The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-05-14

Weut dDOdIu. his dSlOIllSlInent at
finding her there was so complete
that at first he did not know what
to say to her.
My grandfather tells me- Karen
said, that you are sailing almost
any hour now"
II have to go to Nuku Hiva for
him."
Il know; I have learned quite a
bit about island affairs while he's
been sick. You'd be surprised how
much know about how things are
done in the South Seas"
He still didn't know why she had
come aboard the Holokai. but he
didn't want to ask.
Looks like good weather." he of
fered 1.-The Holokai ought to make
good time"
Il hope you have dandy trip"
Thanks"
"But weren't you intending to
touch at Honolulu, before you sail
south?"
He started to tell her that he was
not, but checked himself. why do
you ask?"
II was hoping you'd give me a
lift. My grandfather will get along
very nicely now, l think. Of course,
he'd be glad to take me to Homo
lulu on the Sarah; but he ought not
to go to sea for another ten days
yet, and he simply won't go ashore.
And I think-I would like to get
away"
He knew that one of Alakoa's lit
tie cattle boats could give her pas
sage to Honolulu in a day or two;
but she didn't seem to know this,
and he decided not to mention it.
''Of course I'll be glad to take you
to Honolulu"
She smiled a little. 81 knew you
would. In fact, I even had my bag
gage put in the cabin"
That. too, somewhat surprised
him, but he only said, ''We'n weigh
anchor soon"
81 think" Karen said, 'I'll go be-
low and take a nap. if you don't
mind. There hasn't been an awful
lot of sleep to be had aboard the
Sarah"
When she had gone below and
curled up on Dicks own bunk,
Tonga Dick found that he was bit
terly disappointed. He had supposed
that the trip to Honolulu would give
him a chance to talk to her again;
but she might just as well have wait
ed for the cattle boat, if she was
going to sleep the voyage out.
BY the time they were well out
beyond the coral, Dick was trying
to think of a plausible excuse for
waking her up. He rigged a tray
with a fish sandwich, a stalk of Gel
cry, a whisky soda, a glass of iced
coffee, and cup of tea, and carried
it back to her bunk. Karen had to
smile when he reused her to offer
the silly assortment. 1t seemed to
him that she looked astonishingly
bright and fresh for someone SO
much in need of sleep.
"I didn't really think you'd want
any of this junk" he admitted. II
want to talk to you, Karen"
"Well?"
"You remember the night when
boarded the Seal, and made you
come back to Alakoa?"
"Could I ever forget it? You were
extremely piratical, and unpleasant.
I could have killed you"
81 didn't know then that you were
running off to Honolulu to marry
John Colt. But was afraid you
were. I didn't really think that it
would do your precious grandfather
any good to bring you back; was
pretty sure he wouldn't even recog-
nize you. And I know it's none of
my business who you marry. But
sometimes when people do some
thing in hurry it turns out to be a
mistake"
Interference with other peoples
affairs is usually a mistake"
''That's not what I meant. I'm
not sorry I turned the Seal. As it
turned out, it actually did pull old
Garrett Waterson through, I think. !"
"For heavens sake, sit down."
said Karen. "You make me nerv-
Gus, swaying around like that"
Dick sat down on the edge of the
bunk There's still plenty of time
for you to marry John Colt"
"You may as well know" Karen
said, "that I'm not going to marry
John Colt"
"But you were going to, weren't
your"
Eyes; I was going to. was hurt,
and angry, and disgusted with the
whole thing. I wanted to get away
from Alakoa and everything about
it. To marry John seemed quick
and complete escape. But I'm glad
now that you turned the Seal"
He studied her carefully to see if
she meant for him to draw encour-
agement from that, but decided that
she did not Karen seemed i'm
mensely detached.
"My grandfather thinks that he
sent Colt back to Honolulu" Karen
went on, "but he did not. I was the
one who sent him back. The raid
on Alakoa is over, Dick"
"I should imagine" Dick said
ironically, "that you'll have another
chance at it later. Garrett Water
son isn't going to live forever"
Karen flushed family. Il wish you