see her or to appear conscious
of this infraction of a stringent rule and invasion of his dignity, grew
redder as he shouted rapid orders and swung his big, beautiful ship well
out into the stream. The guns of the Bennington boomed a deafening salute
as the Queen turned her sharp nose toward the open sea; and almost the
last thing Honolulu saw of her human freight was the tiny, dainty,
winsome little figure in white, waving a spotless kerchief as in fond
farewell. Once clear of the narrow entrance the big troop ship headed
westward toward the setting sun, shook free the reins, as it were, and,
followed by less favored craft, sped swiftly on her way, Witchie
Garrison, the latest addition to the passenger list, entirely at home, if
not actually in command.

Leaning on the General's arm an hour later and deftly piloting that
bewildered veteran up and down the breezy deck, she came, just as she had
planned to come, face to face once more with Stanley Armstrong. Well she
knew that under the escort of that exalted rank she was safe from any
possibility of cross question or interference. Well she knew that had he
heard of her sudden determination to go to Honolulu she could not have
escaped stern interrogation, possibly something worse; and her heart
failed her when she realized that the man who had gauged her shallow
nature years before, now held a lash over her head in the shape of the
paper that mad vanity had prompted her to write and send to the officer
of the guard the day that Stewart sailed. What madness it was, indeed,
yet how could she have dreamed it would fall into the hands of the man of
all others she feared and respected--the one man who, had he but cared,
could years ago have had her love, the man who, because he cared not, had
won her hate! And, now that he held or had held this paper--nothing less
than a forged order in her husband's name as aide-de-camp to General
Drayton, she could have cowered at his feet in her terror of him, yet
braved him with smiles, sweetness and gayety, with arch merriment and
joyous words, quitting for the moment the General's arm that she might
extend to him both her little white-gloved hands. Gravely he took the
left in his left while with the right he raised his forage cap in
combined salute to the woman and to his superior officer. Gravely and
almost instantly he released it, and listened in helpless patience to her
torrent of playful words; but his eyes were on the General's fa