The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-02-20

50
81 think" she said, ''we'd better
60 back, hadn't WEI"
There was defeat and admission Of
defeat in that; but, knowing what
she now knew, she could hope for
nothing in the world here, except
means of return. "We'll be very
late into Honolulu"
"a little," Dick said.
'But if you'll turn now"
''The funny thing about it," he
said oddly, sis that we can't turn
back. At least not yet"
"You mean-you mean"
"Don't worry" Dick said: "there
isn't anything to worry about. Mean
while-if you'll look across the star
board bow, you'll see Alakoa-Kar-
en-
Alakoa, as seen from this ap-
proach, rose steeply from the wa
ter; the folds of her hills were of
shadowy and unearthly blue, but the
rays of the sun, slanting low now,
struck her tall up-thrusting ridges
with traceries of red gold. There
was something terribly appealing
about Alakoa as Karen saw it then.
In one way it seemed so little in that
vast expanse of salt water, the very
intensity of whose deep blue seemed
to speak of vital strength, a vast
living will which nothing could with
stand nor deny. Yet Alakoa rose
bravely from the heart of the sea,
so tall that it seemed slenderly tall.
Tonga Dick stood up, rising lightly
on one heel instead Of two, and
reached for her hand. When she
did not give it he took her wrist,
and pulled her to the forward rail,
beside the reaching bowsprit.
"Of course" he said, s'you don't
see much of it from here. There's
four thousand feet Of rise in those
highest hills. The cane fields, the
rice paddles, and the little fishing
villages are all on the other side"
''And now what?" she asked.
s'We'n land in another hour" he
told her.
'sIn another hour? But Honolulu
is"
''I mean, on Alakoa."
When Karen was certain OF what
he had said, angry tears sprang into
her eyes. "You mean you're not go
ing to turn back?"
''I'm afraid / can't"
''You can't what?"
sT can't turn back. You see,
have received an extremely urgent
radio from Alakoa. It will be nee
essary for us to land. think, Kar-
en-, you had better plan to spend the
night as Alakoa's guest"
''This is preposterous," Karen
said. IT certainly shall do nothing
of the kind"
ssNow, now" Dick said soothingly.
81 was hoping you would enjoy it."
''This is kidnap," Karen said. Her
voice was steady now; the anger was
still there, but leveled now by some
thing very like calculating hate.
Tonga Dick smiled. Shanghai"
he corrected her. "We call it shang-
hal, at sea-"
81 can't imagine" Karen said,
'swhat you can possibly expect to
gain by this"
''I'm very much surprised that
you're not more interested" Dick
said. "Inasmuch as you have set
out to take possession Of Alakoa, !
should think you'd like to see what
it looks like"
81 can see it perfectly plainly
from here"
'You see rock sticking out Of the
sea-" he admitted. There are
good many thousands of them in
the Pacific. But you can't see from
here any of the things that make
Alakoa desirable to you and to your
friend John Colt. What is really in
teresting, from q financial stand
point, is the development that the
Waynes have made-the fumes that
make the cane fields possible, and
the mills. Those things have taken
q good many years to build; with
out them Alakoa would still support
only q handful of fishermen, and
would certainly never have come to
the attention of Mr.. Colt"
Karen cried out, with a passion
strange to herself, IF you've
brought me out here to preach at
me-"
''Be sure of this" he said crisply.
81 preach to no one. ] brought you
here for the same reason that you
came. / wanted to know what you
were like, Isn't that what you want
ed Of mel"
"Yes," Karen Waterson said. Her
voice was suddenly quiet.
RIO BIZ CONTINUED