Part 12 (2/2)
”Forgive me, lad, for I judged you more harshly than you deserved.”
One lovely, summer-like evening, some five weeks later, in long, heaving surges the deep blue waves of the Pacific came lazily rolling toward the palm-bordered beach at Waikiki, bursting into snowy foam on the pebbly strand, and, softly hissing, swept like fleecy mantle up the slope of wet, hard-beaten sand, then broke, lapping and whirling, about the stone supports of the broad _lanai_ of one of the many luxurious homes that dot the curving line of the bay to the east of Honolulu. Dimly outlined in the fairy moonlight, the shadowy mountains of the Waianai Range lay low upon the western horizon. Eastward the bare, bold volcanic upheaval of Diamond Head gleamed in bold relief, reflecting the silver rays. Here and there through the foliage shone the soft-colored fires of Chinese lanterns, and farther away, along the concave sh.o.r.e, distant electric lights twinkled like answering signals to the stars in the vault of blue, and the ”riding lights” of the few transports or wars.h.i.+ps, swinging at anchor on the tide.
From a little grove of palms close to the low sea wall came the soft tinkle of guitar, and now and then a burst of joyous song, while under the spreading roof of the broad portico or _lanai_, the murmur of voices, the occasional ripple of musical laughter, the floating haze of cigarette smoke, told where a party of wors.h.i.+pers were gathered, rejoicing in the loveliness of nature and the night.
It was a reunited party, too, and in the welcome of their winsome hostess, in the soft, soothing influence of that summer clime, and through the healing tonic of the long sea voyage, faces that had been saddened by deep anxiety but a few weeks gone, smiled gladness into one another now. A tall, gray-haired man reclined in an easy lounging chair, his eyes intent on the clear-cut face of a young soldier in trim white uniform who, with much animation, was telling of an event in the recent campaign. By his side, her humid eyes following his every gesture, sat a tall, dark, stylish girl, whose hand from time to time crept forth to caress his--an evident case of sister wors.h.i.+p. Close at hand another young fellow, in spotless white, his curly head bent far forward, his elbows on his knees, his fingertips joining, was studying silently the effect of his comrade's story on another--a fair girl whose sweet face, serene and composed, was fully illumined by the silvery light of the unclouded moon. ”Coming by transport, via Honolulu”--”Gov.'s” cabled message had brought father and sister to meet him at these famed ”Cross-roads of the Pacific,” and whither they journeyed Amy Lawrence, too, must go, said they; and, glad of opportunity to see the land of perennial bloom and suns.h.i.+ne, and wearied with long, long months of labor in the service of the Red Cross, the girl had willingly accepted their invitation. Coaled and provisioned the transport had pushed on for the seven-day run for San Francisco; but the recovering of his long-lost son and the soft, reposeful atmosphere of the lovely, yet isolated island group, had so benefited Mr. Prime that in family council it had been decided wise for them to spend a week or ten days longer at the Royal Hawaiian; and the boys had found no difficulty in ”holding over” for the Sedgwick that followed swift upon the heels of their own s.h.i.+p. Five joyous days had they together, and this, the fifth, had been spent in sightseeing beyond the lofty Pali of the northward side. The ”O. & O.”
liner was coming in from Yokohama even as they drove away; and as they sat at dinner on the open _lanai_, long hours later, it had been mentioned by their host that the Sedgwick, too, had reached the harbor during the afternoon, and that army people were pa.s.sengers on both liner and transport. Billy Gray, for one, began to wish that dinner were over.
He was eager to get the latest news from the Philippines, and the Sedgwick left Manila full a week behind their slower craft.
”Did you hear who came with her?” he somewhat eagerly asked, ”or on the Doric?” he continued, with less enthusiasm.
”I did not,” was the answer--”that is, on the Sedgwick;” and the gentleman baited lamely and glanced furtively and appealingly at his wife. There was that embarra.s.sing, interrogative silence that makes one feel the futility of concealment. It was Miss Lawrence who quickly came to his relief and dispelled the strain on the situation.
”I should fancy very few army people would choose that roundabout way from Manila when they can come direct by transport, and have the s.h.i.+p to themselves.”
”Well--er--yes; certainly, certainly,” answered the helpless master of the house, dodging now the warning and reproach in the eyes of his wiser mate at the other end of the table. The crack of a coachman's whip and the swift beat of trotting hoofs on the graveled road in front could be heard as he faltered on. The gleam of cab lights came floating through the northward shrubbery. ”Except, of course, when they happen to be--er--already, well, you know, at Hongkong or Nagasaki,” he lamely concluded.
There was an instant hurried glance exchanged between Gray and Prime.
Then up spoke in silvery tone their hostess:
”Other officers, you know, are ordered home. We have just heard to-day that Colonel Frost comes very soon. His health seems quite shattered. I believe--you knew--of them--slightly that is to say, Miss Prime, did you not?” But even with her words she cast an anxious, furtive glance along the dim reach of the _lanai_, for the pit-a-pat of footfalls, the swish of feminine draperies was distinctly heard. Two dainty, white-robed forms came floating into view, and, with changing color, their hostess suddenly arose and stepped forward to meet them. Just one second of silence intervened, then, all grace and gladness, smiles and cordiality, both her little hands outstretched, Mrs. Frank Garrison came dancing into their midst, her sister more timidly following.
”_Dear_ Mrs. Marsden, how perfectly (kiss, kiss) delicious! Yes, this is the baby sister I've raved to you about. We go right on with the Doric; but I _had_ to bring her out with me that you might have just one glance at her. Why! Mr. Prime! Why, what could be more charming than to find you here? And 'Gov.' _too_--you wicked boy! What won't I do to you for never telling me you were in Manila? And Mildred!” (kiss--kiss, despite a palpable dodge and heightened color on part of the half-dazed recipient).
”And you, too, Miss Lawrence?” (Both hands, but no kiss--one hand calmly accepted). ”Ah, then I know how happy _you_ are, Mr. Willie Gray!”
(beaming arch smiles upon that flushed and fl.u.s.tered young officer. Then, turning again to twine a jeweled arm about the slim waist of their hostess, to whom she clung as though defying any effort to dislodge, yet pleading for protection): ”Who on earth could have foretold that we of all people should have met out here--of all places? How long did you say you had been here? A week? And of course, dear Mrs. Marsden has done everything to make it lovely for you. _I_ should have _died_ without her.” And so the swift play of words went on, the rapid fire of her fluent tongue covering the movement of her allies and drowning all possibility of reply. It was an odd and trying moment. Mrs. Marsden, well knowing, as who in Honolulu did not, of Mrs. Frank's devotion to the young lieutenant, barely six months agone, was striving to welcome the shrinking little scare-faced thing that blindly and helplessly had drifted in in the elder sister's wake. The introductions that followed, after the American fas.h.i.+on, were as perfunctory as well-bred women can permit. The greetings were almost solemn, smileless, and, on part of Nita, fluttering to the verge of a faint; and nothing but Witchie's plucky and persistent support, and the light flow of airy chat and laughter, carried her through the ordeal. The two young soldiers stood stiffly back, red-faced and black-browed; the father, pallid and cold, could hardly force himself to unbend, yet his lips mumbled the name ”Mrs.
Frost,” as he bowed at presentation; Miss Prime stood erect and trembling; Miss Lawrence, with brave eyes but heightened color. To leave at once was impossible; to remain was more than embarra.s.sment. Most gallantly did they battle, Mrs. Marsden and Mrs. Frank, to lift the wet blanket from the group and relieve the strain. Reward came to crown their efforts in strange, unlooked-for fas.h.i.+on. Hoofs, wheels and flas.h.i.+ng lights were again at the entrance gate, even as Mrs. Frank, sparkling with animation, distributing her gay good humor over the silent semicircle, suddenly exclaimed: ”Oh, if I'd _only_ known you were here, I could have provided the one thing to make our reunion complete! If we were not going on at daybreak I should do it yet.” Then hoofs and wheels and lights had come to a stop at the front of the house, and in measured, martial tread a man's footsteps were heard upon the _lanai_. Then, all of a sudden, with a cry of joy, Witchie burst in again: ”_Should_ do it?--I shall do it! Said I not I was the fairy queen? Behold me summon my subjects from the ends of the obedient earth!” And, waving her parasol as she would a wand, gayly pirouetting as she had that night in the tent at old Camp Merritt, she danced forward: ”Sound ye the trumpets, slaves!
Hail to the chief! See the conquering hero comes! Enter Brevet Brigadier-General Stanley Armstrong!--though his arm is anything but strong.”
Bowing gravely to the sprite in front of him, vaguely to the group in the shaded light at the edge of the _lanai_, and joyously to the little hostess, as almost hysterically she sprang forward and clasped his hands, the colonel of the Primeval Dudes stood revealed before them.
”_Colonel_ Armstrong! How--when did you get here? What does this mean? Is your arm quite well again? Why _didn't_ you let us know you were coming?”
were the questions rained upon him by Mrs. Marsden, immediately followed by the somewhat illogical statement that she was actually breathless with surprise.
”Shall I answer in their order?” said he, smiling down at her flushed and joyous face. ”By the Sedgwick. This afternoon. That I wished to see you.
Doing quite well. Because I didn't know myself until two days before we sailed.” Then, as he stood peering beyond her, she would have turned him to her other guests had not Mrs. Garrison made instant and impulsive rush upon him.
”As fairy queen or fairy G.o.dmother I claim first speech,” she gayly cried. ”What tidings of my liege lord, and where is hers, my fairy sister's?” she demanded, waving in front of him her filmy parasol and pirouetting with almost girlish grace.
”Captain Garrison was looking fairly well the day I sailed,” he answered briefly; ”and Colonel Frost left for Hongkong only a few hours before in hopes, as we understood, of finding Mrs. Frost at Yokohama. Permit me,”
he added, with grave courtesy. ”I have but little time as I transfer to the Doric to-night.”
A shade spread over the radiant face one instant, but was as quickly swept away. ”And I have not met your guests,” he finished, turning to Mrs. Marsden, as he spoke, and quietly pa.s.sing Mrs. Garrison in so doing.
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