TWO GENTLEMEN OF HAWAII.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 239, 6 October 1894, Page 1 (Supplement)

TWO GENTLEMEN OF HAWAII.

StY SEWABD W. HOPKINS,

/ Author of 'In the China Sea,' etc

fcflA pTBR XXX—(Continued). RtfORE t^ altar knelt about twenty ieflte, ottering what X reco Knißed from Jorrible familiarity as prayers to the goddess PeleBack of the priests sab a few women and children, all native*. Evidently the entir Q population of the village we had passed was jnßide the temple. •We mußb surprise them by a show of '^tisKTin whisper. The jnen were ready to march in with rifles at '^Fctfward !' commanded Gordon, in a loThe°command and the tramp of soldiers Jrbled the natives. They turned and saw " Then with shriek* of terror they ran md the temple seeking for a means of aoe The man in the altar looked ab us Swe approachod, calmly and reflectively. He did not Boem to be alarmed. • y a iti!' commanded Gordon. Then, turning to the man at the altar, he M * Listen to me. We have nob come to make war on you. We are looking for a person named Jean Chicob. Ho is deBcribed aa a Frenchman, looking much like We know he is somewhere in the \Vailuku Valley. If you are Jean Chicot, _ ou are the man we want. Come to us, and these people may depart in peace.' The white-haired man waved hia hand. •I am Jean Chicot,' he.said. 'I know yoo not. I know not why you seek me. yen I will come to you.' _ flia vo i Co wbb the voice of an old, old man. He caiae toward us, and we noticed Mro&'he tottered with ago. 'Jjob very formidable now, ab any rate, said Gordon. . YVhy don't you shoot those priests ? asked Seacamp, savagely. ' Are you going to lob the reptiles oscape ?' 1 We came after Chicob,' was Gordon s

reply. ' You represent the queen. lam yours, eaid Chicob to Gordon. •There ia no queen. I represent tho government,' replied Gordon. 'No queen? Ib Liliuokalani dead t 'No. She has been deposed. Hawaii is now a republic' 'Save us, Pele!' ejaculated old Chicob. • When did this happen ?' 'Some time ago,' replied Gordon, testily. He had nob come up the Wailuku Valley to talk history. ' Leo us sib down. We wanb to talk to yon.' The priests and other natives wenb oub, and Gordou ordered that the sentinel be lobfree. We wenb down where bhe priests had been and seated ourselves on the wooden benches. 'I turn him over to you, Tom," aaid Gordon. •Jean Chicot,' I said, 'where is your daughter Annette V 'Dead.' ' Whore is your granddaughter Helene ?' The old man sprang ab me, but was aeized and pushed back to his seat. ' Who are you ?' he said. 'Myndlne is Warringford. I replied. . 'ftytetf name!' ho cried,tabbing hishavfds to^ihdr'ftnd exhibiting tnuch emotion. 'Another Warringford wronged me and wronged my daughter ; and now you come with soldiers to seize Helene.' 1 Where is she ?' I asked. He did not reply. 'Now, see here, Jean Ohicoti, I said. 'Iwill tell you the whole atory, and then perhaps you will help me. My uncle, Thomas Warringford, is dead. Ho left paper and a will telling of bis mnrriage to your daughter Annette. He told all aboub how she left him, how you efcolo her away from him, and took also the litfctle Helone. Yet, ia his lasb wish, ho forgives, and dediroa Helene, his daughter, to receive his estate. In other words, Helene is the heiress of my uncle's fortune. I musb find Helens and give over to her the estate which is now in my charge. Yon musb do two things :< You musb show me proofs that Helene is the daughter of my uncle, and you musb show me, if you still have ib, the marriage certificate of Annette, your daughter. Then you niusb find Helene for me.' The old man looked ab me, dazed. 'Helena the heiress,' he murmured. 'Holene, my little Helene, thab I taught and loved, the heiress of tbab Warringford V. i'lbis true,'l said. 'Do nob let?aa waste any time.' 'Where is Helene?' askod Gordon impatiently. Ib she hidden here ?' 'No. When she was little she was here, and I taughb her. Ah ! How well I taughb her. She is noble, is Helene. She is grand. But she is a woman now. Ah ! She is more than a woman, she is a priestess.'

' A priestess!' I cried. * Where is she ?' 1 Nob here,' was Chicofc's reply. ' Far »w»y; bob we will find her. Come with me.' - ■

Hb led us oub of the temple and back through the valtey. Ho was weeping. Whether ib was joy, jwrojr, surprise or imbeciFity that caused him to woap I did not know or caro. Around us dark faces peered from the treea, and "surpriaed-looking eyes followed wain oUr return tramp. Now and then a pneati would show himself then darb away again. There was no sign of warfare. Our display of eoldiers forbade thab. "8 reached the village, no longer deserted. The women had returned and we™, preparing their poi for supper. Chicofc led us to a larger and bettorequipped house than the reafe. 'Here is my houae,' he said. • Helene will not know me now. She will be a great J 8"y. She will no longer care for the old teacher.'

'What is that? The old teacher?1 I asked. • \j OQ6 Helena nob know you as ncr grandfather V 'No. Heleno is a prieatesp. She is taught that she is immortal. That is the w»y the K»mmiloukanilimawai teaches its pnestessos of Pele. No, Helene knows me ?"ly an the old teacher. She lived yonder |n tho tomp'.e, and I taughb her there. She a.~' * have, Helene, and now you come wh soldiers to take her from me!' J shall nob take her from you. You may go with mo to find Helene, and, if she i>KBB, »bo can take you to live with her, for «olene will be wealthy and can do what •bo likes.'

.i.'jh!' whispered the old man. 'Will "no do that? Ah ! I would not like to lose toy Helene.'

He fumbled among some papers in a box ne took from BO mo corner of his hut. Is your wife dead ?' asked Gordon. *«• Helene is all I have.1 t> I° w 'OD K nave you been teaching of

'Many years. Ib is a beautiful thing, tbaworgbipof Pole.' Cr»zy as a bedbug,' said Seocamp. „-,"?"? «8 an owl. It's a wonder he hasn't "enticed Helene to Pele long before this.1 face 6 Bhowed ibaelf in the old man>B i 'l have it here,'he said. »9 handed me a roll tied with a ribbon.

I undid ib. Ib was a marriage certificate.

In one corner was a picture of Uncle Tom. In the other—

A mist came over my eyes. My hands trembled and the paper shook. I felt a sensation of horror go all through me. My brain eeemed hot. My heart almost burst. 'What's tho matter?' hoarsely asked Gordon. ' Tom, Tom, man, speak ! Whab is ib ? Anything wrong with the marriage certificate ?'

• That face ! Thab face !' I cried, hurling the paper ab him and covering my eyes to shut out the Bight.

' A beautiful face, 1 said Gordon, wondoringly. 'A lovely face. No wonder your uncle fell in love with it. This is the picture of Annette, is it, Joan Chicob?'

' Yes; ib is Annette, the mother of Helene. 1

' God !' I said. ' Help me in thia hour of trial. That face — that face —ib is the priestess of Pele—Kaumai—the woman I loved—the murderess ot my sister—the woman we have sworn to kill ? Oh, whab mystery is this. Whab miserable fate is this that makes a murderess of my uncle's wife, the mother of Helene?'

'No !' shouted Chicob. ' This ia nob the picture of Helone. It is the picture of Annette, her mother. Helene looks like her mother—very much like her.'

• And Helene !' I cried. ' Speak, man, fool beasb. . Where is Helene ?'

'On Lanai, in the temple of Pelo there, on Kapatoli.'

J fe'ifc myself going. I grew dizzy nnd faint with horror.

vSeacamp whipped a flask of brandy out of his pocket.

' Here old man, fcike a pull at this. Do you good. Good American stuff. California.'

I drank the fiery stuff and pulled myself together.

•Comt),M said. 'There is nothing else to do. My uncle's wishes musb be carried out. Afterward—afterward —God's will be done!'

Silently and slowly we trudged down the valley towards Wailuku. Silently, because that had happened which tilled us with horror. Slowly, because it was getting on toward night, and the mountains hid the moon. Slowly, too, because .lean Chicot, tottering, yeo strong, walked with us. Gordon strode ahead, smoking furiously. He frequently had to wait for us to come up with him. On his face was a dark ominous look, foreboding ill. And it was no gentle hand that helped Jean Chicot over rough places. ' The devil's in it all, 1 I heard Seacamp grumble to himself. ' 1 can't understand it, buD the devil is now on top.' CHAPTER XXXI. Back through Pailolo Strait. The engines of the Aumo could not send her through the water f&sb enough for us. Jean Chicot eat crouched near the rail, watching us furtively. We paid little attention to him. He was there to do our bidding. Ho was tractable enough, and would cause no trouble. The sight of so many soldiers had driven all the wickedness out of him. And, indeed, he was not bo wicked as he was demented. Long familiarity with the worshippers of Pele had so worked upon his weak intellect that it had been an easy matter for him to become one of them. And, like all Frenchmen, once in their ranks, he threw his entire nature into the idolatry and became the worst, fanatic of the lot. Bub Pele could not save him from armed soldiers. Ho was looking out for the safety of Jean Chicot, and this safety lay in obedience. Soacamp sat neer the old Frenchman and smoked. At times he would attempt to lead the old man into conversation, but found in him a very indifferent listener. Chicot's eyes were fixed on me. He did nob care what Seacamp was saying. Gordon and X paced tho dock impatiently. ■"•■' * ■ "■ ■ '"•"' " j Making a turn forward, I stepped alongside my comrade, who had for the moment pauEod, and stood with his glass in hand scanning the,heighta of Lanai. ■I am trembling with excitement,' I said. A grim smile played around his mouth. He was a contrast to me. He was so calm, ao strong. There was on his handsome, rugged face a purpose well defined. It meant bub little good to the person we were going to seek. ' What is yoac purpose ?' lie asked. • Suppose we find this wretch—Kaumai or Helene or the devil—whichever she is ? Do you mean to say you will give your uncla'a estate over into her hands ?' • Ib was my uncle's wish.1 ' But she is the murderess of Winnie.' 'I know. She could have saved her. Bub sho is my uncle's daughter.' • But she played you false.' 'Yes; bub tho will musb stand. She must have what is hers.' Gordon moved impatiently. ' After that?' he mutterod. 'She deserves punishment. There is a law in the land. Lob her abide by it.' ' Law ab any time is Blow.' ' True. I have sworn to kill her, bub I cannot havo the blood of my cousin on my hands—or yours. 1 • Cousin ? Aq outrage on the relation.' 'True. An outrage on all womahood if you will, bub she is the heiress of The Corals.' I examined the rapidly nearing coaeb. ' It lam nob mistaken,' I said, pointing to what seemed bo be a little bay in the rocky shore, ' thab is where Patua landed me. Let us go ashore there. From there I can easily find my way. The map of that horrible place is burned into my brain. I ca™ fee ib all—do see ib—have seen ib since the day hell opened and peace departed from my life.' Wo were both very pale. We were on an errand the like of which no man had ever been on befcre. a Wo were going to place upon a pedestal of gold a heathen idol. A woman who had falsely claimed she loved me, only to wring my soul iv agony; a woman who haU spurned the love that in the great gratitude sho might have won, would have been enduring for all time : a woman whose cruel adherence to a hideous unearthly form of worship had lost to me a beautiful and loving sister, and to Gordon the one he hoped to wed ; this woman we wore—or I was— bound by my uncle's will to tenderly care for, to place in possession of her groat inheritance. It was hard. Ib was hard to forget the horrid scenes that 1 had been through, to sink my hatred of the traitress behind my obedience to Uncle Tom. The struggle had cosb me dear, but right was triumphant Helene should have her own. Again the Aumo's boats were lowered, and we went ashore.

A large fishing-boab was lying up on bhe rocks high out of reach of bhe tide. I examined it. Ib was Patua's boat. It had been thrown on the rock by a etorm and was battered and broken.

This ia Patua's boat,' I said. 'It is the same one that I came here in. The fisherman musb have been overcome by the volcano.' *■ '1 ccc no evidence of a volcano,' said Gordon.

* Ycu could nob see any signs of ib here, no matter how severe an eruption there was. Between us and Kapatoli there are high walls of rock which would stop tho flow. Tho lava could sweep down tho mountain side and across the plains on tho other side, bub would be held in check on this side.'

' Hurry op,' said Soacamp. ' Lst's geb tho job over nnd get bank to Christianity. This place and the other we have jusb left, fills me with chills and fever. Ib'a enough to give a man perpetual horrors. After this I'll attend to my own business. 1 can run a hotel aa Well as anybody in Hawaii, good grub, good beds, and firsb-clasa American home coAJOrta. But when ib coniee to hunt

ing spooks and goddeeeaa and crazy priests, lam nob in ib any more. No sirree! Come on, let's find tho beautiful Helene and yank her oub of bhis before she gets us fired into a volcano.'

Gordon gave him a look thab silenced him.

' Lead the way, Tom,' said Gordon. 'You know the road. We will follow.'

Gordon was close behind me. After him came Jean Cbicob, then Seacamp, then the soldiers.

I led them into the deep gulf thab led the way to the Temple of the Glistening Rock. ' You must have had creepy sensations when you went through here alone,' eaid Gordon.

'I felt better than I do now.. I was full of hope. Now all is misery. Look oub there, the road is rough and the light poor.'

' Confound thab rock !' I heard Seacatap sputter back of us. 'I'll break my American neck over this heathen business before I get through.'

I walked more rapidly than I had on my first visit. I seemed to know the road perfectly. I found no difficulty in picking my way. Gordon came alone splendidly, bub Seacamp and Chicob stumbled and fell and cursed and grumbled as we hurried them along. ' I see light ahead,' Gordon said. 'It is the Temple of the Glistening Rock,' I said. /Thais is where I waited for Nimolau, 'who took me before Kaumai.' We quickened our steps. ' There is someone there,' said Gordon. I rushed into the broad basin called the Temple of the Glistening Hock. A man sab with his back to the rock, facing the gulf or entrance to the temple. He wa? calmly eating a banana. . It was Nimolau. ' I sprung toward him and seized him. 1 Hell-dog !' I roared, hardly able to desisb from slaying him on the spot. Bub that I needed his assistance to find Helene, ho would have diod thab moment. ' You miserable cur! You worthless pup of •Satan ! Murderer ! Do you know I have come to kill you V I shook him roughly. The soldiers crowded around. They needed bub a word to put Nimolau oub of the world. Bub Nimolau was the same calm Nimolau. 'I thoughb you would come,' ho said. I 1 have been waiting tor you.1 'Waiting for me!' I cried. 'Has the place nob done mo harm enough thab it should wait for me again ? But lam here, and if your murdering priestess lives I want to see her.' ' Ib is an easy thing,' he said. • Follow me.' ' Devilish cool!' muttered Gordon. • One would think be had done you a favour once.' ' Jusb so,' said Nimolau, turning to me. ' The last time you were here you had some good cigars. Gob any now?' I roared an oath ab him. ' No,' I said. ' Lead us bo Kaumai, or I'll scatter your brains on this Glistening Bock.' ' Come on,' he «aid. * We followed him, as I had done before, through the dark passage-way, the guide going ahead of us with his lantern. When we emerged from bhab. passage and came oub on the mountain side I saw fresh lava here and there. ' There it is,' I said. • The eruption was slight, after all.' - ' Ib was the sacrifice,' said Nimolan, looking ab me. There was a curious light in bis eyes. I clutched him by the throab. * Wai!;,'said Gordon. • Let him take us to Helene and then we can deal with him.' We followed him up tho mountain and down into the crater. He entered tho tomplo where I had seen co many horrors. A cold shudder crept over mo. There was one relief. No priest could be seen. ' Wbero are tho priests ?' I asked Nimolau. 'Some are down there,' he replied, pointing iiito the lake1 of lava, no longer rumbling or smoking. 'Thesoldiers killed them and Patua and I buried them in there. The others are wandering aboub bbc island. There was no way bo leave it for Patua's boab was broken in a storm.' ' And the Kammiloukanilimawai V I asked. ' Whab of that?' Ho did not answer. He stepped toward thab chamber in which Kaumai had sheltered me and had raised my hopes and bado me trust her. Nimolau gave a peculiar cry. 'Go in,' hesaid. Gordon and I, with our nerves braced, dragging Jean Chicob between us, stopped into the chamber of the priestess. Tremblingly, paralysed in limb and tongue, wo stood there. Two boautiful women came to greeb us. One was Kaumai, more radianb, more lovely than ever. Tho other—God open my eyes clearer thab I may eee!—was IVinnie. ' Winnie !' I cried ab lasfa, lost in a fog of bewilderment. 'Winnie!' My voice vvaa broken ; my eighb dim. I could say no more than that. ' Winnie !' Ib was no phantom. My sister's arms were around my neck. She was weeping nnd kissing me, and I was weeping and kissing her. ' God be praised !' I exclaimed at last. ' But I saw you thrown into the lava lako. How were you rescued and by whom ?' A happy laugh drove her tears away. ' I wasn't thrown In, Tom dear,' sho said, and now she found time to stretch ont her hand to Gordon, who stood staring ab her and at Kaumai and ab the room in which we stood. 'Ib was only a bundle thab was thrown in, Tom. Kaumai was true, and saved me. Nimolau and Pabua were true to us and her and did not be^ay the secret.' Now she lowered her voice to a whisper. ' And Kaumai loves you, Tom, and saved me for you, and I love Kaumai.' My eyes were swimming with bears. Through them I could see Kaumai, beautiful Kaumai, crouching upon a cushion, her face buried in her hands. Gordon found his tongue, and with the light of a resurrected love struggling for the mastery with th 6 wonderment in hie eyes, he took Winnie and told her how happy he was bo find her.

1 stepped to Kaumai'a Bide. She knew my footstep and jumped to her feet. • You could not trust me !' she cried, shrinking from me. ' I trust you now,' I said. ' I trust you, love you and worship you. Come !' I held out my arms. Sho camo to me. Ah ! The misery was wiped oub in that embrace of love. It needed no words to say that Kauraai loved me. This beautifui woman, whose only teachers had been Jean Chicob and Nature, was mine. She had earned my love, my gratitude, my trust. With my arm around her waist I burned to Jean Chicob.

• The old Frenchman stood palsied with surprise, fear and bewilderment, rubbing his bands together and moaning to himself. Seacamp ftood with his hands in his pockets Btaring with wide-open eyes, and pale face at Winnie, at Kaumai and at me. ' Speak !' I commanded Jean Chicob. • 1 know your answer, but I brought you here to discover Helene. Speak ! Is this the daughter of Thomas Warringford ?' ' Yes,' hoarsely cried the old man. 'That is Helene. She does not know me. She does nob know mo !'

I bent and kissed my priestess again. 'You are my cousin,' I said, 'and a fortune is waiting you at Honolulu.' She tenderly put her hand in mine nnd drew me toward Winnie and Gordon. Embracing Winnie and me she said : ' I have my fortune now.' •Kaumai our cousin !' exclaimed Winnie. •Uncle Tom's daughter; and Uncle Tom is dead.' •Yes,' I replied. ' Kaunoai belongs to us. Uncle Tom lefb her to us to cara for—and how tenderly we shall do ib.' . I noticed the bappinese was not all with

us, Winnie looked with bright eyes into Gordon's face, and the general of the army wore hia honours proudly.

' You had better speak to old Chicofc,' I said. • Helene, I will call you Helene hereafter, for that is your name. You will learn all about yourself when we reach home. 1 1 Home !' she murmured, ' home ! Whab a strange, sweet word ! I thought this horrid place was home, until your darling sister taught me better. She has opened my eyes even more than you could in that brief talk that) awful day. Yea, I will speak to him,' she continued pointing to Chicot. *He is the old man I told you used to teach me in that temple long ago.' She stepped before Chicoc. Something of her old grandeur came to her as she stood before him and said :

' Old man, for your teachings I owe you gratitude and hatred. You were in one way kind and in another cruel. I have learned wisdom from my sister, there,' pointing proudly at Winnie, 'and I know that the horrid fallacies you taught me wore but the phantasies of a disordered brain. That you wilfully did wrong Ido not believe, yet you made me a hater of my people, and almosb a murderess. Bub for the joy that has como out of it, the love and happiness that are now mine,' and here she stepped back and held Winnie's hand in one of here and mine in the, other, '1 for give you. 1 do nob know what you are to me. There is a mystery to bo cleared away, but not by you, save as you are bidden by these pooplo. When you have done your duty to them and me our ways must part forever. To-day 1 begin a life that shall be free from idolatry, save as I idolife those who love me, and whom I love. You have done wrong. I cannot love you.'

The old man waa on bis knoes, his white head bowed with prief and humiliation.

' lie kind to him,' I said. ' You do nob know what a disordered brain will do. He is nob wholly responsible. Troab him kindly. He has not long to live.' ' Then live in peace,' aha said softly, bending and stroking the old man's head. ' I forgive you—and I will love you.' The old Frenchman sobbed. ' Now away home,' I said gayly. •We came to find Helene, and we have found her. We were eager to be avenged, and our vengeance is of tho sweetest. Gordon, this spot shall be sacred while you and I live. Every other templo of tho Kammiloukanilimawai must bo destroyed, but in this one wo will como once a year and have a feast and perpetuate tho memory of this great day of thanksgiving, when we found our sweet rovenge.' ' Hurray !' shrieked Jollroy Seacamp, who had up to that moment been like stone. 'Hurray! Hurray? Hurray! Now let the eagle ecroam and lot the red wine flow. At the American Hotel every American in Hawaii shall, on the anniversary of this day every yoar, have meat and drink, and all as free as air. Gosh ! I thoughb I was going to be tongued-tied there for a spell. But pardon my—my apparent rudeness, ladies, 1 am so happy I am afraid I'll bu'3b,' and the good-natured fellow danced in glee and shook the hand of first ono and then another, and even shook hands all around with the grinning eoldiors. 'Come, lot us get. off,' I said. • Every-' thing can bo explained on the Aumo.' ' Explanations be hanged!' said Seacamp. ' Ain't you had explanations enough? Ibs all clear enough excepb thab sacrifice business.1 Helene laughed. ' I hid Winnie,'she said, "and Nimolau and Pafcua throw a, sack of earth into the lake. Thab satisfied the priests, because they didn'b know differently. Bub the soldiers came and carried you off before ib could ba explained, and we have been waiting and weeping for you ever since.' ' Our weeping and waiting are over, 1 said Winnie, ad we left the placo, ' Our waiting, bub not weeping, is over,' I replied. ' Uncle Tom is dead.' ' Yes, poor Uncle Tom I' she said. ' But. he left us Helono.1 . Yes, he had lofb us Helene. How my heart rejoiced thab he had lefb us Helene ! ' One thing more remains to be explained,' I said, as we led Winnie and Helene back bo the landing placo. ' How did you escape the torrent of lava, and upon what have you subsisted since.' ' There was no torrent,' replied Helene. 1 A few groat jets spurted hundreds of feet into the air, throwing.the lava oub on the mountain side. None of ib penotraied our hiding-place. Bub the eruption frightened the priests so that not ono of thorn has been near us since. Nimolau and Patua brought us food—bananas, taro and rice. Nimolau and Patua have been kind and faithful, Patua is oven now somewhere on the island looking for a way bo get off.' • They shall bo rewarded,' 1 said. ' They have earned it.'

CHAPTER XXXII. The world that was dark had grown light) again. All Hawaii was stirred by the nowa of the restoration of Winnie and the discovery of my uncle's daughter. Tho first to congratulate me waß Presidenb Dole. Gordon's love walked straight into Winnie's heart). She loved him only loss than the passionate devotion of Helene to mo, We were four happy people. Helene would nob lieton to any proposition of mine to make her the heiress of Uncle Tom's esbate. She insisted that the will Rhould stand and the fortune should be divided into thirds, Winnie was to receive' her Bharo and I mine. Ib did not make much differenco to me, for what was Heleno'a would bo of equal benefit to me. So Mr Berkton and President.Dole settled the estate in that way. A.II the smaller legacies were paid as Uncle Tom had desired, but they made very little inroad on our immense fortune. We found ourselves very wealthy. Even a third of Uncle Tom's fortune was a fortune in itself.

Not long after the return to The Coral?, there was a double wedding, at which Winnie became Gordon's bride and Helene mine. President Dole acted in the capacity of parent to Winnie, and old Jean Chicot tottered forward, and, in his trembling voice, trave Helene, my beautiful Kauunai. into my keeping. The representatives of the nations wore there, and the ladies of the diplomatic circles took tho two beautiful brides to their hearts at onco.

President Dole was in his happiest mood. When ho came to us to offer his congratulations, than which none could be more sincere, he said :

'As thiß great lighb of happiness is dawning for you, so is the dawn coming once more for our little country. I received dispatches from Washington fco-day stating that our position was becoming better"understood thore and thab there was a revulsion of popular feeling in our favor. There is no longer any talk of restoring the queen, and the government of the Uoibod States has ab last opened its eyes to the fact that these islands are "of the utmost importance as a coaling station, if American naval power in the Pacific would be maintained. I do nob know what will be done, but there will ab laab be peace. Wo ahall have no more intrigues and madness on the parb of the ex-queen's adherents. Minister Willis, as you see, is on the friendliest footing and acknowledges that his former understanding of the matter was superficial and faulty. There will be plenty for you to do in assisting us to make the name of Hawaii a proud one belore the world. Gordon is where he belongs. You, Warringford, must go into tho cabinet.' 'Not now,' I said. 'And you must grant Gordon ft leave of absence. It is our intention to tnUe a journey to America and to Europe. My priestess here has seen very little of the world, and a few months of travel and sightseeing will do much to erase the pictures that must now linger in her brain.' • True, true, 1 said President Dole. 'Go, enjoy yourselves ; bub return. I need you both. In fact, I need all four of you.'

1 Do nob fear thab wo may nob reborn. There are too many heart-ties that bind us to Hawaii,' I replied, 'sad though some of them may be. Is it not so, my priestess ?' ' Yes,' said Helene. ' Hawaii must be oar home? and in thab happy and glorious future that is opening to us we shall live and forgst the past—you the strife, the aorrow, the trials, I the dreams and vagaries that once enthralled me.'

Then Do'cbor Warren and Doctor Tilling came ud. •

' Well, we two have pulled you through a good many tough spots,' said Tilling. • Mr3 Warringford owes us a debb of gratitude.'

•I feel ifc, indeed I do," aaid Helene. flbleßs you, children,' said old Doctor Warren, before whose sacred head I bowed in reverence. ' May God's blessing rest on you all. You are going away, so they tall me. Well, perhaps I shall nob be here when you return, but take my blessing and love with you around the world. 1

Oh what kind words were said thab day. From all sides the expressions of regard were bhe sweetest. And the heavens beamed upon no fonder nor happier hearts than ours. The day before we' were going to sail, Gordon lounged into the library from the porch, where he had been Bitting, and saw me on a step-ladder nailing something in the wall.

4 What the mischief are you up to now ?' he asked. 'Have you turned carpenter, gone daft, or what ?'

'None of them,' I replied. '1 am preparing a work of arb upon which future generations will dwell with awe and admiration.'

1 Get your head oub of the way eg I can see it, 1 he said.

I gave a nail a final rap and stepped down. Up on the wall, over a coral bracket, was a girdle of brilliant stones from which the light flashed in bright colours. Under it was the legend :

' Kaumai, the lasfa of the Priestesses of Pete.'

Gordon laughed. When Winnie Baw it she laughed. When Helene saw ib she looked grave. Bub I surveyed ib with pride. it did not, however, awe any future generations. Upon our return from our tour through America and Europe, Helene, who had become a very wise sorb of wife, tore the thing down and used the jewele for dress trimmings. I remonstrated.

' I wanted to keep thab to remember the days on Kapatoli,' I said: She opened her big eyes and lifted her brows saucily.

' Well, doar, you have me, and if you cannob remember those days when you look at me I am sure theße baubles would not refresh your memory.' See whab a slave a man may become even in his own domain.

CHAPTER XXXIII. Prosperity has come to Hawaii. The darkness of ignorance, superstition and idolatry have been chaeed away by the light of education and peace. The march of progress is extending into every one of the inhabited islands, and the increasing comforts of the people, under a satisfactory and common sense government, have destroyed all the power once held by the exqueen's adherents. There is no more Kammiloukanilitnawai. Ib went down under the severe menace ot the law, and I ita temples were destroyed. All save that on Kapatoli, which was left intacb ab the request of Gordon and inyaolf. Our wedding tour lasted nearly a year. We visited tho many places of interest and scenic beauty in the United States, the Yosemite Valley, Yellowstone Park, aud Lower California. We made stops afi all the principal citieß, chiefly New York, Chicago, aud Washington. We w'enb to London, thence to Paris, where we remained for e'omo little time. From there wo wepti to Nice and \did the fcyjora: Egypti and tho' Nile and Burmab vreire visited and studied. ; Then back to Honolulu. •'• Helone and Winnio thoroughly enjoyod i his travel, and wo all benefited by it very much. To Uelene in particular it was a revelation, so little had she known of tho world outside her temples. Her mind broadened under the stimulus of study, and she proved her possession of a mind capable of grasping tho greater truths of life, and was not long in putting herself upon an equality with the most accomplished. She readily acquired a knowledge of music, and her nature being essentially artistic, she was an adept in all tho studies of higher culture which she took up. By the tim 9 we arrive ab Honolulu again I had reason to be proud of my wife's mental attainments as well as her physical beauty. Where the fair Nuuanu Valley spreads its fairest vista, with tho mountains in the distance, the palms and mangoes shading tho fertile land, a now mansion stands, surrounded by a beautiful lawn. It is Palm Bower, the homo of Winnie and Gordon, and is not far from The Corals, where Helone and I have taken up our abode. Our existence in Oahu is an ideal one. race up and down the valley on our favourite horses, have picnics on Diamond Poinb, have lawn parties and balls to which all the besb people in Honolulu dolighb to come. Old Doctor Warren w dead, bub his memory is hold dear by the people of Hawaii, to whom he lefb the precious legacy of health ; for hid treatment of leprosy was taken up by the government, and the leper colony ab Molokai is no more. Wheie my cobtage stood — tho scene of my miserable waiting for death—a pretty little park surrounds a marble monument, upon which I have had inscribed a fitting tribute to the creab benefactor whoso life-study culminated in the effort that gave me back my lifo ami happiness. Pabua and Nimolau have been amply provided for, and frequently come to The Corals or Palm Bowor with a supply of fi»h which they have taken in the fishing schooners that were part of the reward for their faithfulness. i

Old Jean Chicot, nearly blind, tobtering on the verge of the grave, still lingers, and his worship of Helene is pathetic and beautiful to see. Like a faithful dog he watches her graceful movements, and murmurs to himself: 1 Holene —my Helone! 1 taughb her, and see how beautiful she is !'

And Helene is beautiful. Her transcendent beauty increases with her happiness, and in the infatuation thai) has enthralled me, and will ever hold me, I can see nothing but perfect happiness, sweetest blißs in our future. . . And Gordon, grown so stoub that his old uniform* are like those of a boy to him, lolls on hi" porch or mine, dangles hi* swordpheath over his leg and talks proudly of his \\ innie and the great days thab are ahead for all of U3. [the end.]