The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-25

arouse the giant of the law, that
strikes when awakened with blind mis-
direction, was proof that old Nogu
feared to- take vengeance even Wy the
hand of a purchased instrument. SO
Full esteemed himself the safer, and
said as much to Ahana-san. Also he
told her, laughing, some things it
might be necessary to do in case the
old man should really be desperate
enough to appeal to the law. A man
and a woman, in common cause, may
swear faster and harder and TO much
better purpose than one grizzled old
dotard. The oatfs Of the Americans
were as far beyond understanding as
their stupid laws-and it is no harm
to give offense to god one does not
foregather with, in any event.
On the third day, the sampan was
full of fish to her gunwales. Full be-
gan TO prepare for the run back to
Honolulu to dispose of his catch. It
was a fine one, truly. The sea seemed,
literally, to have given up its wealth
to the lovers, and the shining scales
of the ohua, and ii, and ulua, and "a,
and royal red fish that runs into Ho-
'nolulu harbor only when chief is to
g1ories that were like CLEANS caught
from a reflected dream OF love.
''It is more better that we go back
now" said Full, adding one more fat
ulua to the shining pile in the boat.
I'VE will take these to the market,
and then we will ride in a Rapid Tran
sit car to Waikiki and look at the
small house that is under the date
palm trees beyond Kapiolani Park"
And I will make a home for you
there, and no MN else shall come
ever answered Ahana-san.
Not even old Nogu?' laughed Full.
.tOld Nogu less than any," said
Ahana-san, laughing back at him
again. "It is more better thai he
should go to the lawyers. They love
gold-and are cgfd, even as the DID,
So Fuji spread the white sail of the
sampan again, fastening the sheet to
his big toe, and squared away the boat
for the run across Molokai channel in
to the lee of Oahu. The wind, as it
blew, would carry him, if he kept
good offing, past Diamond Hill to the
bell buoy; and then with luck he would
catch the slant of the trade coming
through the gap of Nuuanu Pail. and
beat with short tacks right into his
wharves.
And just as the sampan stuck her
sharp prov beyond Molokai Point, the
trade wind died with a long sigh, and
for a little the sea lay in the sunshine
as smooth as oil and as motionless.
The sun, which had been only pleas
antly warm across the water, seemed
slowly to become red hot, glazing in a
sky that had taken a braZen tinge
from the blue. The air. ordinarily
spice-laden from the isles. grew warm.
and close, and sticky-as though it
came sluggishly across dank tropic
swamps. Far to the south, a great
bank of dark clouds arose above TIE
horizon line, very swiftly. There wis
a distant, rushing sound in the air,
with no answering stir in the water
for moment-and then horrid black
wave seemed to be rearing itself right
out of the depths to meet the cloud
bank. The Kona was upon them.
Quickly as the storm came, Fuji had
been quicker. At the first falling off
of the trade wind he had leaped to his
feet, hauled down the sampan's sail
and unstepped her mast, putting both
away snugly, and unshipped her rud
der As the black mass arose, roaring,
out of the sea, he put out the long
sweep and headed the boat up to meet
the advancing wave.
He had. perhaps, one minute to brace
himself for it's coming. He was naked
as he stood, wide-legged, upon the
poop deck of his little craft, save for
his white loin cloth. His bronze body
glistened in the sun for that one min
ute before the black cloud from the
south swept across all the heavens.
Grasping the sweep at its tip end and
at a point a little lower down, his
playing %lnder the skin during
that short interval seemed to work
upon themselves as if each felt to see
the other was in place and
ready. His short, black hair stood
up. His white teeth, shining
between the parted lips. cleaned in
the snarl of the fighting animal now,
not in the smile of the lover. His
eyes, cool, vet wary, looked without
in the face of the oncoming
powers that carried destruction.
In all his manner, he was the man
who stands to do battle for his life
and his woman-and the woman,
crouched at his feet, watched him and
loved his splendid fearlessness far
more than4she feared the danger that
threatened them both. Nor life nor
love would be wasted, when men like |
that stood to fight.
The black wave, rushing on with an |
appalling roar, struck the sampan, and |
Fuji braced his muscles for the |
struggle. 1t seemed, for a moment, as |
though this one man would conquer |
the storm. 1t was Pygmy battling |
with Titans. It was human flesh and /
blood against the elemental forces of |
nature. 1t was the strength of a man |
put forth in single combat with the |
infinite. terrible power of God And |
yet the samDan, bow on, rose steadily |
md strongly through the white mass
IF froth that fronted the advancing |
wave. IT even rose to the wave itself, |
whose roaring, with the bowling of the |
wind, was as though the demons of /
he under deep growled back to the
'hrieking of the spirits of the air.
Full, Juggling and straining, held the
bow to the sea. The wave /
taught the low hull, standing it up
light on its stern, and the wind strove