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to pass。 You must either prove or； or 。 。 。 〃
〃Prove it yourself。 Turn around and look at him。 You've got him in
profile。 Look at his nose。 That's Isaac Ford's。 Yours is a thin
edition of it。 That's right。 Look。 The lines are fuller； but they
are all there。〃
Percival Ford looked at the Kanaka half…breed who played under the
hau tree； and it seemed； as by some illumination； that he was gazing
on a wraith of himself。 Feature after feature flashed up an
unmistakable resemblance。 Or； rather； it was he who was the wraith
of that other full…muscled and generously moulded man。 And his
features； and that other man's features； were all reminiscent of
Isaac Ford。 And nobody had told him。 Every line of Isaac Ford's
face he knew。 Miniatures； portraits； and photographs of his father
were passing in review through his mind； and here and there； over
and again； in the face before him； he caught resemblances and vague
hints of likeness。 It was devil's work that could reproduce the
austere features of Isaac Ford in the loose and sensuous features
before him。 Once； the man turned； and for one flashing instant it
seemed to Percival Ford that he saw his father； dead and gone；
peering at him out of the face of Joe Garland。
〃It's nothing at all；〃 he could faintly hear Dr。 Kennedy saying；
〃They were all mixed up in the old days。 You know that。 You've
seen it all your life。 Sailors married queens and begat princesses
and all the rest of it。 It was the usual thing in the Islands。〃
〃But not with my father；〃 Percival Ford interrupted。
〃There you are。〃 Kennedy shrugged his shoulders。 〃Cosmic sap and
smoke of life。 Old Isaac Ford was straitlaced and all the rest； and
I know there's no explaining it； least of all to himself。 He
understood it no more than you do。 Smoke of life； that's all。 And
don't forget one thing； Ford。 There was a dab of unruly blood in
old Isaac Ford； and Joe Garland inherited itall of it； smoke of
life and cosmic sap； while you inherited all of old Isaac's ascetic
blood。 And just because your blood is cold； well…ordered； and well…
disciplined； is no reason that you should frown upon Joe Garland。
When Joe Garland undoes the work you do； remember that it is only
old Isaac Ford on both sides； undoing with one hand what he does
with the other。 You are Isaac Ford's right hand； let us say； Joe
Garland is his left hand。〃
Percival Ford made no answer； and in the silence Dr。 Kennedy
finished his forgotten Scotch and soda。 From across the grounds an
automobile hooted imperatively。
〃There's the machine；〃 Dr。 Kennedy said； rising。 〃I've got to run。
I'm sorry I've shaken you up； and at the same time I'm glad。 And
know one thing； Isaac Ford's dab of unruly blood was remarkably
small； and Joe Garland got it all。 And one other thing。 If your
father's left hand offend you； don't smite it off。 Besides； Joe is
all right。 Frankly； if I could choose between you and him to live
with me on a desert isle； I'd choose Joe。〃
Little bare…legged children ran about him； playing； on the grass；
but Percival Ford did not see them。 He was gazing steadily at the
singer under the hau tree。 He even changed his position once； to
get closer。 The clerk of the Seaside went by； limping with age and
dragging his reluctant feet。 He had lived forty years on the
Islands。 Percival Ford beckoned to him； and the clerk came
respectfully； and wondering that he should be noticed by Percival
Ford。
〃John；〃 Ford said； 〃I want you to give me some information。 Won't
you sit down？〃
The clerk sat down awkwardly； stunned by the unexpected honour。 He
blinked at the other and mumbled； 〃Yes； sir； thank you。〃
〃John； who is Joe Garland？〃
The clerk stared at him； blinked； cleared his throat； and said
nothing。
〃Go on；〃 Percival Ford commanded。
〃Who is he？〃
〃You're joking me； sir；〃 the other managed to articulate。
〃I spoke to you seriously。〃
The clerk recoiled from him。
〃You don't mean to say you don't know？〃 he questioned； his question
in itself the answer。
〃I want to know。〃
〃Why； he's〃 John broke off and looked about him helplessly。
〃Hadn't you better ask somebody else？ Everybody thought you knew。
We always thought 。 。 。 〃
〃Yes； go ahead。〃
〃We always thought that that was why you had it in for him。〃
Photographs and miniatures of Isaac Ford were trooping through his
son's brain； and ghosts of Isaac Ford seemed in the air about hint
〃I wish you good night； sir；〃 he could hear the clerk saying； and he
saw him beginning to limp away。
〃John；〃 he called abruptly。
John came back and stood near him； blinking and nervously moistening
his lips。
〃You haven't told me yet； you know。〃
〃Oh； about Joe Garland？〃
〃Yes； about Joe Garland。 Who is he？〃
〃He's your brother； sir； if I say it who shouldn't。〃
〃Thank you； John。 Good night。〃
〃And you didn't know？〃 the old man queried； content to linger； now
that the crucial point was past。
〃Thank you； John。 Good night；〃 was the response。
〃Yes； sir； thank you； sir。 I think it's going to rain。 Good night；
sir。〃
Out of the clear sky； filled only with stars and moonlight； fell a
rain so fine and attenuated as to resemble a vapour spray。 Nobody
minded it； the children played on； running bare…legged over the
grass and leaping into the sand； and in a few minutes it was gone。
In the south…east； Diamond Head； a black blot； sharply defined；
silhouetted its crater…form against the stars。 At sleepy intervals
the surf flung its foam across the sands to the grass； and far out
could be seen the black specks of swimmers under the moon。 The
voices of the singers； singing a waltz； died away； and in the
silence； from somewhere under the trees； arose the laugh of a woman
that was a love…cry。 It startled Percival Ford； and it reminded him
of Dr。 Kennedy's phrase。 Down by the outrigger canoes； where they
lay hauled out on the sand； he saw men and women； Kanakas； reclining
languorously； like lotus…eaters； the women in white holokus； and
against one such holoku he saw the dark head of the steersman of the
canoe resting upon the woman's shoulder。 Farther down； where the
strip of sand widened at the entrance to the lagoon； he saw a man
and woman walking side by side。 As they drew near the light lanai；
he saw the woman's hand go down to her waist and disengage a
girdling arm。 And as they passed him； Percival Ford nodded to a
captain he knew； and to a major's daughter。 Smoke of life； that was
it； an ample phrase。 And again； from under the dark algaroba tree
arose the laugh of a woman that was a love…cry； and past his chair；
on the way to bed； a bare…legged youngster was led by a chiding
Japanese nurse…maid。 The voices of the singers broke softly and
meltingly into an Hawaiian love…song； and officers and women； with
encircling arms； were gliding and whirling on the lanai； and once
again the woman laughed under the algaroba trees。
And Percival Ford knew only disapproval of it all。 He was irritated
by the love…laugh of the woman； by the steersman with pillowed head
on the white holoku； by the couples that walked on the beach； by the
officers and women that danced； and by the voices of the singers
singing of love； and his brother singing there with them under the
hau tree。 The woman that laughed especially irritated him。 A
curious train of thought was aroused。 He was Isaac Ford's son； and
what had happened with Isaac Ford might happen with him。 He felt in
his cheeks the faint heat of a blush at the thought； and experienced
a poignant sense of shame。 He was appalled by what was in his
blood。 It was like learning suddenly that his father had been a
leper and that his own blood might bear the taint of that dread
disease。 Isaac Ford； the austere soldier of the Lordthe old
hypocrite！ What difference between him and any beach…comber？ The
house of pride that Percival Ford had builded was tumbling about his
ears。
The hours passed； the army people laughed and danced； the native
orchestra played on； and Percival Ford wrestled with the abrupt and
overwhelming problem that had been thrust upon him。 He prayed
quietly； his elbow on the table； his head bowed upon his hand； with
all the appearance of any tired onlooker。 Between the dances the
army men and women and the civilians fluttered up to him and buzzed
conventionally； and when they went back to the lanai he took up his
wrestling where he had left it off。
He began to patch together his shattered ideal of Isaac Ford； and
for cement he used a cunning and subtle logic。 It was of the sort
that is compounded in the brain laboratories of egotists； and it
worked。 It was incontrovertible that his father had been made of