The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-10-24
{. r"g','.t. Oy T1.':.::- EoHSEG's SoSSl
CHAPTER X.
CONTINUED.

Eai wished, I could have donned
a uuii1rm. and become aa officer, but
with peace 1T hama did not care 70,
emp.v military honor. Moreover, ]
wautel all my time to be free, that
I might he untrammeled in my now
seemingly hopeless investigation into
the mysteries OF my beautiful sisters
disappearance. 1t was understood,
however, that if at any time my SER
vices were needed, or the army was tc
be increased, commission should be
mine.
I took very little interest in any
thing save the one great object of my
e1istence-to find my sister Winnie.
Yet mingling daily, as L did, with mer
whose minds were full of the revolu
tion, | could not be blind to the needs
of the hour. When Gordon's duties
took Lin away from Honolulu [ ac
companied him, if 1 was not working
up clue that might lead to the dis
covery Of Winnie.
At he town of Hilo, on the island
of Hawaii, Gordon had fortress
built which commanded the situation
in the harbor-the only good one at
that island. And at Lahaina, a small
settlement on the island OF Maui, an
other fortress was built. There
seemed to me no need for this, but
Gordon pointed out the excellence OF
the place as strGgetic point IN case
OF invasion.
Hilo was not far from the great vol
cano of Mauna Loa, and it seemed
probable that if the old mountain kept
on vomiting lava many years longer as
fiercely as il had in times past, the
town would be destroyed. AS it was
located in beautiful spot, particular
Iy healthful, it was deemed a foolish
carelessness to allow the destruction,
If it could be avoided. Gordon made
o note Sf his observations, aud pro-
posed, when we returned to Honolulu,
to suggest to the government that
something be done to protect the towr
from the molten flow, if it ever reached
that far. -~--,-
We also visited the island OF Molo-
kai, and went to the .eper colony.
,She horrors of this disease had
neT1r before been known to me. !
knew it was terrible. I knew that
words could hardly express its terrors.
But when I saw it in allitsputrefying,
death dealing reality, I shuddered
t'ad turned sick.
The poor creatures who we're far on
their torturing road to death looked at
us piteoasly. A vail, prayer, a plea
for some Kind Of help seemed to be in
every glance and every gesture. Yet
there was no help to give. All they
could do was to wait there, growing
more hideous in their infrmity, day
by day, until death came to release
them from their awful sutferings.
I thought of Doctor Warren and his
noble efforts in behalf OF these poor
accursed wretche3. But in vain would
he work while he lived. There was
40 help, no cure. Yet Warren hoped
and worked and prayed. This was
the clrse and, now that the rale of
evil vas over, the only blot on the
beauty Of Hawaii.
Gordon and I visited Kauai, another
of the larger islands, and instituted q
moSt cacefal search and inquiry among
the people. Now and then our hopes
being aroused by what we would think
was clue, only to have them dashed
to pieces in tho deepening darkness
of the mystery. Then We returned to
Honolulu.
All this. Of course. took some TINA.
Thiugs had gone we'll in Oahu during
our absence, and every industry OF
the island seemed developing and inn
proving. From time to time friendly
messages had been received from the
United States, and the future seemed
secure and bright.
Then the news came Of change o.!
administration.
TIE Republicans, we knew, had
been defeated in the election in Nov
ember, and, OF course, We understood
that on March 4th the Democratic
Presidentwould be inaugurated. But
we did not look upon this as inimical
to oar interests. To us in Honolulu,
the word American meant everything.
Party names meant nothing. A Re-
publican was an American, so was o
Democrat. Therefore, the policy oi
America in Honolulu having been III
dorsed by one party of Americans at
home would naturally find favor with
another party OF the same sort.
What was our chagriu and fear when