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Steve's conduct in this hour of saying good…bye。 She had looked upon
him as her playfellow； and for the month he had been her playfellow； but
now he was not parting like a playfellow。 He talked excitedly and
disconnectedly； or was silent； by fits and starts。 Sometimes he did not
hear what she was saying； or if he did； failed to respond in his wonted
manner。 She was perturbed by the way he looked at her。 She had not
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known before that he had such blazing eyes。 There was something in
his eyes that was terrifying。 She could not face it； and her own eyes
continually drooped before it。 Yet there was something alluring about it；
as well； and she continually returned to catch a glimpse of that blazing；
imperious； yearning something that she had never seen in human eyes
before。 And she was herself strangely bewildered and excited。
The transport's huge whistle blew a deafening blast； and the flower…
crowned multitude surged closer to the side of the dock。 Dorothy
Sambrooke's fingers were pressed to her ears； and as she made a moue
of distaste at the outrage of sound； she noticed again the imperious；
yearning blaze in Steve's eyes。 He was not looking at her； but at her
ears； delicately pink and transparent in the slanting rays of the afternoon
sun。 Curious and fascinated； she gazed at that strange something in his
eyes until he saw that he had been caught。 She saw his cheeks flush
darkly and heard him utter inarticulately。 He was embarrassed； and she
was aware of embarrassment herself。 Stewards were going about
nervously begging shore…going persons to be gone。 Steve put out his
hand。 When she felt the grip of the fingers that had gripped hers a
thousand times on surf…boards and lava slopes； she heard the words of
the song with a new understanding as they sobbed in the Hawaiian
woman's silver throat：
〃Ka halia ko aloha kai hiki mai； Ke hone ae nei i ku'u manawa； O oe
no kan aloha A loko e hana nei。〃
Steve had taught her air and words and meaningso she had thought；
till this instant； and in this instant of the last finger clasp and warm
contact of palms she divined for the first time the real meaning of the
song。 She scarcely saw him go； nor could she note him on the crowded
gangway； for she was deep in a memory maze； living over the four
weeks just past； rereading events in the light of revelation。
When the Senatorial party had landed； Steve had been one of the
committee of entertainment。 It was he who had given them their first
exhibition of surf riding； out at Waikiki Beach； paddling his narrow
board seaward until he became a disappearing speck； and then； suddenly
reappearing； rising like a sea…god from out of the welter of spume and
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churning whiterising swiftly higher and higher； shoulders and chest
and loins and limbs； until he stood poised on the smoking crest of a
mighty； mile…long billow； his feet buried in the flying foam； hurling
beach…ward with the speed of an express train and stepping calmly
ashore at their astounded feet。 That had been her first glimpse of Steve。
He had been the youngest man on the committee； a youth； himself； of
twenty。 He had not entertained by speechmaking； nor had he shone
decoratively at receptions。 It was in the breakers at Waikiki； in the wild
cattle drive on Manna Kea； and in the breaking yard of the Haleakala
Ranch that he had performed his share of the entertaining。
She had not cared for the interminable statistics and eternal
speechmaking of the other members of the committee。 Neither had
Steve。 And it was with Steve that she had stolen away from the open…
air feast at Hamakua； and from Abe Louisson； the coffee planter； who
had talked coffee； coffee； nothing but coffee； for two mortal hours。 It
was then； as they rode among the tree ferns； that Steve had taught her the
words of 〃Aloha Oe；〃 the song that had been sung to the visiting
Senators at every village； ranch； and plantation departure。
Steve and she had been much together from the first。 He had been
her playfellow。 She had taken possession of him while her father had
been occupied in taking possession of the statistics of the island territory。
She was too gentle to tyrannize over her playfellow； yet she had ruled
him abjectly； except when in canoe； or on horse or surf…board； at which
times he had taken charge and she had rendered obedience。 And now；
with this last singing of the song； as the lines were cast off and the big
transport began backing slowly out from the dock； she knew that Steve
was something more to her than playfellow。
Five thousand voices were singing 〃Aloha Oe；〃〃MY LOVE BE
WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN；〃and in that first moment of
known love she realized that she and Steve were being torn apart。
When would they ever meet again？ He had taught her those words
himself。 She remembered listening as he sang them over and over
under the hau tree at Waikiki。 Had it been prophecy？ And she had
admired his singing； had told him that he sang with such expression。
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She laughed aloud； hysterically；