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saw none of the beauty； but that peered into the labour power； the
factories； the railroads； and the plantations that lay back of the
multitude and which the multitude expressed。 He saw resources and
thought development； and he was too busy with dreams of material
achievement and empire to notice his daughter at his side； talking
with a young fellow in a natty summer suit and straw hat； whose
eager eyes seemed only for her and never left her face。 Had Senator
Jeremy had eyes for his daughter； he would have seen that； in place
of the young girl of fifteen he had brought to Hawaii a short month
before； he was now taking away with him a woman。
Hawaii has a ripening climate； and Dorothy Sambrooke had been
exposed to it under exceptionally ripening circumstances。 Slender；
pale； with blue eyes a trifle tired from poring over the pages of
books and trying to muddle into an understanding of lifesuch she
had been the month before。 But now the eyes were warm instead of
tired； the cheeks were touched with the sun； and the body gave the
first hint and promise of swelling lines。 During that month she had
left books alone； for she had found greater joy in reading from the
book of life。 She had ridden horses； climbed volcanoes； and learned
surf swimming。 The tropics had entered into her blood； and she was
aglow with the warmth and colour and sunshine。 And for a month she
had been in the company of a manStephen Knight； athlete； surf…
board rider； a bronzed god of the sea who bitted the crashing
breakers； leaped upon their backs； and rode them in to shore。
Dorothy Sambrooke was unaware of the change。 Her consciousness was
still that of a young girl； and she was surprised and troubled by
Steve's conduct in this hour of saying good…bye。 She had looked
upon him as her playfellow； and for the month he had been her
playfellow； but now he was not parting like a playfellow。 He talked
excitedly and disconnectedly； or was silent； by fits and starts。
Sometimes he did not hear what she was saying； or if he did； failed
to respond in his wonted manner。 She was perturbed by the way he
looked at her。 She had not known before that he had such blazing
eyes。 There was something in his eyes that was terrifying。 She
could not face it； and her own eyes continually drooped before it。
Yet there was something alluring about it； as well； and she
continually returned to catch a glimpse of that blazing； imperious；
yearning something that she had never seen in human eyes before。
And she was herself strangely bewildered and excited。
The transport's huge whistle blew a deafening blast； and the flower…
crowned multitude surged closer to the side of the dock。 Dorothy
Sambrooke's fingers were pressed to her ears； and as she made a moue
of distaste at the outrage of sound； she noticed again the
imperious； yearning blaze in Steve's eyes。 He was not looking at
her； but at her ears； delicately pink and transparent in the
slanting rays of the afternoon sun。 Curious and fascinated； she
gazed at that strange something in his eyes until he saw that he had
been caught。 She saw his cheeks flush darkly and heard him utter
inarticulately。 He was embarrassed； and she was aware of
embarrassment herself。 Stewards were going about nervously begging
shore…going persons to be gone。 Steve put out his hand。 When she
felt the grip of the fingers that had gripped hers a thousand times
on surf…boards and lava slopes； she heard the words of the song with
a new understanding as they sobbed in the Hawaiian woman's silver
throat：
〃Ka halia ko aloha kai hiki mai；
Ke hone ae nei i ku'u manawa；
O oe no kan aloha
A loko e hana nei。〃
Steve had taught her air and words and meaningso she had thought；
till this instant； and in this instant of the last finger clasp and
warm contact of palms she divined for the first time the real
meaning of the song。 She scarcely saw him go； nor could she note
him on the crowded gangway； for she was deep in a memory maze；
living over the four weeks just past； rereading events in the light
of revelation。
When the Senatorial party had landed； Steve had been one of the
committee of entertainment。 It was he who had given them their
first exhibition of surf riding； out at Waikiki Beach； paddling his
narrow board seaward until he became a disappearing speck； and then；
suddenly reappearing； rising like a sea…god from out of the welter
of spume and churning whiterising swiftly higher and higher；
shoulders and chest and loins and limbs； until he stood poised on
the smoking crest of a mighty； mile…long billow； his feet buried in
the flying foam； hurling beach…ward with the speed of an express
train and stepping calmly ashore at their astounded feet。 That had
been her first glimpse of Steve。 He had been the youngest man on
the committee； a youth； himself； of twenty。 He had not entertained
by speechmaking； nor had he shone decoratively at receptions。 It
was in the breakers at Waikiki； in the wild cattle drive on Manna
Kea； and in the breaking yard of the Haleakala Ranch that he had
performed his share of the entertaining。
She had not cared for the interminable statistics and eternal
speechmaking of the other members of the committee。 Neither had
Steve。 And it was with Steve that she had stolen away from the
open…air feast at Hamakua； and from Abe Louisson； the coffee
planter； who had talked coffee； coffee； nothing but coffee； for two
mortal hours。 It was then； as they rode among the tree ferns； that
Steve had taught her the words of 〃Aloha Oe；〃 the song that had been
sung to the visiting Senators at every village； ranch； and
plantation departure。
Steve and she had been much together from the first。 He had been
her playfellow。 She had taken possession of him while her father
had been occupied in taking possession of the statistics of the
island territory。 She was too gentle to tyrannize over her
playfellow； yet she had ruled him abjectly； except when in canoe； or
on horse or surf…board； at which times he had taken charge and she
had rendered obedience。 And now； with this last singing of the
song； as the lines were cast off and the big transport began backing
slowly out from the dock； she knew that Steve was something more to
her than playfellow。
Five thousand voices were singing 〃Aloha Oe；〃〃MY LOVE BE WITH YOU
TILL WE MEET AGAIN；〃and in that first moment of known love she
realized that she and Steve were being torn apart。 When would they
ever meet again？ He had taught her those words himself。 She
remembered listening as he sang them over and over under the hau
tree at Waikiki。 Had it been prophecy？ And she had admired his
singing； had told him that he sang with such expression。 She
laughed aloud； hysterically； at the recollection。 With such
expression！when he had been pouring his heart out in his voice。
She knew now； and it was too late。 Why had he not spoken？ Then she
realized that girls of her age did not marry。 But girls of her age
did marryin Hawaiiwas her instant thought。 Hawaii had ripened
herHawaii； where flesh is golden and where all women are ripe and
sun…kissed。
Vainly she scanned the packed multitude on the dock。 What had
become of him？ She felt she could pay any price for one more
glimpse of him； and she almost hoped that some mortal sickness would
strike the lonely captain on the bridge and delay departure。 For
the first time in her life she looked at her father with a
calculating eye； and as she did she noted with newborn fear the
lines of will and determination。 It would be terrible to oppose
him。 And what chance would she have in such a struggle？ But why
had Steve not spoken？ Now it was too late。 Why had he not spoken
under the hau tree at Waikiki？
And then； with a great sinking of the heart； it came to her that she
knew why。 What was it she had heard one day？ Oh； yes； it was at
Mrs。 Stanton's tea； that afternoon when the ladies of the
〃Missionary Crowd〃 had entertained the ladies of the Senatorial
party。 It was Mrs。 Hodgkins； the tall blonde woman； who had asked
the question。 The scene came back to her vividlythe broad lanai；
the tropic flowers； the noiseless Asiatic attendants； the hum of the
voices of the many women and the question Mrs。 Hodgkins had asked in
the group next to her。 Mrs。 Hodgkins had been away on the mainland
for years； and was evidently inquiring after old island friends of
her maiden days。 〃What has become of Susie Maydwell？〃 was the
question she had asked。 〃Oh； we never see her any more； she married
Willie Kupele；〃 another island woman answered。 And Senator
Behrend's wife laughed and wanted to know why matrimony had affected
Susie Maydwell's friendships。
〃Hapa…haole；〃 was the answer； 〃he was a half…caste； you