The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-07-11


And here almost at the first step, Daw.
son catches my arm and mods toward
the opposite side of the market place
Some Moors were seated there in their
white clothes, with bundles of young
palm leaves plated up in various forms
of crowns, crosses and the like--which
the people of this country do carry to
church TO be blessed ON Palm Sunday
and these Moors / knew came from
Elche, because palms grow nowhere else
in such abundance.
Yes" says |, thinking twas this
queer merchandise he would point out,
81 noticed these Moors and their ware
whom we passed here a little while back
with Moll
Don't you see her there now-at the
3omcr?" asks he.
Then, 10 my surprise, ] perceived
Mol in very earnest conversation with
two Moors, who had at first screened
her from my sight
Come away, " continues he. "She
left us to go back and speak 10 them
and would not have us know"
Why should she be secret about this
trifing matter? asked myself Twas
quite natural chat If she recognized in
these MOors some old acquaintance ~
Elche she should desire TO spsk them.
We stole away 10 the port, and seat
/ ing ourselves upon some timber there
we looked upon the sea nigh upon half
an hour without saying a word. Then,
/ turning TO me, Dawson says: Unless
she speak to us upon this matter, Kit
we will say naught 90 her But If she
say nothing ] shall take IL for sign
her hoart is set upon going back 10
Elche, and she would have il secret
that we may not be disheartened in our
other project T"
"Tbat is likely enough, +" says !, not
a little surprised by his reasoning But
love sharpens mans wit, be- 1t never
so dull.
About o the next morning / was
awoke by the door bursting suddenly
open, and starting up in my bed see
Dawson mt my side, shaking in every
limb and his eyes wide with terror.
"Moll's gonel" cries he and falls
a-blubbering
"Gone" says !, springing ont Of bed
'Tis not possible"
"She has not lain IN her bed aud one
saw her go forth last night as the doors
were closing, knowing her for foreign
er by her hood. Come with me- " adds
he, laying his hand on a chair for sup
port II dare not go alone
aye, III go with ye, Jack, but
whither2"
Down 10 the sea, ;" says he hoarsely
stopped in the midst Of dressing,
overcome by this fearful hint, for,
knowing Molls strong nature the
thought had never occurred 20 me that
she might do away with herself Yet
now rejecting on her strange manner u
late, especially her parting with NJ
overnight, II seemed not 30 impossible
neither. For here, seeing the folly n
our coming bitber, desponding NJ ans
happiness ~ the future, was the speed
; lest way of ending life that was bur.
densome 10 herself aud a constant sor,
row 10 us. Nay, with her notions Of
poetic justice drawn from plays, sba
may have regarded this ~ the only
atonemeDt she conld make her husband,
the only means Of giving him back free,
dom 10 make happier choice IN mar
riage, With these conclusions taking
shape ] shuliied on my clothes, and
then, with shaking fear, we two, hang
ing 10 each others arms for strength,
made our way through the crooked
streets 20 the sea, and then, seeing q
group ~ men aud women gathered ~
the waters edge some little distance
from rs, we dared not ~ farther, con
ceiying twas dead body they were re-
garding. But twas only n company u
fishers examining their haul " fishes,
~ we presently perceived 30, some
what eheered, We cast our eyes ~ the
right and left, and, seeing nothing b
justify our fears, advanced along thl
coast 10 tbs very end, where IL jnts onl
into tho sea, with great stones nrOnnd
~ break the surf
Here, then, with deadly apprGbGn,
sions, we peered among tho rocks, hold
! ing our breath, clutGhing tight hold u
one another by tho hand, IN terror q
finding that we 80 eagerly searched
; hood, u wompn's skirt cIinging 10 thu
stones, u stiffened hand thrust up from
the tapping waters Never may forge
the sGkening horror ~ the moment
when, creeping out amid tho rocks, Daw
son witches my hand and points down
through the clear water ~ something
! lying white ~ tho bottom, u looked fOI
all the world like dead face, eOlOred /
greenish white by tho water, but pres
emily wo saw, by one end curling Oye
In the swell Of wave, that twas Onl,
! a rag of paper,
Then ] persuaded Dawson 10 give ~
this bOrrid search and return ~ our 20
saba, when, II We found not Mol, w
might more justly conclude sbo had g0H'
10 Elcbo than put an end 10 her life
and though we could learn nothing o
/, her NJ Opr inn more than Dawson baI
,, already told me, yet our hopes wGr'
strengthened IN tho probability ~ find
ing her nj ElGbe by rec0lleGtiDg hi
) earnest, secret conversation with III