The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-03-26

to forget.
Partly he could see her as she
literally was-there was no doubt
about that He could see her as a
thin-bodied, thin-faced San Francis
co stenographer, sharp-edged in
mind and manner because any girl
needs to be, making her own way.
He could see her in the light of the
reason that she was here-a short
cutting little adventures, willingly
lending herself to the predacious
brain of John Colt in the hunt for
unearned fortune. A girl proud
without background, arrogant with
out attainment
But still behind that, like a mist
figure seen beyond steel cogs and
wheels, hovered persistently his own
conception of what this girl might
have been-perhaps still could be-
He was obsessed by the haunting bes
lief that if what he had hunted for
always was not in this girl, then it
was somehow lost out of the world
entirely. Her face fingered in his
dreams, and even the rhythm of her
walk left him unaccountably shaken.
And now," Karen said, "I think
you might put back to Alakoa-don't
you? Because you said"
mo-" Dick answered.
81 ask you to turn back"
"I'm not going to put back. At
least not yet. Not until you come
to your senses, Karen"
He didn't know why he told her
that. The impulse was jerking at
him to do as she said, and take him.
self well out of this thing forever; !;
to turn back to John Colt, and be
rid of her once and for all. He could
see Lilua's steady eyes-and no man
could ever forget what she had said
He honestly supposed that it would
have been better for him to relax
into the world of Lilua-to lose him
self by day in the casual adventures
of the warm sea, and by night in
the arms of an island woman who
doubted nothing, asked nothing
could be well-content with food and a
man. But-something stubborn with
in him held on.
Karen said incisively, "You prom
ised you'd turn back if ! asked"
''Not yet. Later, if you want. Not
yet"
He had given up ever hearing any
expression from her again, before
she spoke.
"I guess" she said-"I guess,
Dick, I don't blame you"
Of all things on earth, he had
least expected to hear that. Inane-
ly he said, again, please?"
'Men are what they are," Karen
said, her voice somehow distant, yet
not unfriendly-"and women are
what they are. People who hunt for
the absolute are FOOLS"
"Always?"
"Oh, yes; always. But maybe I'm
a fool, too. I think" Her tone wa
vered, but steadied again. 81 think
maybe you'd better 60 on. Go on
to Hilo-and give me little time.
Well still come out, Dick, ! think. "
Listen" Dick said, ST want you
to have this decently straight. give
you my word--and / wouldn't offer
proof if / could:-I never made love
to this girl in my life, nor so much
as laid a hand on her."
"No?"
He didn't even bother to answer
that; he knew what to expect from
this girl by now. He held on still
because to him only one adventure
was conceivable, and that adventure
was literally, for she was
more than an epitome: she was the
adventure itself.
''I don't see why" Karen began.
The rushing sound of the Holokai
through the uneven sea seemed to
come between them again, SO that
he never knew what she had started
to say.
Suddenly he turned, and shouted
for Inyashi; the little Japanese came
running along the deck.
"Get-get ready to put about"
"Yes, Captain
Almost at once the voice of the
ship altered, Stacking off and quiet
ing.
49," Karen said, "it was you who
changed your mind, after ALL"
Dick said thickly, You're going
to have to believe the truth when
! tell it to YOU"
EITHER" she said, "I'll take you
as you really are, or I'll never take
you at ALL
You'll never take me, or l you,"
Dick said harshly, ION the basis of
any such lie as is in your mind"
''The Polynesians are known ev-
erywhere as a mild, easygoing race.
Am l supposed to think that this
Kanaka woman, without any encour-
agement or any past relationship
with you, suddenly runs wild, and
goes to passionate, extreme
lengths"
"Lilua is not all Polynesian, Kar
en-"
"I have no doubt she's little O
everything"
81 don't think you're so very char
table, either to her or to me. No
even to yourself"
''To MYSELF"
He was silent.
"She's beautiful, Dick" Karei
said. Il can see that. But | hate
her, Dick. When l look at the dark
coppery color of her skin, and thinl
of you touching her-it seems to mi
that I can never look at a brown
skin again without"
"Stop itl You don't know wha
| you're saying"
tsWeIl. she is of different color.