The _idea_ of your going away for two days--two whole days--and marching
calmly up to me and telling me of it in such a rude, matter-of-fact
manner. You _are_ unkind.... _Don't_.... I don't like you, Harvey...
I'll tell father that you went away and left me for two whole days--to
go fishing and pig-shooting, and poor Mr. Atkins had to look after me,
and... oh, Harvey, Harvey, isn't it lovely! Father will be so glad, and
so will Carmela and Jack, and Librada and Ned. Harvey dear, I do hope
your sisters will like me. Perhaps they will think I am only a native
girl.... Oh, _do_ be careful, I can see Maoni's back shaking. She
_knows_ you're kissing me, I'm sure."

"Don't care if she does; don't care if she sees me kissing you, like
this, and this, _and_ this; don't care if Atkins sees us."

Her low, happy laugh sounded like the trill of a bird. "Harvey dear, do
you remember the day when we went to Roan Kiti in Ponape--when you were
sailing the _Belle Brandon_ for father?"

Harvey didn't remember, but, like a sensible lover, said he did, and
emphasised his remembrance in a proper manner.

"Well, now, listen... Oh, you horrid fellow, why do you look at me as if
I were a baby! Now, I shan't tell you anything at all.... There, don't
pretend to be sorry, for you know... oh, Harvey dear, I _must_ tell
you."

"Tell me, dearest."

"That's a good boy, a good would-be-climbing-a-coconut-tree youth, who
wanted to show off before poor Atkins who told me just now that you were
'the whitest man in the South Seas.' He did really."

"Atkins is 'an excellent good man,' and you are the sweetest and most
beautiful girl in _all_ the wide, wide Pacific. Come, tell me what it is
that you _must_ tell me."

"I'll tell you if you don't kiss me any more. Maoni's eyes can see round
her shoulders, I believe. I _do wish_ she wasn't here.... Well, that day
when you and I were climbing up the mountain-path you let a branch
swing back--you careless thing--and it hit me in the face and hurt me
terribly, and you took me up in your arms and kissed me. Oh, Harvey,
don't you remember? Kissed me, just because I was crying like a baby.
Harvey dear, I was only fourteen then, but I loved you then--that was
the real, _very_ beginning of it all, I think. And then I went away to
school to San Francisco, and _you_ went away--and I suppose you never
thought one little bit about me again."

"Indeed I did, Tess" (here was a silent but well-employed interlude);