The Washington times., 1921-03-20
The Isles Of Love

II
lossn smussmsat u Diaaii azd
x. auntf Had ever omitted to
M-- 7 sks's little. worn-out ring
on !. caallsst nnsss. ana the new
aquabe. yne and diamond hoop on
the thsilf Had I even IN my own
mind any Intention Of "backtn &
<ut?" No-not since Harry Dug-
iAnI> s1sisd for Port Hsrvsy In the
0.~.n Of the Islands witho,ot .
isOk or . letter or . word.
I even discussed the question Of
the ceremony. told Lorraine and
Din:h everything that MI married
friends had said about ithe impos-
ssbility Of legally marrying 1t the
absurd age Of twelve Lofraine's
silence on that point, and her cur
ious hooks. pushed me-; but I passed
them by 90 unimportant.
had agreed to 20inah's sugges-
tion that "Mr. Luke" and I should
be registered By the govsrnmsnt''
instead OF being married again by q
clergyman. I hid done everything
everybody wsntad me TO 10; ind II
my heart seemed at on fife within.
and II I spent half the nights cry
Ing. with my head ont on my WIN
dowsill to feel the wild sea bresse
sweep up from those unknown
worlds whithsr Harry England had
sailed-nobody knew. Nobody
should know. That was my re-
solve.
But, neverthsless, I was shaper-
oned and over-chaperons4. 90. on
. white-hot Afternoon, ct the i'm
possible hour OF two, I put on my
largest hat took an umbrells, and.
shod. with silencs and with tennis
Shoeg, slipped out by the back var.
I was going to ca1l on the Queen.
Lalua had always been kind 70
me. think she admired my
copper hair; oil brown people have
q special fancy for copper haired
and red haired folk. Now and
again she would send me IN island
present. dinner done up IN ba-
mana leaves and mats: sucking pig,
fowl. "paloio" sea-worms; "paiu-
sAnr' OF taro leaf and cocoanut
cream; q bucket Of turtle eggs; .
plume Of silvery ~reva-reva" for my
hair. OF course. instructed by Lor-
raine. ! sent her presents In return.
This last time Lalua had been
amazingly generous. Her maid-of.
honor, the cream-colored, pretty
Maiera, had brought me, only day
or two past. quite 4 load Of wonder
ful things. There were she'll neck
laces Of rose and amber color.
crowns Of carved mother-of-pearl;
hsts inner than the finest Panama,
plated ~ LAlua's own house.
maidens; and-most interesting of
ala tiny packet Of banana leaf,
tied up with yellow spider silk and
containing ono huge perfect rose
colored pearl. enveloped in . wrap
per Of finest feva-reva tissue. On
tho tissue someone had written
with . deljcately pointed pen:
"From the Qvssn ef the isIsnds TO
the Queen os Hsarts."
Someonsf Lalua, Of course She
wa the Queen OF the Islands. even
II twice depossd. She was fond Of
Joking. in . stately way. about my
popularity among the white lads Of
Hawonga Yes. It was undoubtedly
LaluA
was 20 sure OF It that I did not
even ask Lorraine. Besides, It
wasn't necessary to show the packet
to o.her At all. I'had "palmed" It. like
. conjuror, In opening the basket.
I didn't know why. It had looked
A. II II were meant to be "palned"
that was all.
And now. beneath the fery shield
Of midday. through the white. de-
serted street and along hot lanes
scented with climbing stephanotia,
and Jasmine, was
hurrying to see Lalua, and to thank
her. ,F1 r'yt p
The palace OF the Queen stood
some way outside the town. n was
} handsome building. two-storied.
arcaded. made of white
coral blocks. It had. ~ I knew.
plenty OF European furniture inside
lour-post beds (nsver slept in). din =
ng tables (on which no meal was
sver laid). great gilded chairs Tin ]
which no one had ever sat). II had
Of tinkling glass, a.
Ways unlighted. probably uniight.
lble.
II was always shown to strangers.
proudly; and after 1t had been
Ihown and refreshments had been
Ierved on the terrace outside and
Iood-bys said, Lalua, the Queen,
ised to shat It and lock It all up
md go-hofne. Il
Home was . nice, low. comfort L
Ible reed hut Just beyond the palace
Inclosure, handy to the beach for !
|shing, and unencumbered with
iresome windows, which only let
q the light and annoyed you when
'ou wanted to sleep. Home hadn't
my furniture to speak Of except the