The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1904-11-25

bronze they tounterfelted, and now
her slender body swayed with the
movement of the waves, with the
rhythm OF her song. Dried fish and
fruits she had brought with her, and at
night she slept as securely, as peaceful
ly, upon the oceans breast as In her
own Nnuanu hut. The waves and the
winds were with her, and she was
guided by the sun and by the stars.
II was early morning when the gaunt
gray cliffs Of Molokai rose out of the
pearly sea. but Kaomao knew better
than 10 approach the settlement upon
its shores by daylight. Rounding the
ilrst high promontory, she venturcd
close 10 the land. and saw n small
deserted beach, short stretch of white
sand, from which the hills sloped
gradually up and back She stopped
padding, and with sharp knife,
cut the thongs that bound the outrig-
ger to her canoe. For few moments
she gashed and hacked the bottom and
sides of the tiny craft. If she could
destroy III" boat that had brought her
To him. Paliopalckc could not make her
20 back rs she had come. For u single
instant she stood erect In the canoe
"a II settled slowly down into the
water. Her white cotton gown was
drawn close about her waist. her brown
body cleaned in the morning sun, her
arms were stretched high above her
head. Then she plunged into the sea.
and with long straight strokes swan
toward tho deserted beach.
The next day, ut sunrise she stood
on the hill above the leper settlement.
She looked down on the white houses.
on tho church. on the school, but still
she did not dare show herself. She
must find paiopalekc. She must know
where Paliopalekc lived. And all Mt
once she saw him. quite near her,
stretched ont on the desoate hillside.
his mournful eyes turned with pas
sionate longing toward the west,
toward Nuuanu.
Stalthily she crept closer to him.
But even now she must not speak to
him. Even there in that deserted
wilderness of gray crag and rock she
must not let him know that she had
come.
The day passed. the noon sun brooded
low over the sea and land. the night
fell all gold and sapphire blue and
ruby red The moon rose clear and
fulL The same moon that mellowed
and softened the mellow sOftness of
Nnuanu valley revealed the Scared
white dcsoation OF Molokal, but
Paliopalekc's eyes saw only the
Nmuanu moonlight, saw the deep per-
fumed shadows of the banyan shelter
ing small grass hut saw the frayed
leaves Of the banana tree, and in its
fringcd fan shadow he saw Kaomao
gowucd all in white, crowned with
jasmine lei.
Quietly, softly, out Of the shadow
into the moonlight came KaOmaO. her
white gown falling about her, white
feather on hcr head. n white feather
wreath about her noel, and hanging to
her waist
"Kaomao' Kaomao!" cried paliopal-
exc Hut he buried his face In his arms
TO shut out the haunting mounlit
vision,
''Paliopalrkc'' 1t was cry, hut Il
was soft and low and sweet.
Kaomao's tender arms were about |
his neck, his head was on KaOmao's
breast, her lips were pressed to his.
In an instant he realized the truth |
II was KaOmaO. Kaomao herself. In |
all her exquisite beauty with all her |
sweet young life Almost brutally he |
repulscd her, but she would not be re-
pulsed. With angry words he tried 10
drive h"r from him but she would not |
go. lie ran from her. but She followed |
him. He begged and pleaded, but her
arguments were stronger than his. for |
he love that weakened his gave
'trrnlth to hers, ana before the morn
mr. came she had conquered he had |
yielded.
The old priest who had given his life
o these island wrecks. was slowly |
the hin 10 Paliopalckc's
house. In his heart was a prayer for
Nd in comforting this latest exile. this
most unrcConciled addition to his
lock. Al the doorway he stopped
Ighast, for he saw Kaomaos arms
bout her lovers neck. Kaomao's soft
heck against her lovers cheek
In hurried words she told her story. |
With iirmness abe announced her
mention OF staying with Paliopalekc
he priests arguments were more
uent than Paliopaleke's had been
nut they We're of no use Kaomaus |
ark eyes met his steadily she did not
alt2r, she did not waver To his
hreat8, To his warnings. to his com
lands in the name of the island au- |
horltIcs, she made but one reply.
he would stay with Paliopalekc He
'as her lover She would live with
i'm as he lived She would die with
i'm as he died
As she had overcome the arguments
Paliopalekc's love, she overcome
hose of the priests fear, and before
he sun had absorbed the islands
ladows, the priest who had given up
Is life for love of God, blessed In
he name of the church the woman
no had given up her life for love of
man.-San Francisco Argonaut.
The Sick watch ,
A farmer entered the village watch