dewed and leaky; tapas, and makaola mats, that were rare and ancient; canoes, and paddles of the costly koa-wood, inlaid with shell and carved in grotesque designs.

"There were piles and heaps of malos (loin-cloths), holokus (dresses), and lilinas (linens), with the faded petals of the roke-lei (rose-garlands) still within their folds; poi-pounders and bowls of kauila-wood; and bundles of bones wrapped in tana and tied with cords of

"Are you getting a trifle-bored?" he asked.

I hastily assured him no; only impatient to hear more.

His wandering gaze seemed to concentrate upon the distant Molokai, whose hills seemed to melt into the silky softness of the night.

"Once again," he continued, "I stood in the dim opalescence of the moon, in nights that were wine-blue and strewn with stars. Once again I beheld the

radiance of morning, when all the sky was mother-of-pearl and tender, and laden with the poignant scent of mountain flowers. Again I heard the ever-whispering palm-fronds, and most musical of music to my ears, the tender whisperings of the Lily of Maui. Then did time cease to exist.

"Of course, in respect to Konakua, we could not marry till a reasonable length of time elapsed; but to the betrothed time passes quickly, and soon preparations for a colossal celebration were in order. A day was set for every sport -dancing, racing, swimming, and feats of strength."

Again Kanalie paused, his eyes radiant as the lights and shadows of reviving memory crossed his face.

"The day of the commencement arrived! And with its dawn of bewildering beauty came the sun, fresh and golden, sending its supernatural radiance down upon a scene of great activity. Everywhere were old, and young, filled with gaiety, merriment, joy, and hilarity.

"The day of the dancing! Out from an opening in the tangled greenery came a bevy of maidens-the hula dancers, led by the Lily. A score of dancing girls with the freshness of foreign-flowers and virgin grace! Grass-girdled and flower-crowned, they advanced and retreated in rhythm, swaying and gliding, castanet-bracelets clicking with every quiver of muscles— plump and high-bosomed they danced as daughters of Terpsichore. With a ringing shout they broke up in a bedlam of mirth, each to the arms of a lover. Till the following morn did we dance, from old to young.

"Participants and challengers were plentiful in the aquatic sports. Experts all were they, for they gleaned their subsistence by the paddle and net; from the men who manned the double high-sterned war canoes, which came from the windward of Kahoolawe to the lads in the single outriggers. They took prizes, from poi-bowls to herds of long-horned cattle, and the prize of prizes, kisses from their women.

"Nor were the women to be left out. We had devotees of Neptune who could go down in seven fathoms of water and

bring more squid to the surface than any two Kanaka men. And they surf-boarded. A mile out, at the bathing beach, went the Lily, beyond the reef, till her head was but a mere dot in a vastness of blue. Then in she came, upright on a board not six feet long, astride the milky crest of a wave, poised as a nymph, whose graceful length of limb was buried to the knees in wreaths of spray, till the board grated on the sandy beach.

"And there were horse races. The riders and steeds from the mountain ranches; the perfect crescent of a milelong beach, the course. I can see them now as they then came! Around the projecting cliff, which hid the starting-point from view, they burst a riot of color. A splash of white surged ahead for a moment and gave way to a flash of golden brown. Then as brown. Then as a lightning-bolt, from the center, sprang Skagerrak. Shades of Pegasus!-how that horse could run! He was pure Arabian and black as night, from his snow-cold muzzle to his five-foot tail. Aye! He was night-born, that wizard, on the Rubeu Wood ranch at Puunene. And he gained. An inch! A foot! He broke the tape a full length ahead of Friar Tuck, the favorite.

No

"Never shall I forget those nights-enchanting, scented, and silent! The stillness broken only by the love-laugh of some hillside couple and the mate-calls of the night-birds. Then would I and Mine forsake the gatherings for the green of the lagoon; its tranquil bosom unruffled, unbroken, save by the canoe's prow as it drifted its languid way. Shahrazad ever unfolded such tales as were told to me. No Chopin or Beethoven ever composed such oriole-melodies as I heard. My lips sought hers often and again, for she was mine-my queenborn! from her tendrilly tresses to the golden-brown of her feet. So passed the time, till the marriage day."

There was a space of silence. Kanalie seemed to ponder how to continue. For several moments I heard the low moaning of the wind in the banana fronds. Finally he again opened up.

"Herbert, how I wish you could have been there. It would have reminded you of the old days of football ard track meet.

No county fair ever beheld such an aggregation. All the gamut of a painter's palette! From every mountain and valley' they came. From grandchildren to grandfather, from one-sixteenth to three-quarters haole they were. From Hawaii. Oahu, Kauai, and as far away as Niihau came maidens of queenly beauty, in holokus of the finest cloth, adorned with leis and flowers; and the men in white trousers and gorgeous raiment of scarfs and sashes.

"They came with things to eat. There were calabashes of palm tree wine, baskets filled with pineapples, goldenskinned mangies, red bananas, fulljuiced melons, kukui-nuts, mellow alligator pears, guava, and taro, fresh that day from the slopes of Haleakala. And of the meats of bird and beast, there were scores of varieties from the distant Iao Valley, such as often graced the table of the good Queen Liliuokalanai.

"The assemblage was gathered about in little knots. The elders spoke wisely of ranches and cattle; the young men boasted of love conquests; and from under the monkey-pod trees came the sweet pipings of child-voices, while their older, gossiping sisters exchanged secrets. But the babble of voices ceased at the blowing of a conch-horn. It was the signal for the participants to be in their places.

"The stage was the shadow-checkered sward, walled by an amphitheater of spring's luxuriant verdure; the crystalline sky canopy. The audience was the carefree children of Hawaii, eager to witness the far-heralded spactacle.

"Again the conch notes! With a shout, a score of youths, supple-muscled and merry-hearted, threw themselves upon the ground. They made a human carpet to the ceremonial arch where I stood with the high priest.

"Over their muscular bodies she came, softly and lightly. Never before had she looked more beautiful! She wore, like some exotic flower, around her slender form, the dainty draperies of a princess. There was a benign tenderness about her face as she came, escorted by twenty maids of honor, who waved long-handled kahilis over her.

"In another instant she was enfolded in my arms. The high priest encircled us with a lei from the white down of the seabird-the bond that made us one. She flung back her head and surrendered, full to me, throat and face, and I rained passionate kisses upon her unturned submissive lips."

An inarticulate sound suspiciously like a sob came from Kanalie's lips as he suddenly rose and strode away to the beach where he could be alone with his thoughts, and I sensed the end of his tale was near. When he returned there was a bitterness in his face and moisture in his eyes.

"That is not the end?" I faltered. "No, not the end," he said, low-voiced, "there is more. Our eyes met, with our

lips: The blood stopped in my veins! I was paralyzed with horror! She read it in my ashen face; and she cuddled closer to my breast, the color draining from her cheeks. I felt the hot tears falling, and her arms tighten convulsively around me. Slight! Oh, so slight, was it!--but unmistakable-the telltale of darkening of the skin, just above the eyebrowsleprosy, the curse of the South Seas.

"The haole laws 'are strict, and they took her away to Molokai. I saw her depart on the Mana, the boat that separated mothers from their babes, sweethearts, and friends. Well can I see now, as she then looked at the rail, weeping and praying, arms outstretched to me appealing, my lei of blood-red hibiscus on her flowing hair. And the band played 'Oloha oe,' the sad 'Farewell.

"I, in my canoe, followed her far out beyond the reef, till the waves threatened to swamp me. Yet it is ever fresh in my memory, that last, thrown love-kiss. No, never was there such love as ours! Never shall I forget! And every night, I sing Continued on Page 91)

Query: When is an opal lucky? Answer: When it is black.

W

HEN the two men had gone out into the night, Aunt Fiske and Charlotte were taken in charge by a dumpling of a gray-haired woman, who was properly excited at the prospect of a wedding at the unheard hour of eleven, P. M. They removed their automobile coats; and Aunt Fiske, sinking into a splint-bottomed rocking chair that was drawn up before the glowing range, kicked off her sodden satin slippers. The gray-haired woman, Mrs. Smith, pattered about, putting the kettle on to boil for tea.

All at once Aunt Fiske sat bolt upright. "Lottie!" she shrieked. "Your ring-your diamond ring! Aren't you engaged to the doctor?"

Charlotte in blue-Jack's favorite color -held out lovely hands, bare of any ornament save the black opal.

"No! I broke the engagement just after luncheon. That's why he whisked my mamma away-to get even. Aunt Fiske, it didn't take ten minutes for everything to be cleared up between Jack and me.

He never even thought of caring for Fatima-Miss Mallory. And as for his wearing the scarab to keep off bad luck, that was all nonsense! He just talked like that to lead on Dr. Gordon."

"Um! I suspected as much." She took up her bag and fumbled among the contents. "Sit down on this stool, Charlotte, close to me. There! I guess you won't get any handsomer wedding gift than that."

It was Charlotte's turn to shriek.

"Your pearls, Auntie! But I thought -the burglar-"

"There wasn't any burglar," said Aunt Fiske, calmly.

"No burglar!"

"Certainly not! Mr. Holt, the man who owned the house before I did, explained everything. It seems that, before he went away, his wife paid a visit to her people. She is strongly prohibition, the same as I am. He knew that she wouldn't approve of the temporary use of the cellar by a friend who wanted to store some wine there, when prohibition went into effect; so he didn't say anything about it. Then she came home, and he went away; and she sold the house-with all the wine in