The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-12-05
The Girl, the Rebel, and the King

| ing earnestly. Few women were upon
the streets; the stores were eEpty;
the clerks lolled at the doorways or
joined the gossiping gatherings at the
corners. In the triangular plaza be-
fore the palace force of men in uni
form was drilling.
In front of the government building
a square-built man, with close
cropped beard, spoke to Arden. With
an apology to Miss Comyns, Arden
drew up to the sidewalk for mo-
ment's low-voiced eolloquy with the
other man.
81 am afraid our ride is spoiled,
Miss Comyns,'' said Arden as he re-
Joined her. ''Mr. Thorsdale tells me [
am wanted at once at cabinet meet
ing"
"At onceg Is it SO important as
thata'' LAM asked. "Why, you told
me an hour ago that you had locked
all the affairs of state up in your desk
for the day, and that you were going
to give the afternoon to me. Perhaps
your friends are displeased at seeing
you riding so openly with me-" she
went on banteringly. "My sympa-
thies are well known. L do not at all
approve of the high-handed manner in
which you rule our poor Rex.
Please do not say such things,
Miss Comyns," said Arden. His fine
eyes looked into hers grave1y, and
under his dropping mustaehe his lips
twitched as though her words had
stung. HFYou know that nothing but
affairs most urgent would compel me
tn
know that I care too much for you
to let the
"'Then it is something very, very
Important" she interrupted lightly.
"Another revolution2 Don't tell ME
we are to have another! Heavens,
they have been so numerous of late
that one never knows from day to day
which party is in and which is OUT
Another constitution, l suppose; and a
new cabinet. / do hope this time that
you will give the king a little power,
at least. Of late, he hasn't seemed to
have anything to do but spend his
time at his boathouse, or ride about
Honolulu in a carriage. You mission
aries are running everything, without
giving poor Rex a word to say about
it,
81 do not know what the summons
means, Miss Comyns,'' Arden replied, |
''but it is peremptory. l must take
you home at once and return to the |
government building.'
Vainly LAM tried to drew him out, |
but he pleaded total ignorance of any
impending trouble; nor by the deftest !
hints could she extract any informa- |
ton from him. /
''Of course, you won't tell me any
thing, y she said at length as they can.
tered up the driveway of her Bere- |
tania street home. - You missionaries |
are all alike; just because [ am part |
Hawaiian, you think | am not to be |
trusted with any information about
the government, lest | tell it to Bob
Williams or some other Of the NAL /
contents, who don't like the way you !
run things
This shot told Arden started per
ceptibly at the name of Williams, and /
he was pale and very angry as he |
leaped from his horse at the door and
helped her to aHght.
Il am sorry you think as you do I
of me, Miss Comyns, he said rather /
stiffly. 81 had hoped But must |
hVb SItlS W bdih Win you HOW. In Il /
day or so [ shall call and have this
out with you.
He sprang upon his horse and was
gone, drawing his hat down tightly
upon his head and sitting close for a
rapid ride back to his scene of duty.
LAM followed him with her eyes,
thinking hard She was vexed with
him. When he had called for her that
afternoon and had put her on her
horse. he had stood a moment by her
side, bareheaded, looking into her eyes.
He had seemed about to say something
then, aud she had waited, letting him
hold her hand just an instant There
was such a tender. grave smile upon
his lips. and his hand had pressed hers
with so firm and masterful a grasp
that she had been near to loving him
a+ tho snamenT Had he SuOkeu she |