Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1893 — AN IDYL OF HONOLULU. [ARTICLE]

AN IDYL OF HONOLULU.

A Bold Stroke for a Husband. Written for This Paper.

BY LEON LEWIS.

CHAPTER I. THE VENGEANCE OF A RIVAL A young Chicagoan was taking a lengthy stroll one lino afternoon a few miles from the capital of the Hawaiian Islands. Suddenly as he turned a sharp bend in the road, which vas bordered by rocks and trees, he jamo upon a scene which at once fixed his attention. Not ten rods ahead two persons,' mounted upon horses, were approaching at a walk—the one a coarse-looking man of five-and-thirty years, in a sailor’s holiday suit; the other a girl of rare beauty and grace, whose years could have hardly numbered eighteen. They were flushe d and excited, and engaged in angry contention. The man had even seized the girl’s bridle to prevent her from flying. “Is this your final decision?” he was asking. “It Is,” was the quick answer. “But why do you refuse me? Are you in love with the young fellow who visited Cape May last summer, and who saved your life in the surf—that Ralph Kempiin?” The question was unanswered, save by a look of increased scorn and a rosier glow of features. “That is the secret of your refusal of me, no doubt, ” continued the rejected suitor. “I noticed at the time that you and Kempiin seemed smitten with each other. Have I not fathomed the motives of your conduct?” “You have no right to ask me these questions," returned the girl coldly and haughtily. “All I have to say to you is that I will never marry your “Then this ride may as well end here.”

he asked, the light of his eyes and the expression of his face becoming tenderer. “Think of them! They are always with me.” Ralph drew the hand quickly to his lips. “It’s the same with me,” he declared, his rich voice vibrating with a thrill of joy. “I have loved , you constantly from the first moment of our acquaintance, and greatly regret that I did not tell you so last summer. Several sentiments restrained me, among which was the fear of speaking too soon, and when, upon my return to college, I had reached a resolve to write you my views, I learned that you had sailed with your father. hiow, there are thousands upon thousands of happy couples who never would have married if Providence had not actually bumped their heads together, but I do not intend to wait for any special aids of that nature. Pardon, therefore, dear Miss Stepp, now and here, a single question. Are you still free to accept me as a suitor for your hand?” A look was a sufficient answer. “Then I beg of you to regard me as such from this moment.” A brief silence followed, but it was a silence full of roseate hues and gladness unutterable. Probably the girl’s hand returned the pressure of the hand in which it was resting. Probably, too, her eyes were more eloquent than volumes of commonplaco declarations. Be that as it may, they could not have looked any happier if they had owned the whole world.

The journey into town was only too quickly accomplished. Passing the missionary printing establishment and school-room, the young couple took their way direct to the outer stone pier, where Capt. Stepp, a noble-look-ing man, with a boat and crew, was anxiously awaiting his daughter’s coming. Her prevision respecting Ralph’s reception was fully realized. No one had ever seen the honest old navigator more delighted. “Why, look at that ship, ” he cried, when his joyous excitement had found expression, as he pointed at the Nor’wester, which lay in full view of the fort. “It is in that ship that I have earned every dollar I shall leave my daughter. And it was your father, as I must have told you last summer, who enabled me to buy her. He is the first friend I ever had, and the best one. You, doubtless, remember that ho first named me commander? How came you here?” “Oh, I am simply taking a trip around the world," replied Ralph, “and expect to sail in the next steamer for China." “Well, well,” commented Captain Stepp; “our meeting here is a strange one. But, come—let’s be off for the ship, for you’ll certainly honor us with a visit, Mr. Kempiin? I’ve forgotten all about Mr. Ripple in this excitement. Where is he, Maida? Maida explained. The surprise of Captain Stepp at Ripple’s baseness was exceeded only by his consternation at the peril his daughter had encountered. An officer with numerous aids was immediately dispatched in quest of the offender, and the little party took boat for the Nor’wester. A pleasant visit of several hours followedj during which Ralph made the acquaintance of Maida’s aunt, Miss Alice Stepp, who was making the voyage, partly for her health and partly for reasons that were duly set forth by her niece. * “You doubtless wonder that Aunt Alice and I are with my father upon such a long voyage," the girl took occasion to say to her lover, when they had been left to themselves. “But he’s now well along in years —was fifty-eight yesterday—and his health is not what it used to be. He lost my mother, you know, when I was a baby. He has had only Aunt Alice and me to live for all these yearSj and I have always bedn been with him. lam the living image of my mother, and he cannot bear to have me out of his sight. ” “I don’t wonder at it,” said Ralph, emphatically, his eyes beaming with tender admiration.

Slipping to the ground the man led the horses into the wooded solitude beside the road, coming to a halt. This bold proceeding naturally surprised the girl, but she lost no time in alighting, pale with a sudden increase of anger and disgust. “Since you act in this vile manner,” she said, defiantly, “I will return to town on foot.” She moved away as she spoke, but her oppressor seized her roughly by the arm, detaining ' her. His eyes glared and his brawny frame trembled. “No; you shall not return on foot — nor in any other way,” he declared. “Under the circumstances, I am not going back to the ship myself.” “What then?” “I am going to turn outlaw 1 Since you won’t marry me, Maida Stepp, you shall never marry anybody—never return to your father even! I’ll hide in the woods and caves of the interior, taking you with me by force!” “Villain! how dare you touch me ?” cried the girl. “Let go of my arm this instant!” “I won’t let go! Since you won’t be my wife, you shall be worse than a slave!" He looked up at the immense precipices by which the Nuuanu valley is dosed inland, as if invoking their awful solitudes, and clutched tne girl still more tightly. “I hear that robbers and cut-throats have been seen in these hills, ” he added rapidly. “All I have to do is to disappear with you, leaving it to be supposed that we have been murdered. No help can reach you in this lonely spot " Here our young Chicagoan appeared to the view of the couple, advancing swiftly toward them. “Miss Stepp! Is it possible ?" was his greeting. “Ralph Kempiin! Thank Heaven!" She was already free, thanks to the consternation of her assailant, and flew to the protecting arms of the newcomer, nestling upon his breast. “You see, too-confident stranger," said Ralph, with airy and scornful intonation, as he looked over the sunny head of his charge at the rejected suitor, who stood as if thunderstruck, “that you have counted your chickens before they are hatched. lam here just in time to constitute myself this young lady’s protector. At the least further insolence to her, I will prepare you for admission to the nearest hospital.” “Sir! I ”

“No reply is necessary. A crowd of people are coming around the bend, and you’ve barely time to hide in the woods and caves of the interior, as you just now threatened. Be off at once." An instant the baffled villain hesitated —long enough to assure himself that several naval officers, on their way to the Pali, were just coming into view around the bend mentioned—and then he sprang into his saddle, dashing away at full speed. As prompt and rapid a 3 was his flight, however, he was not yet out of sight when Maida Stepp, with her rescuer’s aid, was again mounted and on her way to the capital. “After what I’ve seen and heard," said the young Chicagoan, as he walked beside the girl, when the naval officers had passed, “I must, of course, congratulate you upon your change of escort. But/’ and his eyes kindled and his voice softened, “I must also congratulate myself." A swift flush leaped to the girl’s cheeks. _ “You came just in time, Mr. Kemplin.“ she murmured, shuddering. “That villain would have dragged me away to a horrible fate.” “Who is he?” “His name is Hank Ripple. He’s first officer of the Nor-'wester, my father’s ship, now anchored in the harbor. I had no idea of his real character until this hour. He has bothered me with his attentions ever since we left home last fall, but I supposed him to be harmless. I wanted to see the Pali very much. Aunt Alice was not well enough to go with me, and father was too busy. Mr. Ripple offered his services, and we had no misgivings about accepting them, so oarefully has the villain kept his real nature hidden." “I see. You have been well and happy since I saw you last?” “Yes, thank you. I always enjoyed good health, and am always happy,” and she sighed. “And you, Mr. Kemplin?“ "Oh, I can say as much," and he also sighed. “How is your father?" “Apparently as strong as ever. How pleased he will be to see you!" “The pleasure will ba mutual, of course. I need hardly so*, Miss Stepp, how delighted I am to s«M you again. There is something fateful in our meeting.” “There certainly Is. You have saved my life to-day as surely as you did last summer when you drew me gasping from the surf. Rest assured that lam grateful.” A little hand stole out to him, and he pressed it fervently, continuing to clasp it. “Do you ever think of those days?”

“We are now on our way to the Arctic ocean through the Straits of Behring,” continued Maida. “The right whales have gone up into those watei's —at least such is father’s theory —and as this is intended to be bis last voyage he is determined to make a success of it. We shall probably remain here three or four days longer.” “And I expect to be here a like period.” A mutual sigh succeeded, but the communing of the couple was continued, and before night they were walking the deck arm in arm, greatly to the astonishment of the good maiden aunt, who wondered how and where they had “got so thick” with each other. The next day they were alxpost continually together, and upon the third day they were formally betrothed to each other. During these days not the least trace was found of Hank Ripple. The hour of separation came painfully _ soon for the lovers. We have neither time nor space to relate the sacred communings and equally sacred griefs of that adieu. It was agreed that the young Chicagoan should claim his betrothed upon her return home, and that they would then decide in family council and according to circumstances whether to settle in Chicago or elsewhere. And so they separated, the Nor’wester resuming her voyage. That same afternoon, as Ralph Kemplin was walking, gloomy and abstracted, near Kalika Bay, whither- he had gone to look at the fish ponds and other curiosities, while awaiting the departure of his own ship, which was to sail upon the following morning, he suddenly found himself intercepted by three rough-looking sailors who signified that they had business with him. “We’re friends of Hank Ripple,” said the spokesman of the trio. “In fact we came here in the Nor’wester with him but have deserted.” “Where is Mr. Ripple now?" asked Ralph. ' “He has gone on with the ship, sir.” “With the ship? Impossible! We’ve had men looking for him for three days past. ” ‘Nevertheless ho has sailed in the Nor’wester, so as to be near the Cap’n’s daughter!” “Impossible!” protested Ralph, in a voice f reighted with pain. “Oh, not at all,” answered the sailor. “He disguised himself so thoroughly that the Cap’n didn’t know him, ana no difficulty in shipping as a seaman in my place.” The information gave Ralph a chill of consternation. “And that isn’t all, sir,” resumed the

spokesman of the three ruffians, beck, oning his confrades nearer, “Mr. Ripple thinks so much of you, Mr. Kempiin, that he has given us a hundred dollars to present his compliments to you. And here they are!” The three men hurled themselves upon him at these words, and gave him a terrible boating, despite all he could do to protect himself, and then vanished as abruptly as they had appeared, leaving him for dead. CHAPTER 11. UNDER A TERRIBLE SHADOW. A couple of hours later, a native of the island, going home in that direction, found tho young Chicagoan sitting up and looking calmly, yet wonderingly, around. Nearly all the Kanakas) speak English, and this one spoke it fluently. Hoping to earn a trifle; he drew near, with a respectful salutation, and offered to bring a horse. “A horse? what for?” returned Ralph. • “To take you to town, sir,” “Town? what town?” “To Honolulu.” Marking the wondering stare with which Ralph received these words, the Kanaka added: “You know where you are, don’t you?" “No. Where am I?” The Kanaka retreated several steps rapidly, uttering a cry of horrot in his native tongue, but returned to tho charge. “You can at least tell me who you are, ” he suggested. “Who I am? I—l don’t know!” “But you must know where you came from and how you arrived here?” Ralph shook his head, looking thoroughly puzzled, and responded: “I don’t know anything about it." “You can certainly tell me your name,” cried the Kanaka, in a frightened voice. “Name? Name? I haven’t any name as I know of.” Alas for the truth. The blows Ralph had received upon his head from his assailants had utterly annihilated his memory. Obliterated was all his past —his journey —his whereabouts—his relations to Maida Stepp and to his father and friends. He was ignorant of all the facts concerning himself, even to his own name. The Kanaka was strongly tempted to take to his heels without further inquiry or comment. But he had more than the average Kanaka heart and brain, and he resolved to probe the mystery of Ralph’s singular situation. “Didn’t you arrive here in a steamer from San Francisco?" he asked. “Are you not an American?” Ralph contracted his brows in a desperate effort to furnish a solution of this problem, but after a full minute he was obliged to answer: “I don’t know.” “Where were you when you first knew anything aDout yourself?” continued the Kanaka. “I—l was hero!” Smiling involuntarily at this reply, tho Kanaka stepped nearer and lifted Ralph’s hat, then starting back in painful amazement. “Ah, I see!” he ejaculated. There was a bump upon Ralph’s head, between his ear and his temple, nearly as large as a hen’s egg, and discolored to blackness. Touching this bump gently, the Kanaka elicited a sharp cry of pain. “I see,” he repeated, giving his attention to various other injuries. “You’ve been waylaid—kncckod on the head—almost murdered!” [TO BE CONTINUED. ]