi konikoni ai. " 
 
 The melody had a lingering sweetness suitable to the 
 moonlight, the beauty and the odour of the flowers. 
 Emma and Harry were a quiet couple, who could sit side 
 by side for hours without exchanging a word. Then 
 one or the other would start a song, Harry playing the 
 accompaniment on the eukalele, while they both joined 
 in the refrain. 
 
 The young girl glanced about her little bower. All was 
 in deep shadow, except where a faint taper glowed in a 
 cup before the shrine of Ko Ung. It lit up the idol's face, 
 casting strange, flickering shadows. It seemed as 
 though the inscrutable countenance smiled. She won- 
 [153] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 dered, looking at it thoughtfully, what strange lands and 
 strange scenes it had known in the far distant past. Had 
 the Aztec lady decorated her idol with strings of tur- 
 quoise and rings of obsidian ? Were human sacrifices ever 
 made for such a deity, or did they reserve that horror for 
 the great ones ? She wondered about the dead woman 
 who had loved the little idol so much that she carried it 
 to the grave with her. Had it brought her happiness ? 
 
 It was growing late. The Japanese party was break- 
 ing up; there were sounds of laughter, of scraping chairs, 
 and shouts of Sayanara. One by one, the lights that had 
 glimmered in the cottage windows went out. The lovers 
 too, had parted. Florence heard Emma's voice saying 
 softly, "Aloha," and Harry's "Aloha nuioe" from the 
 gate, followed by the shutting of a door. It was too bright 
 and beautiful a night to leave. Florence still lingered. 
 The whole garden lay quiet and breathless in the warm 
 moonbeams. All was silence. No, there was a faint rus- 
 tling of the leaves, a footstep on the gravel path. Two 
 great leaves parted, and a tall man in evening dress 
 stepped forward into the bright rays of the moon 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett. 
 
 [154] 
 
CHAPTER TWELVE 
 
 Dick 
 
 "IT "IT THAT is it? "cried Florence, startled. "Is 
 ^^ anything the matter?" 
 
 "Sh "said the young man from the deep 
 shadow of the awning. He stepped on a box in the 
 garden bed, and leaning his arms on the veranda railing, 
 smiled in the most easy and assured manner possible. 
 
 " What are you here for ? " asked Florence, still some- 
 what alarmed. 
 
 " We just got back this afternoon, 5 * said Dick, " and 
 this is the first chance I've had to see you." He dropped 
 his hat over into the balcony as if by accident. Though 
 he stood in the shade, the bright moonlight showed his 
 face quite plainly, even the gleam of his blue eyes and 
 the slight flush on his cheek. " What a sweet little bow- 
 er! " he went on. " Why didn't you ever ask me in here ? 
 That old room with the feather duster was good enough 
 for me. Here you're like a jewel in a casket. A pearl of 
 great price ! " 
 
 [155] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Florence made a movement to rise. Dick laid a hand 
 on her arm beseechingly. "Please don't go," he said. 
 " Do sit down and talk to me. You owe me that much for 
 running off and leaving me on the Mohawk. Do you 
 realize that I haven't seen you for two weeks ? " 
 
 "Is it so long as that?" 
 
 "It seems a deuced sight longer to me. You should 
 have seen me hunt for you on the Mohawk. You know 
 the captain of the f oretop ? " 
 
 "Yes," said Florence, lured into conversation by 
 the harmlessness of the topic. "The sailor who walks 
 up and down with a spy-glass." 
 
 " Well, I asked him about you, and he told me you 
 were up looking at guns with the navigating officer, and 
 after that you left the ship with two ladies. That re- 
 lieved my mind, though, for I was afraid you were flirt- 
 ing in a corner with old Max." 
 
 Florence protested indignantly. 
 
 "Well, he's years older than I am," said Dick. 
 
 "Yes, in years," said Florence, "but how old are 
 you in iniquity ? " 
 
 " It isn't fair to chaff a fellow," said Dick. " I've told 
 you all my faults and now you throw them in my face. 
 I think that is ungenerous. It's much better to be 
 friendly." 
 
 " Then why didn't you wait till to-morrow and make 
 [156] 
 
DICK 
 
 a call like a rational human being instead of slipping 
 through the garden like a robber ? " 
 
 " There aren't any robbers on the island. Everybody 
 leaves their doors and windows wide open. I could have 
 walked through half a dozen houses on my way up here. 
 We only have one robber in Honolulu, and he's locked 
 up on the Mohawk. Did you see him, by the way ? " 
 
 " No," said Florence, " what do you mean ? " 
 
 Dick laughed. "You and old Max were sitting on a 
 box right in front of his cell. If you'd looked over your 
 shoulder you'd have seen him in a sort of chicken-coop 
 with bars in front of it. But I suppose you were so in- 
 terested in each other " 
 
 "Are you joking?" asked Florence. "Was there 
 really a man there ? A prisoner ? " 
 
 " I'll tell you all about it," said Dick, and laying his 
 hands on the veranda railing he gave a light jump and 
 seated himself beside Florence, swinging his long legs 
 comfortably. " Shall I tell you the story ? It's awfully 
 interesting." 
 
 "Well," said Florence, taken aback, "you can tell 
 the story and then go. Only be quick, for it's late. 
 Everybody's in bed." 
 
 " It isn't late at all. You know on moonlight nights 
 the natives don't go to bed, and a good idea too. It's 
 only stupid white people who waste the loveliest hours 
 [157] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 of the tropics in sleep. Look at that moon. It's as large 
 as a dinner plate. Well, to my story," as Florence made 
 a restless movement. 
 
 " There was a man in America, somewhere, who em- 
 bezzled a lot of money from a bank. Widows and or- 
 phans and that sort of thing. He skipped to Valparaiso 
 with the booty. Then a Pinkerton detective went after 
 him; you know there's no extradition treaty there no 
 more than there is here. He's a queer duck." 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 " The detective. You must have seen him on the Mo- 
 hawk. The officers snub him and won't associate with 
 him or you might have had him for a partner in the 
 mazy." 
 
 " I'd love to see a real detective. What was he like ? " 
 
 "Little slim chap with brown eyes. Looks an awful 
 muff. Not a bit like my idea of a shrewd squint-in-the- 
 keyhole, spot-you-on-sight Johnny. They say he's a 
 winner too. Sally tried to pump him about his daring 
 exploits, for he's got a corking record; but he talked 
 fashions and the new way to dress ladies' hair and she 
 couldn't get a word out of him about shop." 
 
 "You're spinning this story out very long," said 
 Florence suspiciously. 
 
 "No, really, you ought to hear it. Pinky traced his 
 man to Valparaiso where he was stopping in a quiet 
 [158] 
 
DICK 
 
 little boarding-house. He engaged the next room to Mr. 
 Embezzler and proceeded to groan and moan and pre- 
 tend to be frightfully ill. Embezzler was sorry for him." 
 
 "He seemed to have had good qualities for a thief." 
 
 "When the enterprising burglar isn't burgling, you 
 know, he had a kind heart. He went in and sat by the 
 poor sick man and held his fevered hand, and all that sort 
 of thing. Pinky kept it up till the Mohawk came into 
 port. The embezzler was pretty jumpy, and wanted to 
 skip; but every time he made a move to go, Pinky got 
 another spasm. He begged the embezzler for God's 
 sake not to leave him alone to die in a strange land. 
 They were both Americans and he appealed to the em- 
 bezzler as a fellow countryman to get him on board the 
 Mohawk where he had friends who would take care of 
 him. The thief, like a silly ass, helped him ; got a litter 
 and carted Pinky to the ship, lending a hand himself to 
 haul him on board; and the minute they both stood on 
 the deck of the man-of-war, Pinky squared off and 
 said : ' This is United States territory. We are under the 
 jurisdiction of the American flag, and I arrest you in the 
 name of whatever they say instead of the Queen. ' ' 
 
 "What a horrible trick!" 
 
 " Wasn't it ? They said the embezzler wept and wailed 
 and said his feelings were hurt." 
 
 " I should think they would be, poor man." 
 [159] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " But what about the feelings of the widows and or- 
 phans ? " 
 
 "I suppose the detective was right, but it seems a 
 cowardly thing to do." 
 
 " That's what the Mohawks thought. They could not 
 refuse to bring the detective and his prisoner up here, 
 for she's homeward bound. But they hated the whole 
 business. The wardroom was down on Pinky and 
 refused to mess with him. Served him at a table by him- 
 self. The blue jackets twigged something was wrong, 
 and they, too, sent him to Coventry, so he had a 
 pretty mouldy time on the trip up." 
 
 " And the poor man was right there behind us all the 
 time!" said Florence. 
 
 "Oh, he's all right," said Dick. "The fellows see 
 that he gets good grub, and poke cigars at him through 
 the slats." 
 
 Florence laughed. "That can't be much consolation 
 to a man in his position." 
 
 " He isn't tried yet. Perhaps he may get off." 
 
 " Now the story is ended," said Florence pointedly. 
 
 "Please don't go in," said Dick. "What are you in 
 such a hurry for ? You don't see such a moon every day 
 in your life. Night, I mean. A moon like that would get 
 an Egyptian mummy into a breach of promise case." 
 
 " Then you'd better fly, that's what you ought to do." 
 [160] 
 
DICK 
 
 " I can conscientiously say that I have never in my 
 life done what I ought to do. My life, Miss Van Voorhis, 
 has been a steady go of leaving undone those things 
 a fellow ought to do and t'other way about. Now 
 you are the kind," he went on seriously, "that knows 
 beforehand what to do and does it. I mean you know 
 what's rigfit. I'm an awful duffer to talk, but you know 
 what I mean." 
 
 " Don't you do what is right ? " 
 
 "The question does not interest me. If I want to do 
 a thing I generally do it. What's the good of worrying ? 
 I wanted to come here to-night and I came. I got hun- 
 gry for the sight of you and I was drawn some way. 
 Regular cart-horse draw " 
 
 " I'm afraid you didn't resist very hard." 
 
 "No, honestly, I didn't. Why should I? Nobody 
 knows I'm here, nobody can see or hear us. Just for 
 this minute we are alone together in the world, you and 
 I." He had slily moved his hand along the railing till 
 it touched her elbow as if by accident. She wore a soft 
 pearly gown of nun's-veiling with wide sleeves, and 
 her white arms crossed before her were bare and cool. 
 She was amused by his talk, though a little fright- 
 ened. 
 
 "I love a woman with pluck," he went on. "You 
 climbed right into my heart when you came over the 
 [161] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 wheel of my cart that day. You aren't afraid of any- 
 thing on earth, are you ? " 
 
 "Indeed I am, I'm afraid of public opinion for one 
 thing, and the gossip of Honolulu " 
 
 "Is that a hint for me?" he said. "Do you think I 
 ought to care for the gossip of this place ? God knows 
 they talk about me badly enough." 
 
 "You must have done something to deserve it." 
 "It has always been the same wherever I lived or 
 whatever I did. There are dear old English ladies talk- 
 ing about me this moment and wagging their caps over 
 my misdeeds. That is, if they don't mix me up with my 
 brothers." 
 
 " I didn't know you had any brothers." 
 " Four of 'em, and all between me and the baronetcy. 
 They're scattered in various parts of the world. If I 
 went back now I know exactly how my aunts would 
 receive me. 'So glad to see you! And how do you 
 stand the cold climate out there?' Then I'd explain 
 that it's Claud who has horses in Northwest Canada; 
 'Oh, yes, you're dear Richard from Honolulu,' and 
 then in five minutes they'd ask how I got on with 
 my sheep, and I'd remind them that it is Cecil 
 who's in Australia. Family ties are not very strong 
 with us but then, you see, we don't waste our feelings, 
 and when we meet the right girl we have an accu- 
 [162] 
 
DICK 
 
 mulation of affection to offer that is perfectly tre- 
 mendous." 
 
 "I think, on the contrary, that it's the reason why 
 you are so cynical." 
 
 "Me, cynical?" cried Dick, surprised. "I wear my 
 heart on my sleeve! I am the most emotional creature 
 imaginable ! Didn't you feel it when we first met ? I fell 
 in love with you on sight in the real sentimental, old- 
 fashioned way. If I wore my hair long, and a feather in 
 my velvet cap you'd recognize the genuine article." 
 
 "Now you're jeering at yourself. That's what I call 
 cynical." 
 
 " I'm not jeering. I'm in dead earnest. When we were 
 off on this hunting trip I'd lie awake nights thinking of 
 you, when the other fellows were so tired they'd sleep 
 like logs. I even went out on the beach and wandered 
 up and down in the dead of night to cool my fevered 
 brow. I'd have written poetry if I'd known how, or 
 lifted up my voice in song." 
 
 "You must go now, Captain Leigh-Garrett, really," 
 said Florence. 
 
 "Oh, I'm not going to sing," he answered quickly. 
 " Let me stay here. If you only knew what it meant 
 to me to be allowed to see you to have you to 
 myself if only for a stolen half hour. Don't grudge me 
 that." 
 
 [163] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " It isn't right," said Florence, " and I'd like you bet- 
 ter if you did as I asked you." 
 
 " Don't put it like that ! You're taking a mean advan- 
 tage. It is right, if good influence on a man's life counts 
 for anything. Don't you think I'm better off here, 
 breathing the air you breathe than gambling at the 
 King's boat-house ? " 
 
 "Is that the only alternative?" said Florence. "I'd 
 be ashamed to admit it." 
 
 " But I never said I wasn't a black sheep. I am, of the 
 deepest dye but since I've known you I care as I 
 never cared before. It's a rotten, empty, vulgar life that 
 I lead and I'm ashamed of it. I've wasted my youth, 
 I've given the best that's in me to people I wouldn't 
 wipe my feet on. You are right. I do jeer I scorn 
 other people, but the man I despise most of all is my- 
 self. I was satisfied enough till I met you, and you look- 
 ed at me in that cool, sweet, feminine way of yours. 
 Then I saw myself as I really am. I came to you to- 
 night like a drowning man to a straw no, I don't 
 mean that, you're not a straw, nor a reed, but a rock 
 of strength. You're my good angel." 
 
 Florence rose to her feet. 
 
 "Don't send me away!" cried Dick and then, as he 
 read her face, " I'm going," he said. " Won't you say a 
 word to me no! don't say it! Don't hate me! I won't 
 [164] 
 
DICK 
 
 come here again so late, I promise you. It was a mad 
 thing to do and I'm sorry for I see it worries you. But 
 let me " He glanced about the bower for some excuse 
 to linger, and noticed the light burning in front of Ko 
 Ung. "Let me make an offering to the idol before I 
 
 go-" 
 
 " No, no," said Florence. 
 
 "You allow other people to make her presents, why 
 do you withhold her favour from me, who really need 
 a little luck? I have an incense burner of solid silver, 
 a perfect beauty, I got in Burmah, and I'll bring it to 
 Ko Ung." 
 
 " Then why stay now ?" 
 
 "Because she mightn't understand what I mean to 
 do, and I need the luck at once. I think it ought to be 
 explained to her. I have an idea ! I'll leave my ring 
 as a pledge " He swung over into the bower and 
 went to the temple, walking softly; sinking on one knee 
 and looking up at the idol : " Ko Ung," he said, " deign 
 to smile upon your faithful servant and his humble 
 fortunes. This ring," holding it up before her, "this 
 ring bears the coat of arms of my regiment. The stone 
 was picked up by an illustrious member of my family 
 upon the field of battle. What little good there is in me, 
 what tiny grain of principle or honour, is bound up with 
 my regiment. So you may trust this as a symbol of all 
 [165] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 I hold sacred, oh, respected Graven Image, and I leave 
 it as a pledge that I will bring you a silver incense 
 burner;" he laid it on the velvet step. " In return I beg 
 oh, most August Lady, that you keep an eye upon my 
 bank account; direct me at the gaming table; give me 
 tips on the races; guide my hand to fortune, and oh, 
 most of all I beg thee, Inscrutable One, soften my lady's 
 heart ! May the girl I love smile upon me ! " 
 
 Without another word, even of farewell, the young 
 man snatched up his hat, vaulted over the railing, and 
 disappeared into the night. 
 
 [166] 
 
CHAPTER THIRTEEN 
 
 In "Portugee Town" 
 
 IT was the day after Dick's visit, and Florence felt 
 somewhat uncomfortable all the morning with a 
 vague sense of wrongdoing. The adventure had 
 seemed very gay and innocent under the light of the 
 moon, but the memory of it weighed on her in a manner 
 she could not define. Singularly enough, it was the 
 thought of Christopher Maxwell that was uppermost 
 in her mind. She felt instinctively that he would have 
 disapproved of her conduct, and yet, she asked herself, 
 why should she care for his good opinion ? He was 
 nothing to her. She was dissatisfied with herself and 
 the world that morning. It was very hot weather, sultry 
 and heavy, and the nerves of the whole household were 
 affected. Being Saturday, the Princes and Lulu were 
 home from school. Mana and Vida, discovering some 
 boards in an unused summer-house had started off 
 hilariously with hammer and nails to make a theatre, 
 when they were interrupted by Lulu, who bore down 
 [167] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 upon them with fury, carrying them off to sew on her 
 doll's clothes. There had been an agonizing scene. 
 Florence was powerless to interfere, for Mrs. Ross, 
 emerging hot and indignant from the kitchen where 
 she had been scolding Bella for breaking a jar of chut- 
 ney, issued peremptory orders for the Princes to obey 
 Lulu. Then a half -white friend of Emma's came to call 
 and the two girls had spent an hour on Florence's 
 veranda; an hour so silent and heavy, so filled with 
 long, placid pauses and Hawaiian repose of manner 
 that their hostess in her present state of nerves had 
 been driven to the verge of screaming. Snatching 
 up her hat and murmuring a vague excuse she started 
 out for a walk, oblivious of the hour and the heat. 
 
 Portuguee town blossoms like a rose on the barren 
 slope of Punch-bowl. The dusty road led Florence 
 through the thick of the village, where little green and 
 red and pink houses perched on the steep hillside, each 
 with its tiny garden and grape arbour. Swarthy women 
 looked out from the open doorways or went back and 
 forth preparing the noonday meal. Nurserymen worked 
 in the midst of vivid patches of carnations, geraniums 
 and lilies. The place swarmed with children; black- 
 eyed, black-haired little girls and sturdy handsome 
 boys, playing under the shadow of the vines. 
 
 Florence had passed the Mormon church, a plain 
 [168] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 wooden building with a large eye painted over the en- 
 trance, when she heard the sound of wheels behind her 
 and stepped to one side to let the carriage pass. To her 
 surprise it stopped , and Hamilton Todd jumped into 
 the road, an expression of intense satisfaction lighting 
 up his countenance. 
 
 "This is an unexpected pleasure!'* he exclaimed. 
 " Will you allow me to carry you to your destination ? " 
 
 " I'm not going anywhere," said Florence, " but you 
 can come with me if you like. I warn you, though; it's 
 awfully dusty." 
 
 Hammy sent the express off and walked on at her side. 
 
 "Now I know the meaning of Captain Leigh-Gar- 
 rett's expression that whenever he cast his shad upon 
 the waters it came back planked. " 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 " I mean," said Hammy, " that I am rewarded for a 
 generous impulse. The poor old paymaster had a com- 
 mission of importance to attend to in this neighbour- 
 hood, to bring remuneration to the ship's florist, and 
 he was in a great state of perplexity, as he had a multi- 
 tude of affairs in hand and the temperature at boiling 
 point, so I undertook the performance of that duty my- 
 self, and behold how I am rewarded ! " 
 
 " It was compliment enough, Mr. Todd," said Flor- 
 ence, smiling, " for you to jump out of your carriage into 
 [169] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 this heat and dust for my sake without saying anything 
 about rewards." She glanced up at Hammy, tall, raw- 
 boned, and red-faced, with genuine regard. In her pres- 
 ent state of discontent his honest devotion was balm to 
 her soul. 
 
 "Isn't Portuguee town pretty?" she said. "I have 
 never walked in this direction before and had no idea it 
 was so near at hand. It looks so thrifty, and busy too, 
 and the people seem wonderfully happy. See that little 
 salmon-coloured house on the hill ! " 
 
 " It is, comparatively, hardly larger than a pill-box." 
 
 "And yet you know at once, from all those pots of 
 flowers in the windows and the elaborate garden laid 
 out in squares and diamonds, that the owner takes a 
 great pride in his home. Who could be really unhappy 
 in a salmon-pink house ? " 
 
 " If we could rightly interpret the language of colours, 
 we might be able to read the characters of the inhabi- 
 tants." 
 
 " You mean there is jealousy in the green house ? And 
 a poor deserted swain in the yellow, and they love one 
 another under the red roof ? 
 
 * Yellow's forsaken, 
 Green is foresworn, 
 Bid blue is prettiest 
 Colour that's worn.' 
 [170] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 Florence went on as they stopped before a cottage paint- 
 ed in the brightest possible tint of azure. 
 
 "This is my destination," said Hammy, holding 
 back the gate as they passed in under a green archway. 
 
 "What a dear little place!" said Florence. "Ter- 
 races and arbours and hothouses and rockeries, and it 
 can't be much larger than a billiard table ! " 
 
 "And exceedingly refined taste, too," said Hammy, 
 looking approvingly at the gravel paths bordered with 
 beer bottles hammered into the ground upside down. 
 " These people represent the poorest class of immigrants, 
 and yet I don't believe there is a land-owner in Hono- 
 lulu, even Christopher Maxwell, with all his millions, 
 who takes more satisfaction in his estate than Pedro 
 Almeida. This is Pedro, Miss Van Voorhis." 
 
 A short, sturdy Portuguese came smiling out of the 
 blue house and bade them welcome with an air of hon- 
 est pride. He was quick to notice Florence's glances of 
 admiration, and when he and Hammy had settled their 
 business together, he offered to show them over the 
 place. The garden lay on a steep slant of Punch-bowl, 
 where Pedro had cut a number of terraces that were 
 now blooming in carnations and geraniums. There was 
 an infinitesimal rockery with ferns and wide-leaved 
 water plants; a sunken barrel contained gold-fish; 
 there was a tiny hothouse and many odd contrivances, 
 [171] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 all of which were minutely inspected and admired 
 under the guidance of Pedro; but the pride of the estate 
 was the grape-arbour. It was supported on bamboo 
 poles, covered with a solid roof of green leaves, and the 
 side towards the town trained into a series of arches. 
 Inside the arbour was a table and several chairs, where 
 the visitors were glad to accept seats in the refreshing 
 shade. 
 
 It would have taken a stupider man than Pedro 
 Almeida to have missed the fact that the lieutenant was 
 in a seventh heaven of happiness. He took the young 
 man to one side and made a suggestion that Hammy 
 received with exclamations of delight. 
 
 "What an opportune suggestion!" he cried. "Miss 
 Van Voorhis, Pedro says he can prepare a luncheon 
 for us here and serve it in the arbour. He says his wife 
 is a famous cook ! " 
 
 " Broila chick," said Pedro insinuatingly. 
 
 "I'd love it!" said Florence. "But what about Mrs. 
 Ross ? She will wonder what has become of me." 
 
 " I'll telephone," said Hammy, and he rushed off to 
 find a grocery near at hand, which Pedro pointed out 
 from the gate. A slim brown girl with a scarlet kerchief 
 tied over her head introduced herself by saying proudly, 
 "Pedro my Poppa," and showed Florence into the 
 house, which was as small and as clean as a new toy, 
 [172] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 fresh from the box. She helped the visitor off with her 
 hat, poured out some water from a highly ornamented 
 jug and brushed the dust off Florence's skirts with her 
 own hands, even bringing a damp cloth to wipe 
 her shoes. 
 
 The little room was hung with pink curtains, there 
 was a tinted crucifix on the wall, some brackets sup- 
 porting highly-coloured vases of paper flowers, some- 
 what superfluous ornaments in the house of a nursery- 
 man. There was shell- work and bead- work and wax- 
 work and when Florence admired the lace bed-spread, 
 laid out over a bright green lining, the Portuguese girl 
 touched herself on the breast and nodded, indicating 
 that she had made it herself. 
 
 Pedro discreetly disappeared, leaving Florence and 
 Hammy to wander about the garden by themselves 
 while they waited for luncheon. The paths were so nar- 
 row they had to walk single file; the hothouse would 
 only admit one head at a time for an admiring glance 
 and they could have stepped across the rockery, but the 
 evidences of care and loving toil in the blooming ter- 
 races guiltless of weeds; the clean gravel, the orna- 
 mental shells, and even the borders of beer bottles 
 made the little place infinitely attractive. They returned 
 to the arbour, cool and fragrant, in the shadow of the 
 clustering leaves, and took their places at the white 
 [173] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 table, smiling at each other over the tops of the red 
 carnations plucked in their honour. 
 
 Pedro himself served. The spring chickens were broil- 
 ed to a turn; nothing could be crisper than the salad 
 fresh from the garden; and the wine, opened with in- 
 tense seriousness, had come all the way from Madeira 
 to grace their little feast. 
 
 " I didn't look forward to such a pleasant adventure 
 when I started out this morning," said Florence. 
 
 "Nor I," said Hammy. "After this I'll hasten to exe- 
 cute all the paymaster's commissions." 
 
 Heat and emotion were not becoming to Lieu- 
 tenant Todd. His blue eyes looked almost white by 
 contrast with his crimson face. His hair, which was 
 soft and fine, clung to his damp forehead in little 
 wisps, while his collar lay in a wilted string about 
 his neck. Fortunately the young man was unaware 
 of these drawbacks and beamed across the table, 
 supremely happy. 
 
 " See," said Florence, glancing down upon the bird's- 
 eye view of Honolulu with the sea stretching out a sheen 
 of deepest blue to the far horizon. " What a lovely pic- 
 ture we have before us, framed in vine leaves. I 
 imagine the bay of Naples must look something like 
 this ; I mean the same curve of the shore and color of 
 the water." 
 
 [174] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 "It is somewhat similar, only in Naples we were 
 more impressed by the odours on the water-front than 
 the beauty of the scene." 
 
 " It must be so interesting to be in the navy and see 
 the world." 
 
 "On the contrary you don't have any opportunity 
 to inspect it. That is the trouble. When we were sta- 
 tioned in Japan we only had an occasional day of liber- 
 ty never a protracted leave enabling us to investigate 
 the interior." 
 
 " But you saw different countries ? " 
 
 "There is a monotonous sameness about a sailor's 
 life, Miss Van Voorhis. You are received formally and 
 hospitably by the English and American residents, and 
 you pay your official respects to government representa- 
 tives. Of course, some countries are superior to others 
 in attractiveness, and Honolulu is the favourite on the 
 Pacific station. There was universal rejoicing when 
 we had orders to proceed here." 
 
 " And what place did you like the least ? " 
 
 " Paita, Peru ! It is absolutely devoid of interest, and 
 I'd infinitely prefer prison bars to returning there even 
 for an infinitesimal atom of time. " 
 
 " You are not likely to be ordered back, are you ? " 
 
 " No, Heaven be praised. Our ship will be returning to 
 America soon. Even now, the blue jackets are preparing 
 [175] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 the homeward bound pennant and discipline is begin- 
 ning to relax somewhat." 
 
 Pedro appeared with an omelette in a bed of parsley, 
 which he set on the table with an air of great impor- 
 tance. 
 
 " I always appreciate impressiveness," said Hammy. 
 " That is the secret of the success they make in the 
 fashionable restaurants when they exhibit a dish before 
 they serve it." 
 
 "A sort of 'oh, see what you're going to get!' 
 And then I suppose you all looked pleased." 
 
 " Even if it is only a mutton-chop one respects it more 
 highly when it is elaborately served. But this omelette is 
 like good wine, it * needs no bush. ' ' 
 
 " I always judge a cook by his omelette. It is so simple 
 and easy to make a good one, and yet hardly anybody 
 can do it." 
 
 " Are you an adept in cookery ? " asked Hammy, with 
 a touch of awe in his voice. 
 
 " Indeed, I am. All California girls can cook and most 
 of the men. I suppose it is because we go out camping 
 so much and have chances to show off our accomplish- 
 ments. 
 
 Hammy sighed deeply. "It only needed that," he 
 said. 
 
 " What do you mean?" 
 
 [176] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 "Your knowing how to cook." 
 
 " What difference does that make ? " 
 
 "I have often heard it remarked," said Hammy, 
 "that a naval officer should not marry. But don't you 
 think they require a home more than other people? 
 They lead such lonely lives. A sailor is an unhappy man." 
 
 "They don't seem so to me," said Florence. "The 
 naval men I've met looked very cheerful." 
 
 "It is a terrible life!" said Hammy gloomily. "All 
 dancing on shore and quarrelling on board. You know, 
 Miss Van Voorhis, I have considerable means beside 
 my pay." 
 
 Florence looked at the young man somewhat em- 
 barrassed at the sudden change in his voice. 
 
 "Shall I pour out the coffee?" she said nervously. 
 " It is sure to be good. Thank you. Pedro, your lunch 
 has been a great success. Will you give my compliments 
 to your wife ? " 
 
 " That is the happiest product of nature," said Ham- 
 my. "A contented man. How seldom one encounters 
 such a being. My own existence is a hollow mockery. 
 You know, Miss Van Voorhis, I have always been de- 
 voted to ladies' society and yet I'm doomed to spend my 
 life with men, and not always men that I am in sym- 
 pathy with. The wardroom of a man-of-war is close 
 quarters sometimes." 
 
 [177] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " But you are not always on shipboard ? " 
 "A far greater percentage of my time. On shore I 
 invariably seek the society of ladies. But even then one's 
 friendships are but fleeting. Don't think I mean idle 
 flirtations I would rather be the humble servitor of 
 a good woman I would infinitely prefer to be re- 
 garded as your your Woolly Horse, in fact, as Mrs. 
 Landry says than be the than have the " He 
 floundered for a moment and then went on resolutely. 
 " You aroused my deepest admiration the first moment 
 I had the honour of meeting you. I have always appreci- 
 ated, I may even say worshipped, feminine beauty, 
 and in you, Miss Van Voorhis, I found my ideal. I 
 would love you for your divine beauty if you were de- 
 void of intelligence, and, on the other hand, your noble 
 character would win my devotion and hold my affection 
 forever if you were were, in fact, plain." 
 
 Florence hardly knew what to say. Hammy had given 
 her no chance to evade the evidently impending avowal. 
 She could not refuse to listen now without cruelly em- 
 barrassing him, or hurting his feelings. 
 
 "Dear Mr. Todd," she said weakly, "I'm so sorry." 
 
 " I love you," said Hammy. He tried to lift the coffee 
 
 cup, but his hand trembled so violently that he had to 
 
 put it down again. " Would you, I mean I desire to 
 
 ask you " 
 
 [178] 
 
IN "PORTUGEE TOWN" 
 
 Florence read the question in his eyes and answered 
 it silently, sadly, by a shake of the head. She hoped to 
 save him from saying more. 
 
 Two large tears rolled down Hammy's face. He wiped 
 them away unaffectedly with his handkerchief. "I 
 knew you would not accept me, Miss Van Voorhis," he 
 said, "but I implore you, don't allow my imprudence 
 to create any difference in our friendship. I value that 
 dearer than my life." 
 
 " Nothing could ever change my friendship for you, 
 Mr. Todd." 
 
 "I know," he went on, recovering himself with an 
 effort, " that my duty is to retire at once and never ob- 
 trude my presence again. But our parting is imminent 
 enough as it is. I will endure many a night on duty, pac- 
 ing the quarter-deck and remembering every line of 
 your face. I tell you, Miss Van Voorhis, the sensation 
 is awe-inspiring to be alone in the universe on the wide 
 expanse of ocean with only the firmament and your 
 thoughts for company. And the memory of your per- 
 sonality will dwell with me for the remainder of my 
 existence." 
 
 " I hope not," said Florence, " I mean, I hope " 
 
 "Allow me to resume my usual standing with you," 
 Hammy interrupted. "Efface from your mind what I 
 have uttered to-dav. I will never offend again. I shall 
 [179] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 live so many years of life remote from your presence 
 that I implore you to let me have these last few weeks 
 of your society unchanged." 
 
 "Dear Mr. Todd," she said, "I haven't so many 
 friends that I can afford to lose one. You have been 
 so good to me that it grieves me to the heart to cause 
 you a moment's unhappiness. I have been lonely, too, 
 in my life, and I understand a little of what you feel." 
 
 " But you have never been in love ? " 
 
 "Never!" cried Florence. But the moment she said 
 the words she knew. The knowledge came to her with a 
 shock that almost stopped her heart from beating. She 
 loved Max. At that moment she realized that she had 
 always loved him from the first moment when fate had 
 thrown her into his arms. He was her man; her other 
 self, the love of her heart. She leaned across the table 
 impulsively laying her white fingers on Hammy's 
 clasped hands. 
 
 " Oh, my boy ! " she said. " My poor boy, I'm awfully 
 sorry for you ! " 
 
 [180] 
 
CHAPTER FOURTEEN 
 The Ring 
 
 FLORENCE parted from Hammy at the garden 
 gate and ran into the house. Her first idea was 
 to ring up Captain Leigh-Garrett and tell him 
 she hardly knew what, but in some way she hoped 
 to keep him away; to get him off her mind and con- 
 science. She found the number of the Royal Livery 
 Stables, but in answer to her question a voice replied 
 that Captain Leigh-Garrett was not there. 
 
 As she stood by the telephone for a moment, unde- 
 cided, Bella came into the room with a pile of clean 
 plates to put away on the shelves. She was followed by a 
 Chinaman whom Florence recognized as her friend 
 of the hotel. 
 
 "Why, Lee," she said, "how are you? You haven't 
 forgotten me, have you ? " 
 
 " No, Miss Flo' nee, I no forget you. You vella well ? 
 Velly nice you stop here, all same you home, Bella tell 
 me." 
 
 [181] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 The young girl smiled as she thought of the confi- 
 dences between these two and wondered how they un- 
 derstood each other. 
 
 " Miss Flo'nce," said Lee, " I like talk you. I look out 
 you come hotel see Missy Bonna, I no get chance." 
 
 "Well," she said, somewhat surprised,"what is it,Lee?" 
 
 " I all same your father. I look young boy. Oh, no, 
 me old man." 
 
 "Really?" said Florence, wondering what he was 
 driving at. His face was serious. Bella stood by, open- 
 mouthed, hugging the pile of plates against her breast, 
 steadying them with her chin. 
 
 " Miss Flo'nce, I tell you, Honolulu too much talk. 
 You wella young gell. You velly pretty Melican fash- 
 ion," he added, with discrimination. "I see you take 
 lide along Captain Leigh-Gallett. I no like. Now, he 
 come see you last night." 
 
 Florence gave a startled glance at the Portuguese 
 woman. 
 
 " Me no tell," Bella cried anxiously, wagging her head 
 over top of the plates. " Lee see you. We go dance last 
 night Portugee town, come home late, see Captain 
 Leigh-Gatta go out a gate." 
 
 " He no good, Miss Flo'nce," said Lee. " He velly bad 
 man. I see him plenty time stop long hotel. He dlink, he 
 talk, he too much dlink, he too much talk." 
 [182] 
 
THE RING 
 
 For a moment Florence looked indignantly at Lee, 
 but the man's expression was deeply anxious. He was 
 evidently trying to warn her in all good faith, and had 
 no idea that his attitude was in any way impertinent. 
 " I all same your father," he repeated deprecatingly. 
 
 " He, he you don't mean to say that he has talked 
 about me?" 
 
 "No," said Lee, "nobody talk. Me talk. I tell you 
 true, Miss Flo'nce. By and by he talk. I savvy, too 
 much. I tell you, look out. I see him last night, I too 
 much flaid." 
 
 "He will not come again, Lee," said Florence with 
 determination. 
 
 "All right!" cried Lee. "That finish. I no talk. By 
 and by dead I no talk. Bella," he turned to the Portu- 
 guese girl so suddenly and sternly that the plates rattled 
 in her arms, " you talk one word I kill you ! " 
 
 Florence turned to go, with a horrible humiliating 
 sensation of embarrassment in the presence of these peo- 
 ple. Her heart swelled with indignation against the 
 cause of it all. 
 
 " You come down hotel soon ? " Lee asked. " Missy 
 Worling velly sick. All lone. No got any flens." 
 
 "Is there anything I can do, Lee?" asked Florence 
 reluctantly. 
 
 " I don't know. She velly sick." He put his hand to his 
 [183] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 chest and coughed feebly in imitation. "By and by I 
 think she die. I wish that ship hully up. Her husband 
 come I think she get well. You velly kind lady, you 
 come see Missy Worling." 
 
 "I will," said Florence, escaping through the hall. 
 She reached the front veranda just in time to see Mrs. 
 Landry stepping airily out of a carriage. The widow 
 came up the steps looking very smart and cool, and 
 well dressed as usual. 
 
 " Here you are ! " she cried. " I've come on an errand 
 and it is a very pleasant one." 
 
 Florence showed her into the bower. 
 
 " Oh, the darling little idol ! Has it brought you good 
 luck ? You don't look as though it had. What is the mat- 
 ter with you, you are as pale as a sheet ? " 
 
 " I went for a walk," said Florence, " and I'm rather 
 tired." 
 
 "Walk!" cried the widow, "in this heat! You must 
 be fond of exercise! I have been at home all day with 
 the blinds drawn and the veranda sprinkled. I rang you 
 up some time ago and could get no answer, so I sent for 
 an express and came myself. My message is from 
 Christopher Maxwell." 
 
 To Florence's dismay and annoyance she found her- 
 self blushing under the widow's steady gaze. 
 
 " Ah, ha ! " said Mrs. Landry, shaking a finger at her, 
 [184] 
 
THE RING 
 
 " so he is turning your head, is he, after all I've said to 
 you ? My dear, I'm going to give you a little advice." 
 
 Florence laughed somewhat hysterically. "Please 
 don't," she said, " I've already had a great deal and I 
 don't think I can stand any more just at present." 
 
 "I was not going to advise you against him, but 
 against yourself. Don't attach too much importance to 
 what he says." 
 
 "Your solicitude is flattering, Mrs. Landry," said the 
 young girl coldly, more angry than she would admit. 
 
 "You need not be sarcastic. Your cheeks are red as 
 fire. However, he sent you a message. The King is giv- 
 ing a surf-party at his Waikiki place Monday night, and 
 if you care to come Max says he will send his carriage 
 for you at eight." 
 
 It was the affair the King was getting up for Florence, 
 and she noticed the lukewarm flavour the widow gave 
 the invitation. 
 
 "It is moonlight now, you know," continued Mrs. 
 Landry, "and that's why it was arranged in such a 
 hurry. We must make the most of it." 
 
 " I wonder Mr. Maxwell did not telephone to me him- 
 self," said Florence, a little jealously. 
 
 " He did, but could get no answer. Then he rang me 
 up. There's some business he had to look after at one 
 of his plantations. He leaves this afternoon and won't 
 [185] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 be back till Monday. Go and telephone now that you 
 accept, and I'll stay and make love to the idol." 
 
 "I hope it's not too late," said Christopher Max- 
 well's voice over the wire, " but we arranged it all last 
 night in a hurry, for if we let this week go by we'll have 
 to wait another month for moonlight. If you have any 
 other engagement put it off." 
 
 " I haven't," said Florence. 
 
 "That's all right then." 
 
 " Will there be many people ? " 
 
 "No, only our little crowd. I'm awfully sorry I 
 couldn't come in and talk it over with you, but I have 
 to ride over the Pali about some tiresome sugar business. 
 See you Monday. Good-bye." 
 
 " Good-bye," said Florence. She stood for a moment 
 holding the receiver that had carried his voice. Then, 
 with a sudden impulse she touched it with her lips, her 
 eyes filling with sudden tears. The sound had changed 
 the whole world to her and a sudden gladness filled her 
 heart. She glanced out through the open doorway to 
 see Lee and Bella sitting side by side on the cook-house 
 steps in deep and confidential conversation. Coming 
 back to the bower, with a flush on her cheek and a ten- 
 der light in her eyes she found the widow standing very 
 straight and angry, holding a small object in her hand. 
 
 " I found this in front of the idol," she said. 
 [186] 
 
THE RING 
 
 " What is it ? " asked Florence pleasantly. 
 
 " It is Dick Leigh-Garrett's ring," Mrs. Landry an- 
 swered in a harsh voice Florence hardly recognized. 
 " With the seal of his regiment on it. I know the history 
 of that ring and I know that it has never left his hand 
 before. How came it here ? " 
 
 Lee passed by beneath the balcony. 
 
 " Good-bye Miss Flo'nce," he called out. 
 
 " Good-bye, Lee," she answered, and as she watched 
 his white-robed figure disappear among the trees she 
 thought quickly. There was nothing for it but to lie, and 
 Florence hated Dick Leigh-Garrett with a rising burst 
 of anger that he should have forced her to such an ex- 
 tremity. 
 
 " That stone was found in India," went on Mrs. Lan- 
 dry. " On a battle-field by Dick's uncle, Sir Lionel. 
 He had lain all night wounded and when he was carried 
 off the ground he picked up a stone to keep as a me- 
 mento. It wasn't till he took it years after to have the 
 arms of his regiment engraved on it that they found it 
 was a flawless blood-stone. Dick loves that ring as he 
 loves his regiment. Why did he leave it in your room ? " 
 
 " I did not know it was there," said Florence steadily. 
 " He called the other day and said something about an 
 offering to Ko Ung." 
 
 A curious glance of suspicion shot from the widow's 
 [187] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 yellow eyes. A leaden colour began to show beneath the 
 pearl powder, and a tiny network of lines gathered about 
 her mouth. 
 
 " I dined with Dick last night," she said. " He was at 
 my house till late it must have been eleven when he 
 left and he had this ring on then." 
 
 Florence stood silent, the colour coming and going in 
 her cheeks; biting her lips to control the sensitive nerves 
 of her face; the resentment that filled her heart bracing 
 her to meet the widow's fierce attack with a bold front. 
 
 Bella had come into the bedroom and was paying 
 alert attention to the conversation. She appeared at the 
 door, dust brush in hand. 
 
 "Captain Leigh-Gat come here to-day," she said, 
 " when you go out, Miss Florence he say he make 
 lil present Ko Ung." 
 
 Mrs. Landry wheeled about and stared at the Portu- 
 guese girl for a full minute. Bella gazed innocently back, 
 with round eyes open wide. The widow laid the ring 
 down and drew a deep breath. 
 
 "What an idiot I am!" she said, sinking back into 
 the rocking-chair while Bella vanished within the bed- 
 room. "Forgive me, my dear girl, but I'm a perfect 
 fool about that man. I know he's a bad lot. I've caught 
 him out in fifty lies." She rolled her handkerchief into a 
 little ball and carefully dabbed her eyes. " Oh, I know 
 [188] 
 
THE RING 
 
 him through and through ! But I can't help being a fool 
 a silly, idiotic fool about him ! " 
 
 Florence drew out a wicker chair and sat down, com- 
 posedly, though her hands trembled as she clasped them 
 tightly in her lap. 
 
 "All the same," said Mrs. Landry, "I don't see yet 
 why Dick left that ring here. He's up to mischief and I 
 advise you " 
 
 " You need advice yourself, Mrs. Landry," said Flor- 
 ence hastily. 
 
 "Do you think I don't know it? Do you think I'm 
 proud of myself ? In this life you go along like a blind 
 puppy and knock your head against a post; if you are 
 good-hearted, you stand by and warn the others coming 
 after you to be careful. Do you think they heed you ? 
 You may scream yourself hoarse ! No, everybody has to 
 get a good crack on their own skulls before they will 
 listen to reason. I know perfectly well what is good for 
 me." 
 
 "Then, why don't you take your courage in both 
 hands and do it ? " 
 
 "I cannot, I cannot. It means giving up Dick and 
 that is beyond me." 
 
 "I don't understand you very well, Mrs. Landry," 
 said Florence. "You spoke of some one else just 
 now " 
 
 [189] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " You mean Max ! That is a very different story. My 
 dear, that man has eleven millions. I am an extravagant 
 woman and I'm living on my capital. It's not going to 
 last very long and then where'll I be ? " 
 
 " Do you mean plainly and vulgarly that you want to 
 many Mr. Maxwell for his money ? " 
 
 " But I like him, my dear, I like him ! It is only such a 
 frivolous woman as I am who can really appreciate a 
 serious and earnest man. This town is full of dancing, 
 flirting * Woolly Horses,' and he's the only man in the 
 place." 
 
 " Rich or poor ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "No, rich. I wouldn't admire him if he were poor. 
 But you don't understand me. I admire his riches be- 
 cause they show his ability. I am a true American in my 
 appreciation of a self-made man. That's the only kind 
 of a man that's worth anything. Christopher Maxwell 
 came back from college when his father died and found 
 his affairs in a hopeless tangle. He was little more than a 
 boy when he took hold, and see where he is to-day. The 
 banks, the shipping, the street-cars, the parks, the plan- 
 tations, he's at the head of every great enterprise here. 
 I love his wealth it's like the wreath of laurel on the 
 brow of a hero." She laughed suddenly; "and I want 
 some of the leaves! Don't take me seriously, my dear. 
 Men say how difficult it is to understand women. Do . 
 [190] 
 
THE RING 
 
 you know why it is so hard ? Because they don't under- 
 stand themselves ! We're like the dog that ate his tag 
 we don't know where we're going ! " 
 
 "You've made me very unhappy and very uncom- 
 fortable," said Florence. "And I cannot believe that 
 you were in earnest in half you've said to-day." 
 
 " I wasn't," said the widow, rising and pulling up her 
 silk gloves. "At least I don't know myself how I feel 
 about Christopher Maxwell; but with the other man 
 I'm really serious. It isn't jealousy on my part, honestly, 
 I'm talking for your own good. Give him back his ring 
 and keep clear of Dick Leigh-Garrett. It takes a woman 
 of experience to manage him. He is not for the young 
 person." She turned at the door and sang, saucily: 
 
 ** 'He's not a marrying man, my dear; 
 He lives <m a different plan, my dear, 
 Keep out of his way if you can, my dear, 
 He isn't a marrying man I ' ' 
 
 [191] 
 
CHAPTER FIFTEEN 
 
 The Magic Carpet 
 
 THE telephone bell waked the family early on 
 Sunday morning, announcing the arrival of the 
 Suez; Emma and Lulu walked down after 
 breakfast to get the letters; the half- white girl with an 
 eye for fashions brought by the passengers, and Lulu 
 to glean any trifle in the way of gossip that might be 
 floating about. 
 
 Florence was ashamed to thank Bella in words for 
 coming so gallantly to the rescue, but a silk shawl of 
 vivid aniline tint, and a pat on the shoulder needed no 
 interpretation. Bella was speechless with joy, and ac- 
 cepted the gift, to Florence's embarrassment, with the 
 air of one receiving well-merited reward. With the true 
 instinct of a Portuguese duenna she dearly loved an in- 
 trigue, and now considered herself to be in the thick of 
 a most exciting affair. On ordinary occasions she en- 
 veloped the most casual message, the most innocent 
 letter with an atmosphere of mystery. She would report 
 [192] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 the call of a sewing-machine agent with nods and becks 
 and confidential winks, and Hammy could not pay a 
 visit to the bower without Bella slipping in ahead to 
 announce his arrival in a melodramatic whisper. 
 
 She had told the truth in saying that Captain Leigh- 
 Garrett had called while Florence was away, though the 
 remark about the ring was pure inspiration. It was long 
 before Florence could understand, from Bella's hints 
 and innuendos, that Dick had left the silver incense 
 burner, wrapped in a tissue-paper parcel, to be delivered 
 into Florence's own hands. Her first idea was to refuse 
 it peremptorily, but the Portuguese girl aggravated her 
 into saying, in her most matter-of-fact voice : 
 
 " Oh, it's nothing but an old box for Ko Ung. Put it 
 in front of the idol, Bella. " 
 
 "Everybody see him!" 
 
 " Well, let them. Go back to your work, like a good 
 girl, and don't bother. " 
 
 While Emma and Lulu were down for the mail, Flor- 
 ence was too restless to sit still. She wondered how her 
 father and her friends would take the news of her broken 
 engagement. She was a little ashamed of herself for 
 thinking so little of them in this last absorbing month. 
 But now, mail day, and the prospect of letters filled her 
 with uneasiness. She walked out into the garden. Mana 
 and Vida, free from restraint, were playing circus with 
 [193] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 all the force of their lungs, shouting, leaping, turning 
 hand-springs, jumping from the veranda railing to the 
 grass, doing audience and performers combined. She 
 looked on at the feats of strength and agility, and though 
 her heart occasionally turned over with alarm at their 
 narrow escapes and foolhardy attempts, she did not 
 utter a word of protest. 
 
 Wandering on she found Mrs. Ross seated on a camp- 
 stool out in the brightest patch of sunlight in the garden, 
 with a towel over her shoulders and her grey hair spread 
 out in a curly mop to dry. She had been washing it 
 in lemons. 
 
 " Getting anxious about your letters ? " she asked as 
 Florence threw herself on the warm grass beside her. 
 " I always do, and washing my hair distracts my mind. 
 When I am waiting I always fill up the time with some 
 kind of work. 
 
 " I do feel nervous, " said Florence. 
 
 " I know, " said Mrs. Ross. Her face was shrouded in 
 a mass of silvery curls, but she parted a lock to give 
 Florence a beaming look of affection. " Though I'm sure 
 it will be all right! I get worried every mail day about 
 William. So many things can happen in a month; it's 
 lucky one doesn't worry all the time. I only begin to get 
 anxious when the Suez is sighted. 
 
 "Here they come!" screamed Vida and Mana, racing 
 [194] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 down the driveway and escorting Emma and Lulu up 
 the garden walk, with a fine imitation of royal cavalry. 
 
 " There's a letter from William, " Emma called out. 
 
 " And none for you, Miss Florence, " screamed Lulu, 
 with a ring of triumph in her voice not from malice, 
 but mere joy in the fact that she was giving a startling 
 piece of intelligence. Florence stared blankly. Mrs< Ross 
 snatched her letter and read it hastily, throwing out bits 
 of information to the surrounding audience. 
 
 " He says it's snowing in New York think of snow 
 in April! No, the letter's dated March 15th. He can't 
 come home this time before Christmas. Encloses a 
 check. Well, he is a good boy. Oh ! he's had his photo- 
 graph taken. I wish he'd sent one. He will when he gets 
 the prints. Love to Emma, and Lulu, and everybody. 
 Oh, my dear, " she went on, as though it were part of 
 William's letter, " and there's no mail for you. " 
 
 There was a scream from Lulu. " Vida, you jumped 
 on the flower beds ! I see your footprints ! " 
 
 "We didn't hurt anything!" 
 
 " Well, you might have ! Hurry up ! We're awfully late 
 for Sunday-school. You should have gone on without 
 me." 
 
 "We're not going to-day, " said Mana. "The Queen 
 telephoned that she would send her carriage to take us 
 for a drive. " 
 
 [195] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Then why aren't you dressed?" Lulu always had 
 the last word. " Go and get Bella to help you. I'm in a 
 hurry." 
 
 " Mrs. Ross, " said Florence, still sitting stricken on 
 the grass. " What shall I do ? I'm frightened at not get- 
 ting a letter from anybody. " 
 
 " Perhaps they missed the mail. I know once the trains 
 were snowbound, and William's letter arrived too late to 
 catch the steamer. I had to wait over another month for 
 news, and I was frightened to death. " 
 
 "But my people live in San Francisco. The letters 
 don't have to cross the Continent " 
 
 " They may have missed the steamer. " 
 
 " Not all of them I should get at least one. I ought 
 to go home. Perhaps they are angry with me. " 
 
 " My dear Florence, " said Mrs. Ross, taking her hair 
 by the ends and shaking it in the sunlight to dry. " All 
 the more reason for not going home. Stay right on here 
 till they get good-natured again. " 
 
 "But, Mrs. Ross," Florence stammered a little, "I 
 I haven't any more money. I was sure my father would 
 send me that check for a thousand dollars. He forgot 
 about it at the la^t moment, and gave me some money 
 for my trip and said he'd send the check by the next 
 mail. There was no hurry I didn't think I'd need it at 
 all and now " 
 
 [196] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 " My dearest girl, " said Mrs. Ross, " if you are wor- 
 rying about the expense of living here, put it out of your 
 head. If your father sends the money next mail well and 
 good, if he does not, never mind. I am glad to have you 
 with me for just as long as you want to stay. " 
 
 The young girl caught Mrs. Ross's plump little hand, 
 damp, and smelling of lemons, and kissed it gratefully. 
 
 " You are so good, " she said, " but I'm not going to 
 be a burden on you. I know it's hard enough as it is for 
 you to make both ends meet. " 
 
 " You are as dear to me as my own daughter, " said 
 the voice under the grey mop. 
 
 " I feel like one of the family, Mrs. Ross, but really 
 it's because I like you and am enjoying myself so much 
 here that I want to stay on, and because I have felt 
 ashamed to go back with my explanations. But now I 
 feel as though it were my duty to return at once " 
 
 They were diverted from their conversation by the ar- 
 rival of a very Jiandsome barouche, with footman and 
 coachman, drawn by a span of fine horses. 
 
 " It's the Queen's carriage, " said Mrs. Ross. " I won- 
 der why it is," she added fretfully, "that these stylish 
 teams always paw up the gravel so much more than liv- 
 ery stable horses ? " 
 
 Vida and Mana came skipping excitedly toward 
 them. " Won't you come with us, Miss Florence ? " Mana 
 [197] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 asked. " Lulu generally goes, but she went off to Sunday- 
 school." 
 
 " I don't feel very muph like it, dear Mana. " 
 
 " Go along, " said Mrs. Ross decisively. " You're tired 
 and worried, and a drive in the open air will do you all 
 the good in the world. When you get back we'll talk 
 things over seriously. " 
 
 "We were looking forward to your coming," said 
 Vida. Florence jumped up, kissed them both, and went 
 for her hat and gloves. The two Princes exchanged a 
 solemn glance of gratification. 
 
 The young girl sat in the back seat between the two 
 boys as the carriage bowled down the wide street. It 
 was a warm, fragrant Honolulu morning; though 
 the church bells were ringing the streets looked busy, for 
 it was mail day. There had been light showers during 
 the night, which gave the trees, dotted over with white 
 and scarlet blossoms, the grass and hedges a freshly- 
 washed look and laid the dust in the roads. 
 
 " Let's talk about railway trains, " said Vida. 
 
 " No, " said Mana, " I like the little rooms that go up 
 and down. It must be funny to walk into a little room, shut 
 the door, and then have it go up in the air, with you in it. " 
 
 " Like the magic carpet, " said Vida. The boys had lis- 
 tened to Florence's tales of civilization, and mixed them 
 up somewhat with her equally entertaining fairy stories. 
 [198] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 "If we had a magic carpet," said Mana invitingly, 
 " where would we go ? " 
 
 "We are on the carpet now, " said Florence, in that 
 matter-of-fact style that enchanted her listeners and gave 
 an air of reality to her wildest statement. She cast 
 aside her troubles and turned her attention to entertain- 
 ing her two friends. "Don't you remember," she 
 went on, " how tired we were this morning, when we 
 lived in a big, ugly, dark town called London ? There 
 was a fog over the place, making it like night, so that 
 the lamps had to be lighted. You are two little boys 
 who sell matches in the street, and I am a flower- 
 girl. Ah, weren't we unhappy this morning ? " 
 
 " I felt so cold and wet, " said Mana, who had a lively 
 imagination. 
 
 " Nobody would buy my matches, " said Vida, " and 
 we hadn't anything to eat all day. " 
 
 " We lay down under a tree to rest, " Mana went on. 
 
 " That was in the park, " said Florence. 
 
 " In the park, of course. The bears and lions roared at 
 us. You know Captain Leigh-Garrett has the skins of 
 lions and bears, and we asked him where they came from 
 and he said he caught them in the streets of London. " 
 
 " Then I came along and found you lying on the grass. 
 You called me Flossie because we were old friends. I 
 only had rags on and my flowers were all wilted. " 
 
 [199] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " How did we get here ? " asked Vida. 
 
 "Don't you remember," cried Mana excitedly. He 
 loved this game which Florence had taught them of 
 make-believe. " It was that old piece of carpet the beg- 
 gar man put over you. All you had in the world to eat 
 was a slice of pineapple, and you gave it to him for his 
 supper, and that's why he put the carpet over you to 
 keep you warm. " 
 
 "Yes, I remember," said Vida. "We were sleeping 
 in a barrel. " 
 
 " And you always kept the old piece of carpet, " said 
 Florence, " and carried it about with you, but you did 
 not know it was a magic one that gave you every wish 
 you made when you were sitting on it. We spread it out 
 under the trees to protect us from the wet and damp. " 
 
 " Then you said, " interrupted Mana rapturously, " 'I 
 wish we had something to eat, I am hungry,' and right 
 there, out of the ground, came a beautiful party, with 
 cake and ice-cream. " 
 
 "Then Vida wished a wish," said Florence. "What 
 was it?" 
 
 "I I " Vida hesitated. "Oh, yes. I wished we 
 had some good clothes, and suddenly we found ourselves 
 beautifully dressed in white duck, with straw hats and 
 coloured handkerchiefs, and your poor old rags " his 
 glance travelled over Florence with approval " changed 
 [200] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 into a lovely yellow linen, and the old bonnet turned 
 into a sweet little hat trimmed with blue flowers, and 
 your bare feet had high-heeled shoes, with real gold 
 buckles." 
 
 " Then / wished, " said Florence. " I said don't you 
 remember ? * These clothes are so light and thin that I'm 
 cold. I wish we were in the most beautiful country in the 
 world, where the sun is always shining, and the skies are 
 always blue; where the people are kind and handsome, 
 and the ruler is a happy king who never goes to war, or 
 does cruel, unjust things. * * 
 
 " And then the carpet rose up into the air, " said Mana, 
 " and flew and flew. " 
 
 " And here we are ! " said Vida. 
 
 While they were talking the two Princes often stopped 
 to lift their hats in response to numerous salutations 
 from the passing native people. The boys were punc- 
 tilious in responding to the most humble recognition. A 
 row of bare-footed native girls sat in the shadow of a 
 wall on the narrow pavement, stringing flowers. One of 
 them ran forward and tossed a couple of wreaths into 
 the carriage. Mana and Vida, after politely offering 
 them to Florence, put them about their own necks com- 
 placently. 
 
 " What a lovely perfume, " said Florence. 
 
 " They look like ropes of gold, " remarked Mana. 
 [201] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " I wish you always lived with us, " said Vida. " It has 
 been so happy at home since you came. " 
 
 " Suppose, " Mana was struck with a sudden bright 
 idea, "suppose you marry somebody and live here 
 always ? " 
 
 " Whom shall I many ? " 
 
 " Captain Leigh-Garrett ? " suggested Mana. 
 
 "Oh, no," said Vida. "I don't like him at all. He 
 makes fun of us and calls us * princelings/ and laughs. 
 He is always laughing. " 
 
 " You can't have Mr. Maxwell, " said Mana. 
 
 * Why not ? " asked Florence. 
 
 " Because of Mrs. Landry ! " he said in a tone of final- 
 ity. " Oh, I know ! Count Tatsu ! He's nice and always 
 polite. He calls us ' Your Highness. ' ' 
 
 "But he'd take me to Japan," objected Florence, 
 " and I want to live in Honolulu. Wouldn't it be nice if I 
 had a fine house here, and you could both come and 
 stay with me, and when you go to the coast to school 
 you'd come back every year and spend your vacations 
 at my house!" 
 
 " When we grow up, " said Vida, " will you marry us ? " 
 
 " But I can't have two husbands. " 
 
 " Why not ? " asked Mana. 
 
 She was casting about for a suitable explanation of the 
 marriage laws, when the carriage, to her surprise, turned 
 [202] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 into the palace grounds, the soldiers at the gate present- 
 ing arms in honour of the Princes. 
 
 " Oh ! " cried Florence, " we oughtn't to go in here. " 
 
 "We always do," said the boys, "just to pay our re- 
 spects to the King. " 
 
 " But I don't want to see him ! Really, you should have 
 told me!" 
 
 It was too late to turn back. They drove through 
 gardens laid out in beds of flowers, winding paths 
 bordered by shrubs and palms, to the stone steps at the 
 side entrance of the palace. The King was breakfasting 
 at a table set out on the terrace, surrounded by a group 
 of retainers, sitting on mats at a respectful distance. He 
 rose at the sight of Florence, and came down the steps, 
 offering his hand to help her alight from the carriage. 
 He looked very cool and fresh in white flannels, with 
 a rose in his buttonhole. 
 
 Mana and Vida explained the young girl's presence as 
 they all walked up the steps, the Princes returning the 
 respectful bows of the retainers by wide sweeps of their 
 straw hats. 
 
 " I am glad to see you, Miss Van Voorhis," said the 
 King. " May I hope that you will have a cup of coffee 
 with me?" 
 
 She declined, but the Princes were not so backward 
 in accepting the invitation and drew up their chairs to 
 [203] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 the table with alacrity. Florence felt somewhat embar- 
 rassed at first, but the King's informal pleasant manner 
 soon made her feel at ease, especially as he went on with 
 his breakfast quite simply, after giving her a seat. The 
 meal was a strange one for breakfast. A small baked 
 sucking pig, roasted breadfruit, squid and a calabash 
 of poi. There was no sign of the coffee the King 
 had so hospitably offered ; he was drinking some kind of 
 white wine in a tall slim glass. 
 
 " We are not real people, at all, your Majesty," said 
 Mana. 
 
 " Aren't you ? " asked the King seriously. " It is strange 
 how my eyes deceive me." 
 
 " No, we came from London this morning on a piece 
 of magic carpet." 
 
 " I hope you had a pleasant journey." 
 
 " We did," said Vida joyously. " We had three wishes. 
 We wanted a " he looked about the table " a banquet." 
 
 "And we wished to come to a country that was the 
 most beautiful in the world ruled over by a monarch, 
 the most the most " 
 
 " Contented ? " said the King laughing. " That's me." 
 
 "Yes," said Mana, "you know in fairy-land they al- 
 ways eat a banquet." 
 
 "To be sure," said the King. "And what was your 
 third wish?" 
 
 [204] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 Mana's imagination failed him. 
 
 " You did not, by any chance," suggested Kalakaua, 
 " wish for a box of soldiers, did you ? " 
 
 "Yes, yes!" cried Mana and Vida in one voice. 
 " That was our very wish ! " 
 
 "By the strangest chance," said the King, with a 
 smile at Florence, " two boxes of soldiers arrived by the 
 Suez this very morning ! " 
 
 He murmured a few words in Hawaiian and one of 
 the attendants, bent nearly double in respectful obei- 
 sance, backed out a side door. 
 
 The Princes deserted the banquet promptly on the ad- 
 vent of the two boxes ; they sat on the floor to open them, 
 pulling out tissue paper and excelsior with feverish impa- 
 tience. They were splendid soldiers ; some on horseback, 
 some running with fixed bayonets ; there were Zulus with 
 spears, there were little tents, cannon, and even a clump of 
 cocoanut trees. The Princes were in ecstacies of delight. 
 
 "Did Mr. Maxwell speak to you about the surf- 
 party ? " asked the King. 
 
 " Yes, indeed, Your Majesty, it's so good of you. I'd 
 rather see a thing like that than the finest ball that ever 
 was given." 
 
 " But you're coming to the ball, too ? " 
 
 "I'm afraid," said Florence, "that I won't be able to 
 go. I am leaving on this steamer." 
 [205] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 There were sudden wails from the Princes on the 
 floor. 
 
 " Leave Honolulu ! " cried Kalakaua, with almost as 
 much dismay as the boys. " I hoped you were going to 
 pay us a long visit." 
 
 " I meant to, but the mail came in to-day " 
 
 " No bad news, I hope ? " 
 
 " There was no news, Your Majesty. I didn't get any 
 letters at all!" 
 
 "That's strange," said the King. "There must have 
 been some mistake." 
 
 " I don't understand it," said Florence. " I expected 
 letters from some girl-friends and my aunts, but it is my 
 father's letter " 
 
 " But that should not necessitate your return so soon," 
 said the King. " Forgive me, Miss Van Voorhis, but we 
 all take a great interest in you here, and you have made 
 many friends in Honolulu who would be sorry indeed to 
 lose you." 
 
 The tears rose to Florence's eyes. " I love Honolulu, 
 Your Majesty," she said, "my life is very uninter- 
 esting at home and everything here is so pleasant. 
 But my father didn't send me I mean not getting 
 any letters " 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis," said the King, " will you let me 
 be your banker ? There must be some mistake that can 
 [206] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 easily be rectified, and please have no hesitation in ac- 
 cepting any help that I can offer." 
 
 "Oh, I couldn't, I couldn't," said Florence, "my 
 father was to send me a check for a thousand dollars. 
 I can't understand why it hasn't come." 
 
 "But let me" 
 
 " No, no, I couldn't," she looked distressed. 
 
 " Well, let us talk it over and see if there is not some 
 other way round." 
 
 " Don't go, Miss Florence." Mana was sitting on 
 the floor at her feet, holding to her dress. Vida, with 
 his hands full of excelsior, leaned over the back of her 
 chair, both of them looking anxiously but hopefully 
 at Kalakaua. 
 
 "I have it!" said the King. "A government position! 
 You are very foolish not to accept a loan from me, but if 
 you prefer to be independent you can take a govern- 
 ment position." 
 
 Florence smiled. " I'm afraid it's just the same thing 
 disguised. But I would like to stay on in Honolulu." 
 
 " I'm afraid it will only mean tiding over a month or 
 two. Let me think ! Botanist ! Do you know anything 
 about botany ? I want some Hawaiian plants and wild 
 flowers classified." 
 
 "No," said Florence, "I don't know a thing about 
 flowers, even how to grow the simplest ones." 
 [207] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Inspector of prisons ? " 
 
 " Oh, no ! It would break my heart to see people shut 
 up from this beautiful place." 
 
 " Librarian ? " the King went on. " No, that is hard 
 work and you'd have to stay indoors. Could you teach 
 drawing ? I can easily give you a place in the govern- 
 ment school. Only an hour a week." 
 
 " I can draw a little, but not well enough to teach." 
 
 " Could you draw a fish ? " 
 
 " A fish ? " Florence looked surprised. 
 
 " We have many strange ones here," said his Majesty. 
 "I am writing a book about the different varieties, 
 and I want to have some drawings made of them and 
 coloured, for they have all the tints of the rainbow. 
 I do not care for an artistic picture, all I want is 
 careful drawing, like a map, with the colours faithfully 
 copied." 
 
 " I might do that," said Florence doubtfully. 
 
 " Good ! " said the King. " I will tell my fishermen to 
 be on the lookout for rare specimens, and when they 
 catch one they must take it to you on the instant. The 
 colours fade very quickly, you know. Would a hundred 
 dollars a month be enough? Payable in advance," he 
 added, smiling. 
 
 " Too much ! " said Florence. " I'd have to be busy all 
 the time to earn that." 
 
 [208] 
 
THE MAGIC CARPET 
 
 " No," said the King. " You see, I am paying you for 
 your time. It is a kind of retaining fee, and you are to 
 hold yourself in readiness at any moment of the day to 
 paint fish." 
 
 [209] 
 
CHAPTER SIXTEEN 
 
 Riding the Surf 
 
 I SUPPOSE I ought to be getting ready," said 
 Florence. The whole family were in the bower, 
 where Mrs. Ross had come to complain bitterly 
 that she had not been invited to the surf-riding party. 
 
 " The carriage won't be here till eight o'clock," said 
 Emma, " and it's only half past six." 
 
 "I thought we'd have a late dinner to-night," said 
 Mrs. Ross. " You won't need any for they always give 
 a native feast when there's any Hawaiian entertainment 
 going." 
 
 " Perhaps I won't like it, and may not be able to eat 
 anything." 
 
 "Yes, you will, Chicken cooked underground, and 
 fish wrapped in ti leaves and baked on the hot stones 
 are good enough for anybody, and you'll need it, for 
 surf-riding is very exhausting. I must say I wish 
 Emma were going. Heaven knows skimming over the 
 top of breakers has no charms for me. I've seen 
 [210] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 whole canoe loads of people sent flying through the air, 
 head over heels. It would not be a very dignified position 
 for a lady of my age." 
 
 "I'm sure the King would have asked you both," 
 said Florence, genuinely distressed, " if it were anything 
 important." 
 
 "Awe!" cried Mrs. Ross, still more aggrieved. "I 
 thought it was Mr. Maxwell's party ! So it was His Ma- 
 jesty who issued the invitations ! " 
 
 " Oh, Aunt Vally ! " said Emma, who was leaning in 
 the doorway. " You know the King is constantly giving 
 little parties to different people. He can't always in- 
 vite everybody. " 
 
 "We are not everybody!" said her Aunt severely. 
 "You think very little of your position. When you go 
 on the Mohawk you dance with the Paymaster, and the 
 last time we had tea on the Stupendous the only person 
 who paid you any attention was a midshipman only so 
 high." 
 
 " He was such a nice little boy, Aunt Vally." 
 
 " They're officers of the gun-room ! " cried Lulu. She 
 was tightly wedged into her little rocking-chair, listening 
 eagerly to the conversation. 
 
 " I don't suppose the officers of a ship can dance with 
 the people they like best," said Florence. "They have 
 to entertain." 
 
 [211] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " I know," said Lulu, " they have to be nice to the 
 ladies who've given them dinners." 
 
 "Mr. Todd always dances with me," said Emma 
 tearfully, " when I go on the Mohawk. The Captain of 
 the Pawtucket doesn't dance at all and the next highest 
 officer is the Navigating Lieutenant, and I'm sure I'd be 
 afraid of him he's so cross-looking." 
 
 "Lieutenant Danby says he's a regular aristocrat," 
 Lulu occasionally stumbled over long words, "and 
 bosses the men terribly." 
 
 " Perhaps you ought to begin to dress now, Florence," 
 said Mrs. Ross. 
 
 " I hate to keep you waiting for dinner. Please don't, 
 you must be hungry." 
 
 "We're not hungry," said Mana. "We went to see 
 Princess Likelike this afternoon and " 
 
 " We've been eating crabs and poi all day ! " said Vida. 
 
 "Your manners were perfectly awful!" interposed 
 Lulu. " You know I've told you a hundred times that 
 when you are lying down to eat you shouldn't kick 
 up your heels." 
 
 " You should recline on one elbow like a gentleman," 
 said Mrs. Ross. "If you could have seen Prince Lu- 
 nalilo pick a shark's fin " 
 
 "But the Princess Likelike was lying flat on her 
 b " 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 " Oh ! " screamed Lulu shrilly. 
 
 " Bosom ! " concluded Vida triumphantly. 
 
 "Telephone for Mamma Ross!" called Bella from 
 the hall. 
 
 "Lee came up here to-day," said Lulu when Mrs. 
 Ross had left hastily. " He took Bella to Chinatown and 
 she came back with a bag of dried lichee and two jugs 
 of preserved ginger Lee's Bella's sweetheart ! " 
 
 "I hope she won't be married soon," said Emma. 
 " I don't know how we'd get on without her." 
 
 "She wouldn't marry a Chinaman, would she?" 
 asked Florence aghast. 
 
 "Many of the native women do," said Emma. 
 "They make very good husbands. No matter how 
 poor a Chinaman is he can always afford a servant for 
 his wife." 
 
 "Lee is going to open a grocery store," said Lulu, 
 who always knew everybody's business, "and he says 
 he'll buy Bella a sewing machine with a little China boy 
 to run it, and she shall wear velvet holakus every day. 
 He's saving up money. He showed Bella his bank book." 
 
 Mrs. Ross came back breathless and beaming. "It 
 was the King's chamberlain!" she said, "asking us to 
 the surf-party. He said the King thought Mr. Maxwell 
 had asked us, and Mr. Maxwell thought the King had, 
 and they've just found it out." 
 [213] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Oh, I'm so glad!" said Florence. "Then we'd bet- 
 ter dress!" 
 
 There was a hurry and a scramble for Emma and 
 Mrs. Ross to get ready. The daughters of the Kame- 
 hamehas were not too proud to accept a belated invi- 
 tation. Florence dressed with trembling fingers, occa- 
 sionally stopping to draw a long breath, for the thought 
 of meeting Christopher Maxwell gave her a strange 
 suffocating feeling of excitement that was almost pain. 
 
 It was dark when they reached the King's place at 
 Waikiki, for the moon had not yet risen. Some natives 
 who were standing at the gate waving torches, called 
 out a cheerful " aloha " as the carriage turned into the 
 grounds. There was a strong salt smell of the sea in the 
 air, and a roar as of great waves close at hand. 
 
 "There's a break in the reef here," Mrs. Ross ex- 
 plained. " That's why the King chose this place for surf- 
 riding." 
 
 Down on the beach a bonfire lighted up the edge 
 of the waves, reflecting oddly in the wet sand. It show- 
 ed the outlines of a long narrow fern-leaf structure like 
 an arbour on poles, and the shadowy figures of natives 
 who were preparing the feast. 
 
 The carriage drew up before a low, wide building, 
 decorated in front by rows of Japanese lanterns. It was 
 brilliantly lit up within and there was the sound of 
 [214] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 twanging guitars and laughing voices. A bevy of native 
 girls decorated the party with wreaths as they stepped 
 up on the veranda. 
 
 As Florence entered the room in the wake of Mrs. 
 Ross and Emma, she blinked a little under the bright 
 light, and the strange, almost imperceptible contraction 
 crossed her face. She looked a slim, radiant creature, 
 with bright colour in her cheeks and heightened ex- 
 pectation in her sparkling eyes. 
 
 Mrs. Ross was at her best in the presence of Kala- 
 kaua. Neither her peevishly aggrieved nor her resentfully 
 aggressive manner could resist his respectful homage, 
 and she assumed, quite naturally, a noble graciousness 
 worthy of her great name. Even Emma looked less 
 fierce, and the soft Hawaiian vowels sounded more 
 sweetly on her lips than the rougher English she had 
 never quite mastered. 
 
 The party was a small one and it gave Florence a 
 pleasant homelike feeling to see that she knew every 
 one present, and was no longer a stranger in Hono- 
 lulu. She shook hands warmly and smilingly with the 
 King. Dick Leigh-Garrett bowed low before her. The 
 widow, in a smart green frock elaborately be-ruffled, 
 greeted her gaily, the Bonner girls screamed a welcome 
 in chorus; Curtis laukea gave her a courtly salutation, 
 and she turned to nod with quiet friendliness to Harry 
 [215] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 the half -white before she dared raise her eyes to Christo- 
 pher Maxwell's face. She had felt the magnetism of his 
 presence from the moment she entered the room though 
 he had not come forward nor spoken a word. They met 
 as they always had, like two old and tried friends of 
 many years standing. All the worries and agitations of 
 the last few days vanished from her mind under the 
 warmth of his glance. He held her hand closely in his 
 for a moment, and then drew it within his arm and 
 together they followed the rest of the party out across 
 the lawn to the little lanai on the beach where the feast 
 was spread on banana leaves. 
 
 The King took the head of the table with Mrs. Ross 
 on his right. That lady sank to the ground with one 
 graceful movement, while Mrs. Landry, on the other 
 side of Dick- Leigh-Garrett, fluttered her ruffles and 
 flounced into position with some difficulty. The rest took 
 their places, and Max helped Florence to get down 
 with as little awkwardness as possible. She tucked her 
 feet under her skirts and was just about to speak, when a 
 touch on her arm warned her in time to bow her head 
 while the King murmured a short grace in Hawaiian. 
 
 There were no plates, no knives, no forks. The finger 
 
 bowls were cocoanut shells filled with perfumed water; 
 
 fern leaves supplied the place of napkins. A sucking 
 
 pig roasted whole graced the centre of the spread, sur- 
 
 [216] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 rounded by strange parcels done up in green leaves, and 
 calabashes containing shark-fins, breadfruit dumplings 
 and white poi that looked like bill-stickers' paste. The 
 attendants were native girls with wreaths of flowers 
 twined in their hair and garlanded about their necks. 
 One of them served Florence with a portion of fish done 
 up in a hot banana leaf. She looked doubtfully about 
 at the others, hardly knowing what to do with it. 
 
 " Fish has such a delicate flavour," said the King 
 seriously, " that it should only be eaten with the fingers. 
 Even silver is too coarse." 
 
 "I feel as though it were unprofessional for me to 
 eat fish," said Florence. "You know shoe-makers' 
 children always go barefoot and surely a fish-artist 
 shouldn't eat her own models." 
 
 The King laughed. "These are only mullet," he said, 
 "your kind are remarkable exceptions." 
 
 "Do you know," she turned to Maxwell, "that I 
 have a government position? I am the Royal Fish 
 Draughtsman to His Majesty, King Kalakana ! " 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis," the King explained in answer 
 to Max's puzzled glance, "has been good enough to 
 help me with my book on Hawaiian fishes." 
 
 " For a salary," added Florence. 
 
 Max's eyes brightened. "If I can read between the 
 lines," he said, " that means that you are to stay on in 
 [217] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Honolulu, for it will take some time before His Ma- 
 jesty's great work is completed; and if you once start 
 in, you know, you can't leave it unfinished." 
 
 " I sent for my fishermen to-day," said the King, " and 
 offered a prize for strange specimens with orders for 
 them to go to you at once. They find the most extraordi- 
 nary things in their nets in all sorts of queer colours and 
 shapes. I have seen such definitely tinted plaids, that 
 I believe many a Scotsman could find his own tartan 
 on some of them." 
 
 " I was afraid you might have had some idea of leav- 
 ing on this steamer," said Christopher Maxwell, in a low 
 voice to Florence, as the King turned to speak to Mrs. 
 Ross. "One never knows what news a mail may not 
 bring after a month's interval. I was almost afraid to 
 ask you, but it has been lying heavy on my heart through 
 these trying days of business." 
 
 "I didn't get any letters at all," she replied. "At 
 first I did think of going back at once because you see 
 I I mean my father didn't well, I'll tell you, Mr. 
 Maxwell, my check didn't come." 
 
 "Oh, my dear girl," said Maxwell earnestly, "surely 
 you know me well enough not to let a matter like 
 that" 
 
 " It's all settled. The King was awfully good and 
 wanted to be my banker, but I never borrowed money 
 [218] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 in my life and I couldn't, you know, and then he offered 
 me a government position that sounds fine, doesn't it ? 
 And now I'm so proud of it I don't care if the old 
 check never comes." 
 
 " There's sure to have been some mistake somewhere. 
 Perhaps a mail bag was lost. That occasionally happens, 
 you know." 
 
 " Well, I do feel anxious at not hearing from my fath- 
 er, but I'm not going to worry about it. I have the happy 
 faculty that is almost a genius of shutting the door 
 on worries and losing the key. There ! " she' said, with 
 a little gesture, " it is thrown away and we won't think 
 about it any more." 
 
 "You're right," said Max. "This is too glorious an 
 occasion to mar by a single cloud. I appreciate it, I can 
 tell you, for I had to make a terrible effort to get 
 here." 
 
 "Not come to-night?" she said, looking up at him 
 blankly. The rest of the table were talking gaily. Max 
 lowered his voice. 
 
 " I was detained at the plantation. You know I take 
 a great interest in my labourers and they've been getting 
 into a fearful mess at Malaea, rioting and killing each 
 other. At any other time I'd have stayed there to sift 
 the whole affair to the bottom, but I'm afraid I rushed 
 through it and all for your sake. Nothing seemed half so 
 [219] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 important as seeing you to-night, and hearing from your 
 own lips that you were to stay on in Honolulu." 
 
 With the knowledge that she loved him Florence had 
 been more afraid than anxious to meet Max again. 
 But now, as they sat murmuring apart from the others, 
 the undercurrent of deep feeling in his voice reassured 
 her, and though he talked only of the plantation and 
 his workmen, there was unusual seriousness in the 
 grey eyes that met hers, an intensity in his glance that 
 filled her heart with an agitating emotion. 
 
 "I'm trying to replace my coolies by Japanese la- 
 bourers," he went on, still speaking aside to Florence. 
 "I like them better, and as many of them bring their 
 families with them and stay on here after their service 
 is up, I think they make a better class of immigrants 
 and are less a menace to the country than the Chinese. 
 The row we've just had was between the last of my 
 coolies and a newly imported batch of Japs; several 
 were killed on both sides. I've been trying to get at 
 the bottom of it. It is an intricate problem to manage so 
 many people with justice and humanity. But I mustn't 
 bore you with all this and yet " he looked down at 
 her earnestly " You are the kind of woman to help " 
 
 "Try some raw fish!" cried Mrs. Ross from across 
 the table. "It is mixed with red-peppers and grated 
 kukui nuts, I know you'll like it." 
 [220] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 " It is good,'* said Florence absently. Vivid scarlet 
 tinted her lips and her cheeks glowed with suppressed 
 emotion. She saw nothing but friendliness in the wid- 
 ow's sarcastic glances and forgetting that she meant to 
 be cold to Dick Leigh-Garrett, she smiled across the 
 table at him quite frankly, only increasing the Cap- 
 tain's ill-concealed jealousy. 
 
 "Lee made some raw-fish salad for Mrs. Worthing 
 at the hotel," went on Mrs. Ross. "He says she had 
 not been able to eat anything for days and it helped 
 her wonderfully. I believe that is all she lives on now, 
 with milk and poi." 
 
 " We had a sick man here once," said the King, " an 
 Englishman, who was travelling, and put off on ac- 
 count of his health. He could not eat anything and was 
 slowly dying of starvation. Some aggravated form of 
 dyspepsia. I sent down my servants with poi and raw 
 fish; he began to get well from that day and now he's 
 a member of parliament." 
 
 The Bonner girls were screaming a jargon of Hawaiian 
 and English at the other end of the table with Curtis 
 laukea; Emma glowering fiercely but quite happy, as 
 they all dipped their fingers into the same calabash. That 
 seemed bad enough to Florence, but when Betty Bonner 
 rolled a ball of poi on her finger by a single flip and handed 
 it across the table to Harry, she looked the other way. 
 [221] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett was eating breadfruit dump- 
 lings, picking them out of the calabash by means of a 
 straw, and his drink was iced champagne from a large 
 goblet, for he disdained the cocoanut milk served in the 
 shell that Florence found refreshing. He was evidently 
 quarrelling in an undertone with Mrs. Landry who nib- 
 bled a chicken's wing with an expression of haughty dis- 
 favour. Suddenly she gave a shriek. Dick had overturned 
 an inverted bowl and a number of live shrimps skipped 
 wiggling about the table. Florence recoiled in alarm, 
 but was still more horror-stricken when Mrs. Ross 
 reached forward, daintily picked them up one by one, 
 and ate them alive. 
 
 The King laughed at Florence's exclamation of hor- 
 ror. " You shouldn't be shocked at that," he said, " you 
 eat oysters alive." 
 
 "I know," said Florence, "but they don't wiggle." 
 
 "What if they yelled," said Dick Leigh-Garrett. 
 "Fancy an oyster screaming as he went down your 
 throat." 
 
 " Don't," cried Florence. The native attendant hand- 
 ed her a slice of pineapple, the size of a dinner plate. 
 Max cut it for her with his pen-knife into little 
 triangles. 
 
 " It is curious," she said, glancing up at him, " how 
 becoming Ids are to some people and how frightful 
 [222] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 others look in them. Your jasmine buds are like a 
 fillet of pearls." 
 
 Dick's wreath of roses, tilted rakishly on one side, 
 gave him a decidedly bacchanalian air; and the King's 
 "rope of gold," as Mana called it, rested on his thick 
 black hair like a royal crown. 
 
 " When I am away from home," said Kalakaua, " and 
 meet any one who raves about the islands and how they 
 would love to live the free indolent life of the tropics and 
 all that> I say there are two tests. If a wreath of flowers 
 is becoming to him and he likes the smell of cocoanut 
 oil I advise him to buy a ticket for Hawaii; otherwise 
 he had better follow the beaten track and put his name 
 down for a Cook's excursion. " 
 
 " Cook will be bringing his tourists here some day," 
 said Florence. "Every one says Hawaii is advancing 
 rapidly." 
 
 "For my part," said the King, "I would like to 
 advance backwards, so to speak. We are leaving all 
 that is free and wholesome and noble behind us 
 here in Hawaii. Even the old sports are finer than 
 anything civilization can offer us. There is nothing I 
 would like better than to slide down Punch-bowl on 
 one of those old Hawaiian sleds you see in the museum. 
 That is a magnificent feat. Not that I can do it, but I'd 
 like to try." 
 
 [223] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " You can see the old slides quite plainly on the slope 
 of the mountain," said Florence. " I was there the other 
 day and noticed them." 
 
 " When I was a young girl," observed Mrs. Ross/* I 
 remember seeing Prince Lunalilo standing erect on a sled 
 and flying down one of the steepest slides. He was ex- 
 communicated from church, I remember, so he had to 
 give it up." 
 
 "The first duty of the missionary," growled Dick, 
 " seems to have been a general forbidding of anything 
 that was amusing." 
 
 "I have a fine old fellow here to-night," said the 
 King, " who is to ride the surf for us in the old-fashioned 
 manner on a board. He is the only one left who can 
 come in standing." 
 
 Coffee was served on the beach where a semicircle 
 of chairs had been arranged facing the sea. A little to 
 one side rose a small platform on stilts built over the 
 water for the band. The King took the centre chair 
 with Mrs. Ross on his right. Captain Leigh-Garrett 
 hung back from the widow, trying to join Florence 
 and Max, but fell a prey to the Bonner girls who pounc- 
 ed on him with screams and carried him off to sit with 
 them. Mrs. Landry with a set smile on her face took the 
 chair on Kalakaua's left where even Curtis laukea's 
 charming attention failed to soften her mood. Emma 
 [224] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 and Harry sought an extreme of the semicircle where 
 they sat very silent and very near together. Max pur- 
 posely detained Florence that they might take a posi- 
 tion somewhat detached from the others. 
 
 " It is all so incongruous," said Florence to the King, 
 " Your Majesty gives us live shrimps served with cham- 
 pagne, and after fingerbowls of cocoanuts we are drink- 
 ing our coffee out of Sevres china." 
 
 " Not more incongruous than the people," said Kala- 
 kaua. " Could you imagine more widely different char- 
 acters than our friend Max here, the successful Ameri- 
 can, type of the most advanced civilization, and my poor 
 old Kaipo, the surf-rider, survivor of a fast dying 
 race?" 
 
 "Your country is prosperous and rich," said Flor- 
 ence. "Your Majesty rules over a land that shows few 
 signs of decay." 
 
 " You do not know Hawaii," said the King seriously. 
 "I hold my throne against the advance of civilization 
 by sheer will-power and the love of my people. But they 
 are going fast. Old Kaipo could show you great churches 
 built of coral that he remembers crowded with people; 
 they are empty ruins now. We are too weak and trust- 
 ing and simple for civilization. The very virtues of the 
 Hawaiians are their undoing. I would have more respect 
 for my race if we had fought to the bitter end like the 
 [225] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Indians. But we give up all and die. I feel now as though 
 we were making our last stand; after us the deluge." 
 
 " Issue a royal decree, Rex," screamed Polly Bonner. 
 
 The King's expression changed, and he laughed as he 
 drew out a gold cigarette case with a crown in diamonds 
 on the lid. 
 
 "We hereby decree," he said, "that all ladies pres- 
 ent who wish to smoke are commanded to do so, while 
 those who do not wish it are forbidden to touch the weed 
 under the ban of my royal displeasure." 
 
 "Isn't it terrible to live in an absolute monarchy," 
 cried Betty Bonner, saucily helping herself from the gold 
 box and handing it on to Mrs. Landry and her sister. 
 " Rex is a regular Tzar." 
 
 The band boys with their instruments under their 
 arms ran along the beach, and waiting for a receding 
 wave dashed up to their platform, the last one getting 
 caught in a swirl of water. There was applause from the 
 party on the sand. 
 
 "Honolulu is always reminding me of the theatre," 
 said Florence. "This is like a scene in an opera bouffe." 
 
 Maxwell was at her feet, resting an elbow on the edge 
 of her chair. " Did you ever see a more wonderful drop 
 curtain ? " he said, looking out to sea. 
 
 The incoming tide creamed on the sand before 
 them; the surface of the water shimmered and sparkled, 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 occasionally breaking into wild confusion as the great 
 waves raced in, rising high above the horizon line, and 
 then subsiding and spreading out upon the beach. 
 Diamond Head towered above them, all the little 
 water courses on its rugged slope glinting like silver 
 threads. The moon had risen in a clear and starlit sky, 
 painting a pathway across the water to their very feet. 
 The night was so brilliant that the wild convolvulus 
 that grew upon the edge of the sand showed vividly 
 green, the flowers picked out in sparkling tints of 
 pink and white and blue. 
 
 " The sea looks dangerous here," said Florence. " It 
 seems a fearful turmoil to go out into with a little canoe." 
 
 The Hawaiian quartette began to sing, accompany- 
 ing themselves with guitars and the buzzing little euka- 
 leles. The pleasant sound floating over the water 
 brought out the rest of the natives from the lanai who 
 threw themselves on the sand to listen to the music, oc- 
 casionally joining in the chorus, their sweet voices 
 faultlessly true in time and key. 
 
 Maxwell turned slightly, resting his head upon his 
 hand that he might look up at his companion. 
 
 The King and Mrs. Ross were talking to each other 
 
 in Hawaiian with an air of graciousness and mutual 
 
 respect; Curtis laukea bent over the back of Mrs. Lan- 
 
 dry's chair; Emma and Harry still sat close together 
 
 [227] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 joining in the songs; while Dick and the Bonner girls 
 amused themselves throwing lighted matches on the 
 sands, exclaiming joyously when the little land crabs 
 made off with them in zigzag tracks of fire. 
 
 " Did you ever wonder," said Max softly, " at the 
 secret of affinity ? Doesn't it seem strange that you rec- 
 ognize some people at the first glance as your own 
 kind?" 
 
 " And others," said Florence, " whom you may respect 
 and admire for really excellent qualities, but cannot like. 
 They don't seem as though they were made out of the 
 same clay." 
 
 " That's just it. I believe God used different kinds of 
 dust when he created man. Brick dust " 
 
 "That means a good fellow," said Florence. "And 
 gold dust is honesty " 
 
 " And some have specks of diamonds, and that's gen- 
 ius, and some are plain garden loam, and some " 
 he laughed a little " some are just mud." 
 
 "I see," said Florence. "The mud people recognize 
 each other; you may be all garden loam, but if you have 
 one speck of gold in you you know it at once when you 
 meet another person who has the same," 
 
 " Whatever it is," returned Max, " that we are made of, 
 it's the same kind of dust clear through. I like to 
 believe that destiny picks out one woman for one man 
 [228] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 and that we have been waiting for each other from 
 the very beginning." 
 
 "Perhaps," and Florence's voice trembled a little 
 as she looked down into Maxwell's face. The roar of the 
 waves increased in volume till it drowned the sound of 
 guitars and singing voices, and then, fading away, gave 
 place to the sweet music, " It may be," she went on, 
 " that the lines of our life are drawn by Fate before 
 we are born, with those who are to influence us for good 
 or evil. Some begin close beside us and then branch 
 off never to return. Others run along parallel but do 
 not touch " 
 
 "The line of my life," said Max, "began far from 
 yours in a different part of the world and yet it was 
 drawing nearer and closer with every succeeding hour 
 and now " he laid his hand on hers " now that they 
 have met " 
 
 There was shouting from the natives on the beach. 
 Old Kaipo came up to announce that it was time for 
 the surf-riding to begin. Max quickly bent and kissed 
 Florence's hand before he jumped up to answer the 
 summons. The Bonner girls carried her and Emma off 
 to the house to dress while Curtis laukea took charge of 
 the men. The King preferred to be a spectator of the 
 sport and kept his seat. Mrs. Ross, with due regard 
 to her dignity, remained with him; also Mrs. Landry 
 [229] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 who cared too much for her appearance to risk getting 
 her hair wet. 
 
 Numbers of natives, men and girls, were already in the 
 water; rising with the waves or darting through them 
 like fishes. Out on the beach a group of young fellows 
 had drawn up two canoes opposite the opening in the 
 reef. The surf-party soon appeared in their bathing 
 suits enveloped in long wraps. 
 
 "You must divide into groups," said the King. 
 " We'll appoint captains, who must choose sides, as you 
 do in charades." 
 
 " Oh, no," said Betty Bonner, " let the girls do that." 
 
 " You're right," said the King. " Then I appoint you 
 and Miss Van Voorhis." 
 
 " I choose Emma ! " said Betty. 
 
 " Polly Bonner," said Florence. 
 
 "Captain Leigh-Garrett," said Betty again. Dick 
 hesitated for a moment and then, with a gesture of im- 
 patience walked over to her side. 
 
 " Mr. Maxwell," said Florence, and when Betty had 
 chosen Curtis she called for Harry. 
 
 Florence cast off her wrap into the hands of a native 
 girl and stepped into the canoe. She clung convulsively 
 to a stout Hawaiian's slippery shoulders as ,he guided 
 her to a seat that was little more than a slat fastened 
 across the top. She and Max, Harry and Polly Bonner 
 [230] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 were sandwiched in between five natives. It seemed to 
 Florence as though the whole thing would upset any 
 minute. 
 
 " It's all right," shouted Max reassuringly in answer 
 to some inarticulate gasps and screams. "The out- 
 rigger keeps it steady. Have you your paddle ? " 
 
 " Yes, yes," said Florence breathlessly. 
 
 There was a great deal of splashing and shouting. 
 The canoes were pushed out into the water by a crowd 
 of natives while the band played a rollicking air. 
 
 " Oh," screamed Florence, to the broad brown back 
 in front of her, " the waves are awful ! This one coming 
 looks as big as a mountain." 
 
 The leader called out excitedly. Harry translated 
 that they must all paddle hard to reach it before it 
 broke. 
 
 " It will go right over us ! " she cried. 
 
 "Alpine climbing!" shouted Max, as they mounted 
 the slope of the wave, digging their short paddles into 
 the water as though it were a solid substance; they hung 
 dizzily for a moment on the crest and then slid down 
 the other side into the trough of the sea. 
 
 Florence was cold at first and not a little frightened, 
 but she clutched the paddle and followed the motions of 
 the man in front of her whose brown back was lumpy 
 with muscles. 
 
 [231] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Another wave loomed up before them; ere they could 
 reach it to climb the side it showed signs of breaking. 
 
 " Eka! Aweka maki I " cried the leader. 
 
 "Back! Back!" shouted Harry, and they paddled 
 fiercely, the breaking wave foaming all about them. 
 Then they started off again for the next one with in- 
 creasing excitement. Florence began to warm up to the 
 work as she understood what they were trying to do. 
 Soon she was screaming with the rest : " Makai! Hokil " 
 as they paddled onward to catch another wave and 
 climb its steep crest, flying down the other side like a 
 sled on an ice path. They passed seven large rollers, and 
 then came the difficult manoeuvre of turning between 
 the waves without catching a breaker broadside on. 
 With shouts and screams from the leader, and all pad- 
 dling on the same side with cries of " Wild! Wild! " they 
 spun around facing the shore just in time to escape a 
 drenching. As it was they rocked in a smother of foam. 
 
 "Keep her head on!" called out Harry above the ex- 
 cited shouts of the Hawaiians. "If we swerve an inch 
 we'll be knocked into spilikins ! " 
 
 "I know! I know!" cried Florence excitedly. They 
 were all looking back over their shoulders waiting for a 
 large unbroken wave. 
 
 " We want a big one that will carry us all the way to 
 the shore," cried Polly. 
 
 [232] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 " Here comes one ! " 
 
 "No, wait," Harry called out. "Follow the leader; 
 when he shouts ' Hoki ' go ahead ! " 
 
 They allowed several rollers to pass, rising high on 
 the top from whence they could plainly see, in the bright 
 moonlight, the little semicircle on the beach; the group 
 of natives and the band boys on their platform; for an 
 instant only, and then they sank into a deep green 
 hollow. 
 
 "Hoki/ Hoki! hoi!" cried the leader. They dug 
 their paddles into the water with all the strength of 
 their arms. A great wave caught the stern at exactly 
 the right angle and then, with cries of wild exhilaration 
 from every throat the canoe flew towards the shore like 
 an arrow from a bow. As it raced through the water, 
 still propelled by the one great wave they rose in their 
 seats, brandishing their paddles and screaming with the 
 full force of their lungs. 
 
 The canoe grounded quietly on the beach where a 
 group of natives pulled it ashore. Girls ran to meet them 
 with bath-robes. 
 
 " I want to do it all over again ! " cried Florence, as 
 they threw themselves exhausted at the feet of the 
 King and his party. 
 
 "It was glorious!" panted Max. He looked like a 
 handsome friar lying on the sand in his long white robe. 
 [233] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Look! Look!" cried the King. "Here comes the 
 other!" 
 
 They rose to their feet looking seaward. The band 
 played madly, the natives cheered and Florence found 
 herself screaming like the rest as the second canoe 
 came spinning towards them. 
 
 " Wasn't that bully ! " cried Betty Bonner as she 
 staggered up the sand. Some natives came out with 
 trays of glasses and champagne, and while the 
 party rested on the beach old Kaipo, dressed only 
 in a loin cloth appeared carrying a long smooth 
 board. Throwing one arm over it he swam out to 
 sea. 
 
 "I'm so tired I'm nearly dead!" panted Betty Bon- 
 ner lying at full length on the sand. 
 
 " I feel like a piece of string," said Florence, " but I 
 want to do it again." 
 
 " Isn't it very late ? " asked Mrs. Ross. 
 
 "Long after midnight," said Dick Leigh-Garrett. 
 "But this moon will last till morning." 
 
 Florence sat up and watched Kaipo's progress. Only 
 his head could be seen at intervals like a black speck on 
 the burnished silver of the sea. " He is going faster than 
 you would think," said the King, "for he's a famous 
 swimmer; but of course he cannot make the speed of a 
 canoe full of paddles." 
 
 [234] 
 
RIDING THE SURF 
 
 Suddenly there was a cry that rose to a shout as 
 Kaipo's dark figure appeared in silhouette against the 
 sky. He was on his knees at first, but as he neared the 
 shore he rose slowly erect. The board he stood on was 
 invisible so that he seemed like a god of the air flying 
 towards them, brandishing his paddle aloft like a spear. 
 
 [935] 
 
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 
 The Fish 
 
 MRS. ROSS went to sleep during the long 
 drive from Waikiki to town, while Emma 
 sang softly to herself. Florence, in spite of 
 her bodily fatigue, for they had gone out into the sea 
 again and again, was keenly wide awake. She lay back 
 quietly, but her eyes were open and shining brightly as 
 she lived over in her mind the happiest night of her life. 
 It was a warm mild morning with the dawn breaking 
 rose-pink over the Delectable Mountains; the trot of 
 the horses and Emma's crooning were the only sounds 
 that broke the stillness of the sleeping town. 
 
 " Aue!" cried Mrs. Ross, as the carriage turned into 
 her gate. " Look ! who are those men on my veranda ? " 
 At least ten natives were gathered at the steps. Be- 
 tween the gate and the house Mrs. Ross had time to 
 imagine a dozen different calamities. 
 
 "I wonder if the place has been on fire? I hope 
 nobody is dead and they have come to break the news ! " 
 
 [236] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 The men were too smiling to be the bearers of evil 
 tidings. One of them carried a strange looking parcel 
 done up in green leaves, to which they all pointed ex- 
 citedly as they talked in Hawaiian. Mana and Vida 
 came running in their striped pajamas just as they 
 fell out of bed, to see what was going on. One of the 
 men, unwrapping the odd bundle displayed a brilliantly 
 coloured, strange flat fish. 
 
 "The men say they are fishermen," said Mrs. Ross, 
 " and the King offered a reward " 
 
 " Oh, it's for me " cried Florence. 
 
 " He says the King promised ten dollars to the one 
 who found a rare fish and Punakiki has won it ! " 
 
 " What are all the other men here for ? " asked Flor- 
 ence. 
 
 " They are friends of Punakiki. They are going with 
 him to the palace to claim the reward." 
 
 " I told them," said Emma, " that if they went at once 
 they would find the chamberlain before he goes to bed 
 for Curtis is sure to stay up for breakfast." 
 
 The men gave the fish, laid out on its banana leaf 
 wrapper, into Florence's hands and took their departure 
 in high spirits. 
 
 " Poor Punakiki ! " she said, looking after them, " his 
 ten dollars won't last long with all those friends to share 
 it." 
 
 [237] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "That is the native fashion," said Mrs. Ross con- 
 temptuously, "as soon as a Hawaiian gets a penny he 
 has to look up a friend to share it. They haven't any 
 sense at all." 
 
 "You will have to paint the fish pretty quick, before 
 it fades," said Vida. 
 
 "Indeed, I will." 
 
 " Aue! " cried Mrs. Ross. " Aren't you going to sleep 
 at all ? I'm nearly dead. I can hardly keep my eyes open. 
 You simply can't go to work now." 
 
 " Yes I can. I don't feel a bit sleepy. Just look at those 
 colours ! Aren't they wonderful ! I don't want to waste a 
 minute." 
 
 Florence was just in the mood for painting. She could 
 not have slept in her present state of radiant happiness 
 and she welcomed the idea of work with eagerness. She 
 drank a cup of hot coffee that Bella brought to the 
 bower. As Lulu was still asleep and no one gainsaid 
 them, the Princes had their bowls of bread and milk 
 served at once and ate their breakfast hurriedly, 
 while Florence made her preparations. She laid the fish 
 on the table and began setting out her colours. Vida and 
 Mana ran for a glass of water, arranged a chair and of- 
 fered their advice and encouragement. 
 
 " How can you set it up to draw it ? " asked Mana. 
 " You can't see it very well lying down flat in the dish." 
 [238] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 "Yes, I can," said Florence confidently, pinning a 
 paper to the board and sharpening her pencils. 
 
 The fish seemed easy to draw, with its large round 
 eyes, well defined gills and fan-shaped fins. The artist 
 measured it across with a piece of string and carefully 
 drew in the outline, Mana and Vida watching her with 
 breathless interest. She rubbed it out several times and 
 had to make many measurements. 
 
 " It's like a map of Upolu," commented Mana. 
 
 "You can look, but you musn't make criticisms," 
 said Florence. Her drawing certainly did not seem to re- 
 semble the original. 
 
 " Does a fish breathe through his ears ? " asked Vida 
 presently. 
 
 " He can't breathe at all," said Florence. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Oh, dear!" Florence was getting more and more 
 nervous as she tried to draw in the head and eyes. **I 
 don't know." 
 
 " Of course," said Mana reflectively, " he hasn't any 
 air to breathe. But perhaps he takes in water the way 
 we do air." 
 
 " Does he breathe water with his ears ? " asked Vida 
 persistently. 
 
 "They're not his ears," said Mana, "they're his gills 
 and he breathes water with them." 
 [239] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Well, then," said Vida, "does he hear with his 
 gills?" 
 
 " Does he, Miss Florence ? " asked Mana. 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 Vida repeated the question. 
 
 " It is strange," she said, still working hurriedly, " but 
 I don't know anything about a fish." 
 
 " Did you ever draw one before ? " asked Vida, doubt- 
 fully regarding the strange hieroglyphics she was making 
 on the paper. 
 
 " No, I never did, and I'd no idea they were so diffi- 
 cult." 
 
 "I know what it looks like!" cried Vida excitedly, 
 forgetting Florence's request. "It's the image of Prin- 
 * cess Ruth!" 
 
 "She weighs four hundred pounds," said Mana, 
 " and her eyes stick out just like that ! " 
 
 "It's beginning to fade," said Vida after a pause. 
 " The edge of his fin was scarlet, don't you remember, 
 and now it's pink!" 
 
 " Oh dear ! " said Florence, " I hate to begin putting 
 on the colour before I've finished the drawing." 
 
 Lulu came in to order the boys off to bathe and dress. 
 
 "You will be in time for school for once, anyway," 
 she said. "You've been late every morning this week." 
 
 " I couldn't find my hat yesterday," said Mana. 
 [240] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 " And the day before I couldn't find my shoes," said 
 Vida. " I went to play with Cissy Macfarlane and left 
 them hanging on her gate and forgot all about them." 
 
 " Why on earth did you take them off ? " asked Lulu 
 reproachfully. 
 
 "You can't ever play with shoes on!" cried both the 
 Princes at once. 
 
 "We're the only boys at school that wear shoes," 
 went on Vida, evidently returning to a time-worn griev- 
 ance. " I don't see why we should wear them when no- 
 body else does." 
 
 " Will you go and take your bath ? " Lulu suddenly 
 screamed, losing her temper. She flew at the two boys 
 like a little termagant, twisted her fists into the folds of 
 their pajama coats and dragged them off protesting and 
 mortally embarrassed to be so shamefully used before 
 their friend. 
 
 At half -past eight Lulu and the Princes started to 
 school, the two boys heart-broken at leaving Florence to 
 her fascinating work without their help. Mrs. Ross and 
 Emma were sleeping. All the house was quiet while the 
 young artist worked on breathlessly, rubbing out, doing 
 it over, measuring and changing until her paper turned 
 to a sort of dingy grey. Suddenly the telephone bell rang. 
 She waited to hear Bella's footsteps in answer, but as 
 there was not a sound, and thinking it might be some- 
 [241] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 thing important, she threw down her brushes and rushed 
 to the telephone. " Norwegian bark Vladimir off Cocoa 
 Head!" 
 
 Her "thank you" sounded like an exclamation of 
 fury as she hung up the receiver and flew back to her 
 work. 
 
 The drawing certainly did look ludicrously human 
 with the grinning mouth and goggle eyes. She carefully 
 studied the model and saw that the tints were chang- 
 ing fast. Making hasty mental notes she put the colours 
 on strong, but in her hurry she did not wait for one 
 wash to dry before laying on another, with the result 
 that the scarlet of the fin ran into the blue stripes on the 
 back, making a purple smear that was not at all like 
 anything in nature. The beautiful silvery green of the 
 scales she put in in a clear tint, but around the edges 
 was a hard ridge she could not account for. She began 
 to get more and more anxious and worried. The paper 
 was greasy with the constant erasing of the pencil 
 marks and took the colour in little patches. In the midst 
 of her perplexity Bella came in on tip-toe to announce 
 that a gentleman wished to see her in the parlour. 
 
 " A gentleman, at this hour ! " 
 
 " He says no stop long." 
 
 Impatient and annoyed Florence walked into the sit- 
 ting-room where a very embarrassed young man awaited 
 [242] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 her. He introduced himself as Mr. Lansing and it 
 wasn't till he explained that he was a friend of Mr. 
 Sprague's that she remembered having seen him before. 
 He was one of the two good Samaritans who attended 
 the miserable Walter on the memorable interview on the 
 veranda. 
 
 " I will not detain you a moment," he said, " but Mr. 
 Sprague sent me this packet which came by the mail 
 steamer and begged that I would give it to you myself." 
 
 "But I don't wish to receive anything from Mr. 
 Sprague," she said, refusing to touch it. 
 
 The young man laid the package on the table. " It is 
 very important," he said. "He was afraid you would 
 think it was some communication of his own and he beg- 
 ged me to say that it was your property." 
 
 While the young girl stood looking at him in bewilder- 
 ment, Mr. Lansing bowed himself out and departed. 
 
 She turned the thing over in her hands. " My prop- 
 erty ! " she murmured, pulling off the wrapper. To her 
 surprise, a number of letters fell out. Picking one up 
 she read the superscription, "Mrs. Walter Sprague, 
 Huapala Plantation, Maui, Hawaii." She understood it 
 all in a flash. Her father had not received her explana- 
 tory letter and he and all her friends had taken it for 
 granted she shivered with horror. The name brought 
 her narrow escape more vividly to her mind than any- 
 [243] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 thing else could have done. On one of the letters she 
 recognized the round, crisp black hand of her father's 
 writing. She picked it up and distastefully tearing off the 
 envelope which she crumpled into a ball, she opened 
 the sheet and discovered the draft for a thousand dollars 
 made out to Florence Van Voorhis. She glanced 
 through the letter " Just leaving for the Yosemite 
 am writing this to catch the steamer in case we go off 
 camping in the mountains. Don't want to miss the mail. 
 I send the draft as it is, all you have to do is to sign it 
 with your married name and be identified Your old 
 Dad misses you " She could not read the rest, for she 
 saw the words " Your husband " and tore it up hastily. 
 Then she opened the others, one by one; they seemed 
 to scorch her fingers and the phrases, " Tell dear Wal- 
 ter Your island home We wish you all happi- 
 ness " filled her with misery and loathing. Tucking 
 the draft into her belt she looked about for some way to 
 dispose of the fragments of her letters. A thin coil of 
 smoke showed where Haka was burning dead leaves in 
 a corner of the garden. She gathered up the torn 
 papers, fled down a side path and snatching the 
 stick out of his hand poked the hateful letters into the 
 middle of the fire. Then suddenly remembering her 
 work she ran back to the bower and taking up her draw- 
 ing arranged her paints and turned to look at the model. 
 [244] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 Dismayed and surprised, she looked again. Fish and 
 leaves and plate were gone. She called to Bella who 
 rushed in terrified at the excited tones of her voice. 
 
 "Where is my fish?" 
 
 "Oh," cried Bella blankly, "I think you all finish." 
 
 "I was not finished with it! You should not touch 
 things till I tell you." 
 
 " Mamma Ross say ' you finish ? ' I say ' yes, you all 
 finish/ " 
 
 " I wasn't half done with it." 
 
 " Colour all gone. No more red, no more blue." 
 
 " Don't talk ; go and bring it back at once ! " 
 
 " No can ! " cried Bella, waving her hands in the air 
 distressfully. 
 
 "You must!" 
 
 "No can!" 
 
 " Why can't you, in Heaven's name ? " 
 
 " Mamma Ross eat him ! " 
 
 For a stupefied moment Florence stared at the Portu- 
 guese girl. " Do you mean to say you took my fish off 
 and cooked it?" 
 
 " No cook it," said Bella, beginning to cry. " Mamma 
 Ross say 'all finish?'! say, 'yes, all finish.' She say 
 'all right,' she eat him raw." 
 
 It had been an agitating morning. With no sleep the 
 night before, the trouble with the drawing, and the shock 
 [245] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 of receiving those letters, Florence had begun to feel un- 
 nerved, but now this last catastrophe was too much. She 
 fell into a rocking-chair and wept. At the sight of her 
 dear young lady's distress, Bella began to cry aloud with 
 roars and chokes and gurgles of penitence and despair. 
 
 Neither of them noticed the sound of wheels on the 
 gravel, and were startled by a heavy step on the veranda. 
 Bella, still weeping aloud, threw open the door. Flor- 
 ence, the tears wet upon her cheeks looked up. It was 
 Kalakaua. 
 
 They were all three too astonished for a moment to 
 speak. The King was the first to break the silence. " Par- 
 don me," he said. " I am afraid you have had bad news. 
 I will come another time." 
 
 " No, no," cried Florence, jumping up, " it isn't any- 
 thing. I mean it is only the fish " 
 
 "That is what brought me," said Kalakaua pleas- 
 antly. "Punakiki, Curtis said, had found a very rare 
 specimen from his description of it, and as I did not feel 
 sleepy after breakfast, I thought I'd drive up and 
 see how you were getting on. Is this the drawing ? " 
 
 The young artist checked a hasty impulse to spread 
 her hands out over her morning's work. 
 
 The King regarded the extraordinary design in si- 
 lence. She had managed to give a hideously human 
 expression to the staring eye and protruding mouth; 
 [246] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 instead of the brilliant colours of the original it was 
 apparently painted in mud, and the effect was not 
 improved by several splashes of tears. 
 
 " Is this the fish ? " he said, putting up his hand to hide 
 the smile that quivered in the corner of his mouth. " You 
 can never judge a drawing till you see the original." He 
 glanced about inquiringly. 
 
 Florence laughed hysterically. " Don't look at it, Your 
 Majesty," she said; "it isn't good. The drawing isn't a 
 bit like a fish or anything else that ever I saw on land or 
 water." 
 
 "Never mind," he said kindly. "It is your first at- 
 tempt. You will do better another time. But if you will 
 give me the fish I can have it preserved in alcohol, as it is 
 very rare." 
 
 Bella had backed into the bedroom at the first sight 
 of the King. 
 
 " No can!" she called out from the doorway, weeping 
 afresh. 
 
 "What is the matter?" asked Kalakaua in aston- 
 ishment. 
 
 " Mamma Ross eat him ! " 
 
 The King laughed. He sat down to laugh. He tried 
 hard to repress it, but the sight of the drawing propped 
 up on the table, Bella's purple countenance, and Flor- 
 ence's rueful smile sent him off again until the tears 
 [247] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 rolled down his cheeks. He was wiping his eyes with his 
 handkerchief and trying to get back his voice when the 
 door suddenly burst open and the two Princes almost 
 fell into the room. They rushed at Florence, convul- 
 sively catching her skirts. Before they had time to real- 
 ize the unexpected presence of the King, Lulu, 
 in hot pursuit, appeared at the doorway in a towering 
 fury. 
 
 " How dare you run away from school ? " she scream- 
 ed. " I'll have you locked up all day. You sha'n't have a 
 bite to eat ! I'll tell mother to whip you ! " And then she 
 saw the King, and turned pale with surprise and 
 fright. 
 
 " This is not the way to speak to my nephews," said 
 His Majesty; "if they are in fault they will apologize, I 
 know. What is the matter, Mana ? " 
 
 The two boys stood up respectfully, moving a little 
 away from Florence. 
 
 "We wanted to see the fish, Your Majesty," said 
 Mana gulping down his tears. " It was recess, and we 
 thought we could run over and just look at it " 
 
 "We could have got back to school in time," said 
 Vida. "Lulu saw us running and called out to stop. We 
 would have stopped, Your Majesty, only we were in a 
 hurry. So we ran and she ran after us. We were bound 
 to see the fish." 
 
 [248] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 Florence and the King exchanged a glance. His 
 Majesty tugged at his moustache and tears of suppressed 
 laughter stood in his eyes. 
 
 "She slapped Mana," said Vida. "But she couldn't 
 catch me." 
 
 "I won't be slapped any more!" cried Mana de- 
 fiantly. "I won't, I won't, and I won't play 
 doll, and I won't do crochet, and I won't sew on 
 patch-work ! " 
 
 "Why, that is girl's work," said the King surprised. 
 
 Lulu spoke up courageously. " It keeps them out of 
 mischief, Your Majesty. If they had their own way they 
 would be running over the flower beds and hurting 
 themselves playing circus, and cutting their hands with 
 tools, and getting their clothes dirty " 
 
 "My dear," said the King, "you mean well, no 
 doubt, but you must let boys be boys. Let them get 
 their clothes dirty or wear them into rags if they 
 like, but they must play boys' games." 
 
 "And go barefoot, Your Majesty," suggested Mana; 
 making the most of the occasion. 
 
 "Naturally," said the King. "All children go bare- 
 footed, and it is the healthiest thing they can do." 
 
 " And swim at Kapena Falls ? " Mana went on daringly. 
 
 "Aren't you allowed to go there? You are not true 
 Hawaiians if you can't swim." 
 [249] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " They won't stay in the pond," Lulu explained; " they 
 want to jump off the cliff and it's too high." 
 
 "All the other boys do," said Vida. 
 
 "What others can do, Lulu, they should be allowed 
 to do. Why," the King turned to Florence, " she is mak- 
 ing molly-coddles out of them." 
 
 " They are too manly for that, but she can make them 
 very unhappy." 
 
 " At the end of the month," said the King, " I intend 
 to send the boys to a boarding school at the Bishop's. 
 The new term will begin then." 
 
 " I have an awful time every morning to make them 
 go to school," said Lulu. 
 
 The King looked at them all thoughtfully for a mo- 
 ment, as his eyes travelled from the tearful little spitfire 
 in the doorway to the two boys clinging to Florence's 
 skirts, and came to a decision. 
 
 " Miss Van Voorhis," he said, " I am afraid the fish 
 will be too difficult for you" he did not trust himself 
 to glance at the drawing "but would you mind 
 changing your occupation, and giving the Princes 
 a little instruction here at home? I don't mean 
 to wear yourself out teaching, but just keep them 
 from going behind in their studies, so that they can 
 enter the Bishop's school on a level with other boys of 
 their class?" 
 
 [250] 
 
THE FISH 
 
 " I'd love to do it!" cried Florence, " and oh, I forgot 
 to tell you, my draft came all right this morning it 
 it had been wrongly addressed, and I don't want any 
 salary, Your Majesty, though I'm grateful to you all the 
 same. I'll teach the boys with pleasure. I'm sure I can 
 teach better than I can draw much better." 
 
 " I shall be deeply indebted to you, Miss Van Voor- 
 his." 
 
 " I only beg one thing of Your Majesty," said Flor- 
 ence. " Please forget about the fish ! " 
 
 [251] 
 
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 
 
 Lessons 
 
 IT was the day of the great Palace Ball and a 
 pleasant atmosphere of excitement pervaded the 
 Ross household. In the little sewing-room that 
 opened out upon the banana plantation, Emma was 
 busily tacking fresh flounces on a china silk ball-dress; 
 the gowns she wore oftenest and the ones that need- 
 ed constant repairs were those she danced in. Her aunt 
 had one magnificent white velvet holaku embroidered 
 in seed pearls which was reserved for state occasions. It 
 had been brought out of the camphor-wood chest where 
 it reposed in wrappers of tissue paper, and laid out up- 
 on a sheet, while Mrs. Ross went over it to fasten on the 
 pearls or add new ones. 
 
 The relations between the Princes and the deposed 
 tyrant were somewhat strained since the King's visit. 
 The little girl had been deeply aggrieved at the unex- 
 pected interference with her authority, but she still 
 clung to the unshaken conviction that she was right. She 
 [252] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 had brought up the Princes according to a theory and 
 she had absolute faith in her own judgment. To do Lulu 
 justice she did not sulk. Her tempers were soon over and 
 she never bore malice. When she slapped her charges 
 it was for their own good, and she only lost her temper 
 when they refused to see the wisdom of her actions or 
 tried to evade her law. 
 
 Vida and Mana were torn between joy at their de- 
 liverance and the nervous consciousness of being under 
 the ban of Lulu's displeasure. Ever since they could re- 
 member the little blue-eyed tyrant had ruled them ; they 
 could not realize their freedom, and wore a furtive ex- 
 pression in her presence. Though Vida was the larger 
 and stronger of the two boys, he had not the spirit of 
 Mana and showed signs of weakening; at a word from 
 Lulu he would have sat himself down to patch-work 
 from sheer force of habit. But the mild, poetical Mana 
 had a new light of defiance in his eye. He had danced the 
 Carmagnole; he had declared his independence 
 and was prepared to defend his rights. It was he 
 who insisted that they should start the day by going 
 barefoot. 
 
 Lulu's pale eyes took in the signs of revolt, but she 
 held her head up proudly. 
 
 " If any one calls," she said in her usual tone of au- 
 thority, " mind you put your shoes and stockings on. I 
 [253] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 don't like Missionary manners. It would mortify me if 
 you were seen like that." 
 
 "All right, we will," said Vida obediently. 
 
 " I think you might string some of the blue and red 
 beads," she added, taking advantage of his meekness. 
 
 " No, we cannot," said Mana valiantly, " we're going 
 to play with the soldiers His Majesty gave us." 
 
 Vida waited to see the heavens fall, but she only said, 
 "Well, don't jump on the flower beds anyway," and 
 started off for school. 
 
 Florence had spent the morning writing letters for the 
 mail which was to leave the following day. Now that her 
 stay in Honolulu was assured for some months to come, 
 the events of her broken engagement seemed less em- 
 barrassing to mention and she filled pages to her father, 
 her Aunt, and several school friends, touching lightly on 
 her changed plans, but telling much of her new life and 
 surroundings. 
 
 The blood-stone ring lay very heavy on Florence's 
 conscience, for she had missed Captain Leigh-Garret's 
 two calls since the surf -riding and had as yet no oppor- 
 tunity of returning it to him. However, she laid it care- 
 fully away, intending to wear it to the ball and hand it 
 to him with the intimation that their acquaintance must 
 cease. She did not wish to get into any further 
 entanglement with that bold, young man. 
 [254] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 She had heard no word from Max, but after lunch 
 when she and the Princes had settled themselves 
 under the tamarind tree to study, she was not surprised 
 to see him coming up the gravel path. 
 
 "We are very busy," she said, as he came over to 
 where they were sitting and shook hands. "We are 
 studying." 
 
 Max threw himself on the grass beside them. "Fa 
 a very good teacher," he said. " Please let me stay. I 
 won't interrupt at all and I may be a great help. I have 
 a fund of information on every known subject that is 
 perfectly amazing." 
 
 " We are really serious," she protested. 
 
 " So am I," said Max, gravely settling himself com- 
 fortably, his head on his hand. "What's the first les- 
 son?" 
 
 " Reading ! " cried both boys at once. " We always be- 
 gin with reading at school." 
 
 " Then we will go on with the lesson you were to have 
 had to-day," said Florence. 
 
 Vida opened the book, found the place and read in a 
 loud, flat, expressionless voice: 
 
 "Mary Cary's two canaries 
 Sing and chirp to her. 
 Pussy cat, do you hear that? 
 Pussy says, 'purr, purr.' " 
 [255] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 He handed it on to his brother who continued in the 
 same key : 
 
 " Gone are Mary's two canaries, 
 Killed and eaten, too. 
 Pussy cat, did you do that? 
 Pussy says, ' mew, mew.'" 
 
 " Is that all the lesson ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "Yes," they both answered. 
 
 Florence looked at Max. " Isn't that silly stuff to give 
 intelligent children to read!" she exclaimed. "Here, 
 give me the book." She turned over the leaves, scorn- 
 fully reading a few extracts here and there. " 'Alice, May, 
 Joe and Susie took a walk in the woods. Alice and May 
 found some pretty red blossoms.' * I have a kitten, it's 
 name is Sharp.' * Fred has a puppy, it's name is Snap. ' ' 
 
 "I have a friend and her name is Florence," said 
 Christopher, laughing. " I have a steam launch and it's 
 name is Tut-Tut. I have a valet and his name is Abdul 
 I have a plantation " 
 
 " I'll send you home pretty soon if you don't behave," 
 said the young school-mistress severely. 
 
 "There are some questions the teacher asks," re- 
 marked Vida. 
 
 She read them out. "'Did May find some pretty red 
 blossoms ? ' ' What is your kitten's name ? ' ' What name 
 did Fred give his puppy ? ' " 
 
 [256] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 "It's not very interesting," said Vida as Florence 
 threw the book down in disgust. 
 
 Mana laughed roguishly. " Did Mama Ross eat the 
 fish ? Did the fish look like Princess Ruth ? * 
 
 " You see how you are demoralizing my school ! " said 
 Florence, as the two boys rolled on the grass in delight 
 at their joke. 
 
 " Why not get some real story like ' Robinson Crusoe * 
 or * The Arabian Nights/ " said Max. " Something that 
 has spirit in it ? " 
 
 " I have an old copy of 'The Swiss Family Robinson/ " 
 said Florence. " Vida, will you go and get it ? It's the one 
 with the ragged blue cover on my shelf." 
 
 When he had brought it she handed the book to 
 Mana. " Now," she said, " read till I say stop." 
 
 He began. " * Six days the storm raged with unbridled 
 fury. On the seventh, far from showing any signs of 
 abatement it seemed to increase in violence.'" He 
 made heavy weather with the long words but ploughed 
 valiantly on, spurred by the interest of the first sentence; 
 Vida pricked up his ears. " ' We were driven towards the 
 south-east and no one knew in what region we should 
 find ourselves; the ship, all of whose masts had gone 
 by the board, leaked heavily; her crew, spent with 
 so many weary days and sleepless nights, no longer 
 addressed themselves to a toil which they considered 
 [2S7] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 useless; instead of the usual oaths or noisy songs only 
 tardy ejaculations of devotion might now be heard; in 
 a word, the alarm, the terror was general, and while 
 recommending their souls to God's mercy, everybody 
 thought only how they might save their own lives.' " 
 
 " Aue! * cried Vida. " Isn't that lovely ! " and took the 
 next paragraph. Max insisted upon reading one too, 
 which he did with great seriousness and expression. 
 When the sailors had deserted the ship and the Robin- 
 son family had made themselves life preservers of old 
 casks and boxes, Florence called a halt for spelling, 
 which was a sudden drop from the intense interest of 
 the story. But Christopher suggested that the Princes 
 choose six hard words for each other and that Florence 
 should pick out the same number for himself, and as he 
 misspelled them and had to be corrected, the lesson 
 had all the glamour of a game. 
 
 Australia was the subject chosen for geography. They 
 laid the book open and copied the map in pebbles on the 
 grass. While the Princes were doing this Florence racked 
 her brains for any scraps of knowledge she had ever 
 gleaned of the land of the eucalyptus and kangaroo. 
 
 " It is hot in Australia in December and cold in May," 
 she said. " The rivers run away from the sea instead of 
 towards it, and there are miles and miles of grazing 
 country." 
 
 [258] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 " And rabbits," said Vida unexpectedly. 
 
 "They are as bad as the minah birds here," said 
 Mana. "Since somebody brought those nasty black 
 cheeky things here all the beautiful island birds have 
 disappeared." 
 
 " It's the same with flowers," said Max. " You know 
 the lantanna? It was brought here in a pot to grow in a 
 missionary's window and it spread and spread till it has 
 ruined acres of my coffee land. It grows as high as a man, 
 and solid like a brick wall." 
 
 "Old Kuliana," said Vida, "one of my Aunt's ser- 
 vants, says the minah bird and the lantanna are like the 
 white people, and bye-and-bye they will crowd the is- 
 lands till there won't be any natives left." 
 
 The conversation was hastily brought back to Aus- 
 tralia. Max gave a thrilling account of a convict ship 
 going out to Botany Bay; and told them of the beautiful 
 city of Sydney with its stone quays and gardens on the 
 edge of the water; and described the land-locked 
 harbour, the most beautiful in the world. 
 
 " I'd love to see it," said Florence. " I never thought 
 much of foreign lands when I was at home, but coming 
 to Honolulu has given me a taste for travel and now I 
 want to see more strange countries." 
 
 Max looked unusually handsome as he lay on the 
 grass in his white flannels ; he had thrown his straw hat 
 [259] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 on a branch of the tree and a shaft of sunlight touched 
 his hair, thick and slightly ruffled, of an even shade of 
 grey. There was a definite purpose in the eyes that 
 looked up at her so steadily from under the straight 
 black brows, and a glow of suppressed feeling warmed 
 the ruddy sunburn of his cheek. " You have only to give 
 the word," he said. 
 
 " Have you a magic carpet ? " asked Mana. 
 
 " I don't know yet," said Max. " It all depends on the 
 word of a beautiful Princess." 
 
 " Perhaps he means Flossie," said Vida. " She's only 
 a match-girl." 
 
 "She's a school-teacher," said Florence, "and our 
 next lesson is arithmetic." 
 
 While the boys lay prone on the grass working busily 
 at their sums, the young girl told Max of her experiences 
 as an artist, of the safe arrival of her draft, and described 
 the visit of the King and how she came to undertake 
 the r&e of governess. It was a confidential talk, hardly 
 above a whisper, for they were careful not to disturb 
 the young students; she told her story gaily, in little 
 disconnected sentences, and Max laughed softly as he 
 listened, looking up at her half averted face; any one 
 could have heard the words, but there was a tone 
 in both their voices, an unconscious tenderness and 
 warmth, that would have betrayed them at once as lovers. 
 [260] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 "I wanted to see you alone to-day," he murmured. 
 " I have something to tell you, and to-night at the ball 
 I know you'll be so much in request I won't have a ghost 
 of a chance." 
 
 " I'll try to remember to keep a dance for you. Shall I 
 make a note of it ? ' Jot down a memo,' as Lulu says ? " 
 
 " Just tell me one thing honestly. I never did believe 
 a word of Honolulu gossip, but you don't care a rap for 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett, do you ? " 
 
 " Three thousand five hundred and sixty-three dol- 
 lars and thirty cents ! " shouted Vida, throwing down his 
 pencil. 
 
 "No, no," cried Mana, "it's hogsheads not dollars!" 
 
 " Tell me," said Max, sitting up to take the slates. 
 
 Some latent instinct of feminine coquetry prompted 
 Florence to say decidedly, " I like him very much, in- 
 deed!" 
 
 Max smiled imperturbably. "I don't believe a 
 word of it," he said. " He isn't your kind at all." 
 
 Bella came across the grass from the cook-house bear- 
 ing a tea-tray, followed by Mrs. Ross and Emma from 
 the sewing-room. Lulu in a clean starched pinafore, her 
 ashen hair smoothly braided into two tight little pig- 
 tails, sat down primly beside Max, and began sorting 
 buttons for a long string she was collecting. The Princes 
 slipped off to the summer-house and were soon busy 
 [261] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 with hammer and saw converting it into a theatre. Sev- 
 eral times the little girl hinted that they were making 
 too great a noise and would be better employed sewing 
 on a doll's quilt or helping her string buttons, but Max's 
 presence and the memory of the King's remarks re- 
 strained her. 
 
 " I saw some bustles in town the other day," said Mrs. 
 Ross plaintively, serving the tea. " I do hope they aren't 
 the fashion again. Every time the Suez comes in you 
 see some new and silly change." 
 
 "There were six boxes from Paris on the steamer 
 this time," said Lulu, "for the Ah Sue girls. They're 
 sure to be ball dresses and I suppose they'll wear 'em 
 to-night. Mind you tell me what they are like." 
 
 "The Russians are to take the lead to-night," said 
 Max, "for this dance is given in honour of the Raz- 
 boinik. Do you know who the Russian Consul is ? " 
 
 "Mr. Lawson!" cried Lulu. "Haven't you been to 
 see them yet?" 
 
 "Fortunately I made a dinner call there last week." 
 
 "You'd better be looking up the Japanese Commis- 
 sion," said Lulu. 
 
 "Why?" asked Emma and Mrs. Ross, both deeply 
 interested. 
 
 " Count Tatsu told me there was a Japanese war-ship 
 on her way here. They got the news by the Suez." 
 [262] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 "There!" cried Mrs. Ross, "I meant to have called 
 at the Commissioner's yesterday. We'll go to-morrow, 
 though I hate to follow the crowd." 
 
 "Then why go?" asked Florence; "I don't under- 
 stand." 
 
 "When the ship gets here," said Mrs. Ross, "the 
 Japanese Commissioner will give balls and entertain- 
 ments in honour of the officers, and if you haven't 
 called you won't be asked. There will be a perfect rush 
 now." 
 
 " If I were they," said Florence laughing, " I would 
 not invite the people who only came after they 
 heard the news." 
 
 "They are obliged to," said Mrs. Ross. "It is of- 
 ficial." 
 
 "We have as many consuls and commissioners here 
 as there are nations under the sun," said Max. " One 
 of my clerks in the bank is Consul for Mexico, and he's 
 a Down East Yankee." 
 
 "I know, when we heard the Vanadis was coming, 
 with Prince Oscar on board," said Mrs. Ross, "there 
 was a great commotion to find out who the Swedish 
 Consul was. He and his wife were very quiet people 
 who did not go out much. They must have been 
 surprised when all Honolulu streamed in at their 
 gate." 
 
 [263] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "They entertained beautifully when the ship did 
 come in," said Emma. " With a lanai for dancing and a 
 band stand in the garden." 
 
 " Like the one at the Russian Consulate now," added 
 Lulu. 
 
 Mrs. Ross laughed. " When you hear that a foreign 
 ship is expected, it is strange to see the little nobodies 
 who suddenly bloom into bowers and band-stands and 
 gilt-edged invitation cards." 
 
 " If I were you," said Lulu sagely, " I'd go and call 
 whenever I saw a lanai going up in anybody's garden." 
 
 The little girl was restless and unhappy. She missed 
 the companionship of the Princes and her eyes turned 
 more than once in the direction of the summer-house. 
 Finally the sound of hammering was interrupted by 
 ecstatic shrieks of delight that drew her irresistibly to 
 the spot. She walked slowly, assuming her usual air of 
 disdain, but listened attentively when Vida explained 
 that they were making a stage. 
 
 " We are going to give a performance and do our cir- 
 cus tricks," said Mana with a very independent air. 
 
 "You ought to have a curtain," suggested Lulu. 
 
 " We'll hang up a sheet." 
 
 "That won't be nice at all. There's a lot of cretonne 
 up in the garret. If you like I'll get it and sew a cur- 
 tain for you." 
 
 [264] 
 
LESSONS 
 
 "Thank you," said Vida politely. 
 
 "I wouldn't do circus if I were you," said Lulu. 
 "I'll tell you what!" she went on, assuming charge 
 of the whole affair, "we'll play 'Bluebeard!' I'll be 
 Fatima, and Vida can be Bluebeard and Mana will be 
 the brother that comes to the rescue ! " 
 
 " That will be nice," said Mana doubtfully. 
 
 "Oh, it will be splendid!" cried Lulu. "I know how 
 to make the heads of the murdered wives! You cut 
 holes in a sheet and get people to stick their heads 
 through and you can hang their hair up to make-be- 
 lieve nails and sew stripes of red flannel for blood. It 
 looks awful ! " 
 
 This gory picture won the boys, heart and soul, and 
 soon all three were busily at work over the theatre on 
 the best possible terms. 
 
 [265] 
 
CHAPTER NINETEEN 
 
 The Palace Ball 
 
 ALL the carriages in Honolulu seemed to be go- 
 ing in the direction of the palace. Every form 
 of equipage, from the British Commissioner's 
 fine barouche with coachman and footmen in livery, to 
 the omnibus chartered by the bachelors from up the 
 Valley. Crowds on foot wended their way in the same 
 direction ; girls in fluffy gowns with bits of lace thrown 
 over their heads, young men in evening dress, with- 
 out overcoats, mingled with the streams of natives who 
 crowded about the gates to watch the arriving guests. 
 The great building, with its wide stone colonnades 
 sparkled like a jewel against the dark background of 
 the night. The fascade was decorated with bunting and 
 evergreen; windows glittered with light, and through the 
 noble entrance, draped with velvet hangings, a dazzling 
 illumination poured down upon the stairway. 
 
 Florence looked out upon the scene with great interest. 
 She had been but once before to the palace, and 
 [266] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 then only on a quiet morning and had no idea of its 
 magnificence. The King, whom she had come to know 
 informally and was beginning to regard as a friend, 
 seemed to grow suddenly remote surrounded by this 
 splendour; the footmen, in scarlet plush, silk stock- 
 ings and powdered hair, who stood in rows on the 
 steps; the arriving guests in their trailing ball dresses; 
 the groups of equerries in uniform, all added to her 
 feeling of awe. 
 
 Mrs. Ross's white velvet made a grand showing as she 
 swept up the stairs between the rows of footmen on the 
 arm of an aide-de-camp who had run down to meet her. 
 
 Florence found Captain Leigh-Garrett waiting for 
 her as they came out of the crowded dressing-room 
 into the grand hall. She was prepared to meet the 
 young man coldly and formally, but amid the unusual 
 surroundings, the music and lights and the excitement 
 of her first grand ball, she found herself smiling very 
 amiably upon the tall young Englishman in the fine 
 uniform. 
 
 " Please be generous to-night," he said. " Don't throw 
 over old friends for new ones." 
 
 " You are neither," she answered, looking up at him 
 with a smiling glance that took the sting out of the words. 
 
 " I am a friend, and a good one, as you'll find out," 
 he said earnestly. " Don't give away all your dances. I 
 [267] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 have to stay here to look after the crush and I won't 
 be on hand to claim my share, so save me three dances, 
 please." 
 
 "It's time to go in," said Mrs. Ross, touching Flor- 
 ence with her fan. 
 
 " Oh, Captain," said the young girl over her shoulder 
 to Dick, "I forgot to tell you, I've brought your 
 ring!" 
 
 He nodded as he went off to receive a group of new 
 arrivals. A crowd of people were waiting at the throne- 
 room door, a couple of aides-de-camp arranging the or- 
 der of their entrance. Emma stooped, gave a final touch 
 to her aunt's train, and then, waiting a few minutes to 
 give the preceding party time, they received the signal, 
 and Mrs. Ross entered the room followed by the two girls. 
 At the further end of a noble and stately hall were two 
 gilt chairs on a platform, overhung with a canopy of red 
 velvet edged with ermine and surmounted by a golden 
 crown. At the steps of the throne the royal family stood 
 in a row to receive the guests: the King and Queen, 
 Princess Liliuokalani and Princess Likelike, their bril- 
 liant costumes reflected in the waxed surface of the floor. 
 The first comers, who had already made their bow, 
 stood along the sides of the room or gathered in groups 
 at the open French windows, watching the scene with 
 the greatest interest. 
 
 [268] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 The length of that hall was a long walk to take before 
 the eyes of so many spectators, but Florence kept a 
 little behind Mrs. Ross and was sustained by that lady's 
 self-possession. 
 
 The Chamberlain announced their names in a low 
 voice; Mrs. Ross slowly and impressively sank almost to 
 her knees before the King; Emma followed, and when it 
 came to Florence's turn she could hardly believe that 
 the magnificent monarch in scarlet and gold, sword and 
 sash, his broad breast sparkling with diamond orders 
 was the same kindly gentleman she had met before. As she 
 rose trembling from her deep curtsy she caught a brief 
 friendly smile from His Majesty and then, following the 
 example of Mrs. Ross and Emma, she bowed to the 
 Queen, to Princess Liliuokalani, and Princess Likelike. 
 
 It was with almost a gasp of relief that she turned to 
 join the others and watch the new arrivals. She found 
 herself near Lieutenant Todd who was evidently wait- 
 ing for her. He was a new surprise. In his uniform on 
 board the Mohawk, he looked rather well, but in the 
 full dress of the United States Navy he was imposing. 
 
 "I feel like a ship that has just come into harbour 
 after a storm," she whispered to him. " That was a terri- 
 ble ordeal ! See how my hands are trembling ! " 
 
 "We always come early," said Lieutenant Danby, 
 one of a little group of glittering Mohawks. " I wouldn't 
 [269] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 miss this show for anything. You should have seen the 
 entrance of the Razboiniks they came in a body 
 and Solomon in all his glory could not hold a candle 
 to 'em. There are some new comers tourists I'm 
 waiting for them. It's great fun to see their bows to 
 royalty." 
 
 "I always suffer too much for other people," said 
 Florence. " Here come the Bonner girls." 
 
 "You needn't waste any suffering on them," said 
 Lieutenant Danby. "They could give us all points on 
 self-possession." 
 
 As the two girls sailed down the hall with a manly 
 swagger that swirled their trains from side to side, there 
 were whispered remarks on their appearance, flattering 
 and otherwise. 
 
 "Weren't you frightened?" Florence asked, as the 
 Bonner girls joined the group. 
 
 "Not a bit!" said Polly. "I love it. Don't you re- 
 member, Betty, when we made our bow three times at 
 the King's birthday reception? We ran around and 
 joined the tail of the procession until Curtis made us 
 stop. It was great fun. The King received us each time 
 as though he had never seen us before." 
 
 Numbers of guests were now arriving. Native ladies in 
 silk and velvet holakus, with head-dresses of pearls and 
 ostrich plumes; pretty girls ranging in colour from ma- 
 [270] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 hogany brown and cafe-au-lait to the fairest pink and 
 white; members of the Japanese Commission, in cor- 
 rect evening dress, missionaries, consuls, naval officers 
 of Germany, England and the United States in full uni- 
 form entered in small groups or singly, walking the 
 length of the hall and making their bows to royalty 
 under the gaze of those who had arrived before them; 
 all more or less conscious of the scrutiny and whispered 
 comments. 
 
 "Look! Look!" said Betty Bonner, "here come 
 some strangers ! " 
 
 A stout, bald gentleman, very red and nervous looking, 
 was walking up the hall with his wife, a frail hatchet- 
 faced lady, who clung convulsively to his arm. They at- 
 tempted to bow to the Chamberlain, but Curtis deftly 
 faced them toward the King. Still arm-in-arm they 
 bobbed to the Queen, and to the Princess Liliuokalani, 
 and then, with a sudden beaming look of relief, they 
 turned and backed into the Princess Likelike, not know- 
 ing that she belonged to the royal semicircle. 
 
 "Look at the Ah Sue girls," whispered Mrs. Ross. 
 " Try to remember the dresses for Lulu." 
 
 All the women studied the new arrivals attentively as 
 
 they trailed in with that languid assurance that only 
 
 perfectly fitting Paris gowns can give. There were three 
 
 extremely pretty girls, followed by their father, a Chi- 
 
 [271] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 nese mandarin in silk Oriental clothes, shaved head 
 and long queue. After him came his son familiarly 
 called Billy Ah Sue, a Yale man, in faultless evening 
 dress, his straight hair parted down the middle. 
 
 "They certainly are lovely creatures," said Florence, 
 referring to the girls. 
 
 "And we'll be having them at our balls for the 
 next ten years to come," said t Mrs. Ross, " for there 
 are a lot more in the nursery, or I should say under the 
 banyan tree, for that's where you always see the baby 
 Ah Sues." 
 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett had worked his way round 
 behind the throne and in and out among the crowd, to 
 where Florence was standing. 
 
 *' I'm deserting my post for your sake," he whispered, 
 " and I'm just in time ! " he added, " to see Sally make 
 her grand entrance. You can trust her for coming 
 late." 
 
 All eyes turned towards the door where Mrs. Landry 
 appeared in a rose-coloured gown with a diamond tiara 
 on her yellow hair. Florence took her in with a glance of 
 admiration that changed somewhat as she recognized 
 the man who followed as Christopher Maxwell. They 
 were a handsome couple and a buzz of comment followed 
 their progress up the hall. 
 
 " She'll capture him yet," whispered Dick. 
 [272] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 Just behind them a voice murmured: "Wealth 
 and beauty make a good combination," and then, 
 very distinctly came the reply in feminine accents: 
 " They say the engagement is to be announced this 
 evening." 
 
 Florence suddenly realized that she had taken Max 
 very seriously, against the widow's advice. She had been 
 warned not to believe in idle compliments and what else 
 had he offered her ? Only agreeable nothings when they 
 were alone together, but in public he was always to be 
 found by Mrs. Landry's side. She remembered how she 
 had seen them together on the Mohawk. 
 
 " Don't forget that you've given me the first dance," 
 said Dick. 
 
 "As many as you like," was the unexpected reply. 
 
 "And a polka?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " And the supper dance ? " 
 
 " The supper dance is mine," said the resolute voice 
 of Christopher Maxwell, who had come up behind them. 
 " And you promised me the first waltz, Miss Van Voor- 
 his." 
 
 She raised her eyes to his coldly. "I'm engaged to 
 Captain Leigh-Garrett for that," she said. 
 
 He looked surprised at her tone and slightly puzzled. 
 " But not the supper dance," he said. 
 [273] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "As you like," she answered over her shoulder, and 
 turned to Dick. The music had begun. "Isn't this 
 ours ? " she asked. 
 
 " No, this is the royal quadrille, it's too good for the 
 likes of us. We all have to stand up respectfully and 
 look on." 
 
 Florence had been cheered by Max's determined atti- 
 tude, but the words she had overheard rankled in her 
 heart. A spirit of pride upheld her, and her one idea 
 was to prevent his seeing that she cared in any way. 
 After one quick glance at Captain Leigh-Garrett, Max- 
 well stepped back; he looked hurt, and though he lis- 
 tened deferentially to Mrs. Ross, his eyes were fixed 
 upon Florence who still stood by Dick's side. 
 
 The royal quadrille was forming in the middle of the 
 floor. The King, with the Russian Consul's wife, faced 
 the Captain of the Razboinik, whose partner was a lit- 
 tle Japanese lady in mauve satin. 
 
 " That is the Commissioner's wife," whispered Dick, 
 "she's coming to the front just now because a Japan- 
 ese ship is expected in." 
 
 The Premier, an elderly, hook-nosed personage, who 
 looked like Cardinal Richelieu, danced with the pretty 
 and gay little Princess Likelike, leaving the Russian 
 Consul, a small lean man, and a massive lady of rank 
 to complete the set. 
 
 [274] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 "This is the first appearance of the Premier on the 
 dancing floor," whispered Dick to Florence. 
 
 "The Consul's wife looks fearfully nervous," she 
 answered. "It must be awful to dance with all of us 
 looking on and making remarks." 
 
 The band played the opening bars of the " Likelike 
 Quadrille." Everybody bowed. That was quite satis- 
 factory. The first four should cross over but the Con- 
 sul's wife, clutching the King's hand, marched resolutely 
 forward and backward. His Majesty, who knew the 
 figures of the quadrille perfectly, was too polite to resist, 
 and allowed himself to be led with imperturbable 
 dignity. The Japanese lady, throwing her mauve train 
 over her arm, took the most extraordinary little bird- 
 like hops with a countenance of unmoved serenity. The 
 Russian Captain, a tall man with fiery red whiskers and 
 superabundant vitality, dashed forth to cross over, when, 
 seeing the manoeuvres of the opposite couple, he did the 
 same, his little partner following in hops. Several aides 
 skirted about, like referees at a prize-fight, skipping 
 
 and gesticulating and very evidently whispering in- 
 
 i 
 structions. 
 
 Florence stood looking on, slowly waving her fan, to 
 
 all outward appearance unmoved; but the scene was 
 
 only a blur of colour before her eyes. She remembered 
 
 the quick glance Max had given Dick, the surprise and 
 
 [275] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 reproach in his voice; she was angry, proud, a little 
 frightened, and felt a sudden elation of reckless high 
 spirits. 
 
 The sides started. Princess Likelike and the na- 
 tive lady sallied forth at the first note of the music, 
 doing the figure correctly themselves but entirely de- 
 serting their partners. The old Premier bowed in all 
 directions, visibly bewildered by the buzzing aides, while 
 the little Consul executed a pas seul. 
 
 The royal quadrille was always cut to four figures, 
 and then, without any preamble or flourish, the music 
 flowed into the cadence of "My Love for You, O 
 Ikino." 
 
 Dick and Florence made one circuit of the room, but 
 he was an awkward dancer and his partner impatiently 
 suggested that they go out on the terrace and see the 
 electric lights in the garden. 
 
 The young girl perched on the wide balustrade while 
 Dick leaned against a stone pillar. He was serious and 
 there was a note of agitation in his voice as he said: 
 "You've treated me very shabbily, Miss Van Voorhis, 
 and I haven't done a thing to deserve it." 
 
 " I've treated you beautifully," she replied. " I meant 
 
 to have given you a lecture, and I'd made up my 
 
 mind never to see you again under any circumstances 
 
 if I could avoid it, and here I've allowed myself to be 
 
 [276] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 pushed and jostled and trampled on when I might have 
 chosen a partner who could dance." 
 
 " Now you're guying me, but you know what I mean. 
 You wouldn't even look at me Saturday night or go in 
 the same boat with me at the surf-riding." 
 
 "How could I choose?" she said. "I had to take 
 what was given me and Mr. Maxwell " 
 
 "Max had a quarrel with Sally that night, just 
 one of their tiffs, and you thought he was de- 
 voted to you. She told me herself she'd refused 
 to go into the luau with him and that was why he 
 asked you. Didn't you notice that they weren't on 
 speaking terms ? " 
 
 The young girl did not answer. It was true, she 
 thought quickly; Max had not exchanged a word 
 with the widow that evening and Dick was nearer 
 right than he was aware of, for she had thought that 
 that 
 
 " You don't know your real friends," Dick went on 
 reproachfully; "you should have seen through such a 
 transparent thing as that, and you ought to know me 
 better. I thought you could read me like a book." 
 
 " Oh," she answered nervously, " I don't look below 
 the surface. If people are nice on the outside I think 
 they are good all the way through. I judge character by 
 eyelashes." 
 
 [277] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Don't misjudge me," he said, taking her remarks 
 all to himself; " I'm no account I know, if my eyelashes 
 are long, but I'm a better man since I met you." 
 
 Florence laughed mockingly. " I never suspected you 
 of goodness, or noticed your eyelashes. The best man 
 I know hasn't any. How is a girl to know ? I would have 
 thought that a noble face was the index of a noble mind, 
 but " She interrupted herself. " What nonsense I 
 am talking! I want to give you back your ring, Captain." 
 She drew off her glove. " I told you I had a nice little 
 sermon all prepared for you but I've forgotten what I 
 wanted to say." 
 
 " I'll listen to your sermons and learn them by heart," 
 he said, " if you'll only care " 
 
 " Here comes Lieutenant Todd," she returned, " I'm 
 engaged to him for this dance, so take your ring back." 
 
 " Please wear it," said Dick. 
 
 The young man put his hands behind his back and 
 looked down at her; Florence hesitated for a moment, 
 and then nodded a little recklessly as she pulled on her 
 glove and walked off on Hammy's arm. The young 
 lieutenant was bewildered by her gaiety and sparkle. 
 She teased him and laughed at him in a manner utterly 
 unlike herself, and finally, when they were resting after 
 a wild, swirling waltz that Hammy danced to perfection, 
 she insisted on seeing his card. " There are such a lot of 
 [278] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 pretty girls here to-night," she said, " that I'm sure it's 
 filled to the brim." 
 
 " I have only one name." 
 
 She looked up, a little sobered by his sad tone. 
 
 " Oh, please, Mr. Todd, don't be foolish. It is a lovely 
 floor and perfect music and you are too good a dancer to 
 be wasted." 
 
 "I'd rather stand in a corner and watch you than 
 dance with any one else." 
 
 "You will make me unhappy if you do that." 
 
 He handed her the card. " Very well," he said meekly, 
 " pick out some partners forme and I'll dance with them." 
 
 "That's a good boy. Now I'll write you a list very 
 lightly in pencil so you can rub it out or change the 
 name of the lady. I put down Mrs. Landry, and Emma, 
 and one of the beautiful Coney girls, and let me see 
 oh, the Ah Sues. They are all pretty and you can take 
 your choice." 
 
 "It's contrariwise there," said Hammy; "I'll endeav- 
 our to see which one will accept me; they are in great 
 demand." 
 
 " Then there are the Bonner girls." 
 
 "That is sufficient and over. I don't feel like dan- 
 cing." 
 
 "You must," said Florence; "remember this isn't 
 Paita, Peru; it is glorious, delightful Honolulu!" 
 [279] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 Her next dance was with Billy Ah Sue, a Centennial 
 Lancers with eight couples. They were already old 
 friends and had much to say to each other. Florence 
 was still wildly gay and they talked with such ani- 
 mation between the figures of the lancers that they had 
 to be called several times by the rest of the set. 
 
 Her partners were strangely cosmopolitan. A slim 
 black-eyed Count, attache to the French Legation; a 
 respectful German officer who called her " gnadica 
 fraidein" and clicked his heels when he bowed; sev- 
 eral Englishmen ; a tall thin Russian who, catching her 
 about the waist, spun furiously like a top until they were 
 both breathless. It was very gay; there was ample 
 space for every one to dance without any crowding; rich 
 trains swept the floor; lights sparkled on the handsome 
 gowns and splendid uniforms, and the music was varied 
 occasionally by the band boys laying aside their instru- 
 ments and singing a waltz in a rich Hawaiian chorus. 
 
 The supper dance was a lancers, and it happened 
 that she was talking to Captain Leigh-Garrett when 
 Max came to claim her. For a moment she was a little 
 frightened at the sight of his grave face, but she 
 plucked up spirit, and gave Dick a radiant smile as she 
 parted from him and talked fast and gaily. 
 
 "Did you see my little midshipman?" she said, as 
 they took their places vis-a-vis to Princess Likelike and 
 [280] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 Count Tatsu. " He asked for the after-supper extra, 
 and he invited me to visit the Stupendous. He says they 
 have a * jolly mess in the gun-room/ whatever that 
 means, and promised me a * bang up tea. ' ' 
 
 She found it a little difficult to keep up her nervous 
 prattle to so unresponsive a partner, but she refused 
 to notice the strange questioning look in Max's eyes, and 
 went on talking. 
 
 She was looking bewilderingly pretty, with a bright 
 flush on her cheeks, and though she tried hard to con- 
 ceal it, the little flicker that Max had grown to know so 
 well came and went across her face. 
 
 The first formality of the ball was wearing off. The 
 music seemed livelier; the dancers laughed and talked 
 as they swung through the figures of the lancers, while 
 many of them joined in singing the words of the well 
 known Hawaiian melodies. 
 
 The Princess Likelike, when she touched hands with 
 Florence, nodded and smiled with much friendliness; 
 Count Tatsu whispered a compliment as they met in the 
 whirl of the dance. 
 
 For the last figure, the Grand Chain, the band played 
 a hulahula so wild and inspiring that the whole com- 
 pany took up the refrain : 
 
 " He inoa keia no Paahana, 
 Ke iki mahine noho Icua hi wi" 
 [281] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 As they trooped off singing into the supper-room 
 Maxwell led his partner to a snug little seat in the em- 
 brasure of a window where they were entirely hidden 
 from view by the folds of a velvet curtain. A red- 
 coated serving man brought them a small table 
 just large enough to hold their plates and glasses of 
 champagne. 
 
 Florence made an elaborate pretence of eating by nib- 
 bling the edge of a pate-de-foi-gras sandwich cut into 
 the shape of a heart. 
 
 "This is what I have been looking forward to," 
 said Max. 
 
 " Isn't it wonderful ? " said Florence. " I never dream- 
 ed the palace was so fine. I wish I could see a grand 
 state dinner in this room, it must be tremendously im- 
 pressive. Mrs. Ross says Prince Lunalilo's portrait is 
 here, but I declare that row of paintings make the an- 
 cient Hawaiians look as though they were made out of 
 leather and stuffed." 
 
 Her partner had leaned forward and was looking at 
 her steadily. " What is it ? " he said. " What has hap- 
 pened to change everything ? " 
 
 " Why, nothing that I know of," she said, opening her 
 eyes and giving a very good imitation of surprise. 
 
 " I have been looking forward to this ball like a school- 
 boy to the holidays." 
 
 [282] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 Florence's anger had melted at the first tones of his 
 voice. She could not meet his eyes, but she felt his pres- 
 ence close to her, and her heart throbbed. Then she re- 
 membered Dick's words, and drew a long breath. 
 
 " I looked forward to it too," she said perversely, " and 
 I've enjoyed it immensely. Everybody I met invited me 
 somewhere. I'm going to a luau at the Princess Like- 
 like's, and a theatrical entertainment on the German 
 ship, and the first officer of the Razboinik wants to 
 teach me the Russian polonaise for the ball they are giv- 
 ing at the Opera House, and Mrs. Tyler asked me to 
 take part in tableaux for the church bazaar " 
 
 "Florence," said Max appealingly, "you are not 
 talking like yourself. What is wrong ? Why have you 
 changed since yesterday ? " 
 
 " Yesterday was a long time ago," she faltered. 
 
 " Look at me," he said, but she would not raise her 
 eyes, though the slight tremble of her lips betrayed 
 her agitation. "We were so happy together under the 
 tamarind trees teaching the little Princes," he went on. 
 " We were made out of the same clay yesterday." 
 
 "You were different then," she said, with a little 
 break in her voice. 
 
 " My dearest girl, I've never changed from the first 
 moment I saw you. I loved you then " Her hand was 
 lying over the arm of the chair; Max lifted it to his lips, 
 [283] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 and suddenly started back at the sight of the heavy 
 blood-stone ring. He recognized it at once. Florence 
 raised her eyes and met a swift, searching, bitter look 
 and knew, in that moment, that she had wounded him 
 to the heart. 
 
 " I beg your pardon," he said gravely, dropping her 
 hand that fell limply on the velvet, " I did not know." 
 
 She could not speak. It seemed as though her heart 
 had suddenly stopped beating. She looked up at him 
 beseechingly, but his face was pale and set and turned 
 from her. He rose, smiling coldly. 
 
 "Shall we go back to the throne-room?" he said. 
 "They are beginning to dance." 
 
 She felt like one caught in a net. She tried to speak, to 
 make some explanation ; but the words died in her throat. 
 The barrier of reserve he put between them made it im- 
 possible. 
 
 The youthful officer of the gun-room, who came 
 gaily to claim his after-supper extra, was disappointed in 
 Florence. He had thought her so charming; she seemed 
 interested in him and had taken his remarks seriously, 
 as though he were grown up; now he found her cold 
 and preoccupied. 
 
 Her next partner was Major Kunikikua of the Ha- 
 waiian Army. She had accepted him for a quadrille 
 with interest, but in her present state of mind this broad 
 [284] 
 
THE PALACE BALL 
 
 stolid officer's laboured remarks in English were dif- 
 ficult to understand and the conversation flagged. 
 Fortunately he possessed that serene repose of manner 
 peculiarly Polynesian, and when his partner could not 
 find a word for him during the intervals between the 
 figures and as they walked out on the colonnade after 
 the dance, he filled up the pauses by singing softly to 
 himself in Hawaiian. 
 
 The Missionaries, the Ministers, Commissioners and 
 their families, the more serious members of the com- 
 munity, left early after supper. Max had disappeared. 
 Mrs. Ross signalled to Florence that it was time to go. 
 
 " Don't leave yet," cried one of the Bonner girls who 
 was passing on the arm of a be-whiskered Russian; 
 "the ball only begins when all the old fogies have 
 left. The King never dances till then, and when he 
 comes off his perch we'll have a lovely time." 
 
 Florence made her adieux to the Princess Li- 
 liuokalani, for the Queen had retired early, and was 
 crossing the hall when she met Captain Leigh-Garrett 
 hastening towards her. He was looking flushed and con- 
 fident. 
 
 "I knew you'd wait for me," he said cheerfully; "I 
 was just having a cigar with Rex to fill up the time till 
 the Missionaries left. Now we'll have the place to our- 
 selves." 
 
 [285] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 " Captain Leigh-Garrett," said Florence, drawing off 
 the ring, " take this back at once. I was wrong to wear 
 it even for a moment." 
 
 The young man hesitated, but after one look at her 
 face he slipped it on his finger. 
 
 " I'll get you a diamond," he said, " or would you like 
 a black pearl? I have a ripping big stud the size of a 
 bullet. Looks like one too, you couldn't tell the differ- 
 ence with the naked eye." 
 
 It was her own fault that he was so insufferably fa- 
 miliar, and yet every word he said added to her resent- 
 ment against him. She hated Dick Leigh-Garrett not 
 only for himself but woman-like, for her own weakness 
 in encouraging him. 
 
 "I don't want anything from you," she said and 
 turned to go. 
 
 " But here, wait ! " said Dick. " Don't be grumpy. I'll 
 give you my black pearl and I'll have it set round with 
 brilliants. It'll look ripping on your white little hand." 
 
 "I don't want your ring!" said Florence passion- 
 ately. " I don't want anything to do with you ; I hate 
 you ! " and ran out into the hall leaving the young man 
 transfixed. He pulled the ends of his yellow moustache 
 for a moment, looking after her in angry surprise, and 
 then, turning, saw Mrs. Landry beckoning to him with 
 her fan. 
 
CHAPTER TWENTY 
 
 Aloha Oe 
 
 THE family did not get up till late on the morn- 
 ing after the ball. Florence felt too dispirited 
 to teach the boys who flew off to devote every 
 minute to the theatre. 
 
 While they were all at luncheon the telephone an- 
 nounced the arrival of the long overdue man-of-war 
 Adams. 
 
 Lulu clapped her hands. "Oh, I'm so glad!" she 
 said. "That poor Mrs. Worthing's husband has come 
 at last!" 
 
 " Well, this is exciting," said Mrs, Ross, "to 
 have the Adams come in on steamer day! We'll 
 go down to see the Suez off, and then we'll hear all 
 the news." 
 
 " I think I'd rather stay at home," said Florence. 
 " What are the girls coming to ! " exclaimed Mrs. Ross. 
 " When I was your age I could dance all night and ride 
 all day; nothing ever tired me, and here you are look- 
 [287] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 ing half dead. But you must come with us to see the 
 steamer off; it will do you good." 
 
 The young girl made her escape as soon as she could, 
 leaving them all chattering excitedly, and went out under 
 the old tamarind tree. Throwing herself down on the 
 warm, dry grass she lay there thinking while she idly 
 touched a tiny sprig of sensitive plant to see the leaves 
 shiver and close. 
 
 She wished for a moment that she were going back on 
 the Suez that afternoon; perhaps, if she found herself 
 at sea homeward bound, she could forget the ache in 
 her heart. And yet she knew that she would rather die 
 than leave Honolulu. Max loved her. He had tried to 
 tell her so, and she remembered the tones of his voice 
 when he had called her by name. But now he must de- 
 spise her for a shallow, heartless flirt. She must have 
 been wrong about Mrs. Landry. He could not have 
 spoken as he did if he had loved another woman. She 
 sighed deeply. Her life seemed to be in a hopeless tangle. 
 Seeing a carriage stop at the gate she lay very still lest it 
 might be visitors and she was in no mood for small talk; 
 but when she recognized Hamilton Todd she sat up and 
 called out to him. He was the one who had remained un- 
 changed and faithful ; her only friend. He came across 
 the lawn to where she was sitting, looking very pale and 
 agitated as he flung himself on the grass beside her. 
 
ALOHA OE 
 
 " I have come to say good-bye, Florence." 
 
 " Why," she cried, " your ship is not leaving, surely ? " 
 
 "I have been transferred," he said, pulling up little 
 tufts of grass with a trembling hand. 
 
 " Transferred to what ? " 
 
 " To the Adams. She goes on to Peru." 
 
 " How perfectly awful ! I am so sorry. How long will 
 she stop there ? " 
 
 "Three months. Panama Canal troubles." 
 
 "Oh, Hammy," she said anxiously, "you're not go- 
 ing to Paita, Peru ?" 
 
 He nodded. 
 
 "Three months in a place you hate? Oh, how 
 awful!" 
 
 " I don't hate Peru so much as all that," said Hammy. 
 " I was exaggerating somewhat." 
 
 "But you do, you have told me a thousand times 
 you'd rather die than go back there for fifteen minutes. 
 It is not it is not any sort of punishment ? " 
 
 The young man laughed nervously. "Oh, no," he 
 said. " The Adams is the flag-ship and has brought the 
 Admiral to this station. He has sanctioned the change. 
 I asked to be transferred." 
 
 " You asked to be transferred ? " Florence looked at 
 him in bewilderment. Laying her hand on his coat- 
 sleeve she gave it a little shake. 
 [289] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 "Will you please talk sense?" she said. "I don't 
 know what to make of anything you have said ! " 
 
 " Oh, Florence ! " cried the young man, catching her 
 hand in both his. "I would not mind going so much 
 if it were not for you. It breaks my heart to leave you !" 
 
 " But why are you going ? " 
 
 "It was my duty," said Hammy. "Mrs. Worthing's 
 husband is on the Adams, she has been waiting for him 
 so long and she would not survive she shock of an- 
 other separation. We were expecting the Adams to re- 
 main in port for a considerable period but she proceeds 
 at once to Paita, Peru. She coaled at Hilo and only put 
 in here for mail." 
 
 "Oh!" said Florence, slowly, a light shining in her 
 eyes. " I begin to understand. You exchanged with her 
 husband. He will stay on here in the Mohawk? " 
 
 Hammy nodded and began pulling up more roots. 
 
 "And you will exchange with him, and go to Paita, 
 Peru ? Hammy ! " she cried in an awe-stricken voice, 
 " how generous of you ! How noble ! " 
 
 The young man's pale face flushed suddenly crimson. 
 
 " I know what a sacrifice you are making," she went 
 on enthusiastically. " It's splendid of you and I'm proud 
 to have you for my friend ! " 
 
 "Thank you, Florence. I have dared to call you by 
 your beautiful name, knowing it is for the last time. 
 [290] 
 
ALOHA OE 
 
 Whatever your name was, it would be beautiful to me 
 for meaning you. Will you write to me sometimes ? Not 
 very frequently, of course, but even the Desert of Sahara 
 would be habitable to me if I could look forward to re- 
 ceiving a line from you." 
 
 " Indeed I will," said Florence. 
 
 "You will say good-bye to the family for me, won't 
 you ? " he said awkwardly. " I can't trust myself to see 
 anybody now, I must be leaving." 
 
 " So soon ? " she cried, " surely you are not going at 
 once ? " 
 
 " I must. The express is waiting and the Adams is on 
 the point of sailing. I did not allow myself much time, 
 but I had to say farewell to you before I took my de- 
 parture. Good-bye, Florence " He lingered over 
 her name, and then bending, kissed her hand, his eyes 
 full of tears. " Don't rise," he said. " Let me leave you 
 here in the old garden where you will always be en- 
 shrined on the tablets of my memory. There is one 
 heart, Florence, that will prove faithful to you till it 
 ceases to beat. Good-bye." 
 
 She watched his tall figure striding down the path- 
 way. He jumped into the carriage, looking back as 
 it turned to go down the street. A wave of his straw hat 
 and he was gone. 
 
 Florence begged hard to stay at home but the family 
 [291] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 were all excitedly bent on seeing the steamer off and 
 insisted upon her going. Lulu even brought out her hat 
 so that she could join them at once as they all walked 
 down. " Don't bother about your gloves," she said ; " no- 
 body wears them in the daytime." 
 
 When they reached the esplanade they found the 
 place crowded. Great stacks of coal were disappearing 
 under the rapid onslaughts of strong brown Hawaiians, 
 who sang and laughed as they worked. Native girls 
 were selling leis and the perfume of frangipanni, sweet- 
 scented ginger flowers and maile mingled with the smell 
 of sugar and bananas piled up for shipment. The decks 
 of the steamer were already filled with people, their 
 light-coloured dresses, bright parasols and wreaths of 
 flowers, making a gay mingling of many colours. Some 
 of the departing passengers were almost unrecognizable, 
 they were so entwined and be-garlanded. 
 
 The Hawaiian band was playing with great spirit; 
 the crowd formed into little groups and broke away, 
 pushing good naturedly, and all talking and laughing 
 in English and Hawaiian, while little naked boys dived 
 for pieces of silver thrown from the ship's deck. 
 
 Florence saw many people she knew, and was 
 
 stopped in her progress to the steamer a dozen times to 
 
 speak to friends. There was Major Kunikikua who 
 
 looked larger and wider than ever in his white flan- 
 
 [292] 
 
ALOHA OE 
 
 nels with a yellow wreath around his hat. Billy Ah Sue 
 and his sisters stopped her to talk about the ball; and 
 the Bonner girls were enthusiastic over Hammy's de- 
 parture. 
 
 "We made him some leis" said Polly. "And Betty 
 sent him a box of cigars and a pail of pvi" 
 
 " Where is the Adams now ? " asked Florence. 
 
 "Outside the reef. You can see it from the bridge. 
 It's just about leaving I think." 
 
 They all pushed forward towards the gangway, the 
 Bonner girls still screaming in their high voices. 
 
 " You should have seen the row at the hotel this mor- 
 ning. It was simply awful. When Mrs. Worthing found 
 her husband was not going to stay she shrieked and 
 screamed and clung to him." 
 
 "We were all crying," said Betty, "and Lee simply 
 bawled." 
 
 "Then Hammy came," said Polly, "and the Ad- 
 miral, being in port, of course made the exchange easy. 
 Lee offered Hammy a silver watch the size of a turnip." 
 
 They all struggled laughing and talking up the gang- 
 way, the overpowering perfume of flowers filling the air 
 to the exclusion of everything else. 
 
 Florence edged away from the others and worked along 
 to reach the companion ladder; as she climbed up to 
 the bridge she found Mrs. Landry and Dick in posses- 
 [293] 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 sion, leaning on the railing, overlooking the crowded 
 wharf. The widow wore a smile of such radiance that 
 Florence stopped involuntarily. 
 
 " You are looking very well," she said. 
 
 "My dear, everything is for the best in the best of 
 possible worlds. Dick and I have made up, and we'll 
 never, never misunderstand each other again." 
 
 " I didn't know you had quarrelled," said Florence. 
 
 "We didn't," said Dick. He looked sulkily defiant, 
 with his hands rammed into his coat pockets. " It's only 
 a case of * quand on TV' a pas ce qu'on aime, U faut aimer 
 ce qu'on a! ' ' 
 
 "I don't understand when you speak so fast," said 
 the widow, " and I'm sure it's rude, but I don't care." 
 Something flashed on her hand as she raised it a little 
 ostentatiously to pat her yellow hair, and Florence 
 recognized the blood-stone ring. 
 
 "There's the Adams" said Mrs. Landry, pointing 
 far beyond the reef where a man-of-war was slowly 
 steaming out and away. 
 
 The widow, clinging to Dick's hand, disappeared 
 down the companionway, leaving the young girl alone. 
 Florence knew well enough that Hammy was looking 
 back at Honolulu from the deck of the departing ship. 
 The tears were in her eyes as she gazed out to sea and 
 waved her handkerchief, bidding farewell in her heart 
 [294] 
 
ALOHA OE 
 
 to the generous lad who loved her. She watched until 
 the tiny speck on the horizon grew smaller and smaller, 
 leaving only a faint puff of smoke against the blue sky. 
 The bugle call, for all hands off the ship, woke Flor- 
 ence from a reverie and she climbed down to the main 
 deck following the crowd ashore, and feeling more 
 desolate and alone than ever in her life before. She 
 walked up to the end of the wharf and stood beside a 
 great pile, watching the scene like a person in a dream. 
 The last rope was thrown loose; all along the deck 
 of the ship a thin line of passengers, wreathed and 
 garlanded, were waving handkerchiefs and small 
 Hawaiian and American flags. The Captain stood on 
 the bridge issuing orders in a loud voice. A last be- 
 lated passenger, giving a daring leap, was hauled into 
 a port-hole, amid enthusiastic applause. Many of the 
 passengers were crying. There were several girls return- 
 ing to school after a pleasant holiday at home. One en- 
 tire family was leaving the islands forever, all drowned 
 in tears and smothered in flowers. There were business 
 men, tourists, island folk going up to the " coast " for a 
 trip. On shore were many Americans who had lived 
 half their lifetime in Hawaii but never failed to see 
 the steamer off for " Home. " The younger generation 
 watched the passengers enviously who were going into 
 the great outside world which the natives called 
 [ 295 ] k 
 
THE GIRL FROM HOME 
 
 vaguely "beyond the horizon" or the "cold country." 
 As the heavily laden ship swung slowly out into the 
 stream the band played that heart-breaking Hawaiian 
 air, the " Parting Song." 
 
 "Aloha oe, Aloha oe, 
 E ke ona ana noho ika lipo. 
 A fond embrace, a hoi ae au 
 Until we meet again I " 
 
 The crowd melted, as if by magic. Emma had found 
 Harry, the half -white, who took her off to Hart's for a 
 dish of ice-cream. Mrs. Ross met her old friend Mrs. 
 Halelea who offered her and Lulu a seat in her carriage. 
 They had evidently taken it for granted, in the easy 
 island fashion, that Florence had picked up some friends 
 of her own. 
 
 The young girl stood forlornly at the end of the pier 
 leaning against the pile, and trying hard to keep back 
 the tears. Not even a faint finger of smoke on the 
 horizon showed the track of the Adams. The Suez was 
 already passing the light-house. She sighed wearily and 
 turned, starting violently, to find Christopher Maxwell 
 by her side. 
 
 " I have been looking everywhere for you." He tried 
 to speak calmly, but the sight of her tear stained face 
 and the pathetic droop of her lips moved him deeply. 
 [296] 
 
ALOHA OE 
 
 "I could not be mistaken in you," he said; "tell me I 
 was wrong." 
 
 For sole answer she held out her slim, white hands 
 guiltless of rings. Max took them both in his, with a 
 gentle touch, firm but tender. Florence looked deep 
 into the steadfast grey eyes; all her strength seemed 
 to desert her and she swayed towards him. 
 
 He gathered her close in his arms. " You are my own 
 girl," he whispered. "My sweetheart, my wife," and 
 he kissed her, though there was a shoal of little native 
 boys swimming within a few yards of them. 
 
 She drew a long breath, with a little sob in it. 
 
 " I wanted to explain about the ring," she said, " but 
 I was frightened. Oh, Max, I thought you would never, 
 never know." 
 
 " Know what, sweetheart ? " 
 
 She looked up at him, her face glowing with a new 
 happiness. 
 
 " That I love you," she said. 
 
 THE END 
 
 TUB MCCICRE PRESS, NEW TORE