troublous than yellow ribbons had ruffled his
pink serenity. If Miss Matilda had been the trembling kind she would
have trembled now at her own temerity--the result of indefinable
impulse. And yet when his answer came it was no rebuke, rather it was
eager, with an unwonted touch of embarrassment.

"What would you have me do, my dear?" he said. "I can't pass judgment on
these people. Our society is limited--largely primitive. How many months
is it since you saw another white woman here in Wailoa, for instance?
They wish to wed--that's enough."

"The man is white and the girl is a native, and you would marry them so
readily?"

* * * * *

Miss Matilda put the query with perfect outward calm. The Reverend
Spener himself was the one to clatter his cup.

"What would you have?" he repeated. "I marry them; yes. I will marry any
that ask--barring known criminals--and only too thankful to lend
religious sanction. Because--don't you see?--they are bound to marry
anyhow. Matilda--" He brought up short and regarded her with sharpened
concern, very curious for a man who was commonly so sure of himself. "My
dear daughter, I don't believe I've ever explained this point to you
before. It's not--er--it's a subject rather awkward to discuss. But
since we've reached it, there is a need why I should intrude briefly
upon your delicacy.... A very definite need."

If she gave a quick movement, it was only to set the tea-cozy in place.
If there came a flush athwart her pale cheek, it might have been a
chance ray of the deep western sun, filtering through the trellis.

"Yes?" she said.

"I am quite clear about these marriages. Quite clear. I cannot say I
advocate them, but in any such community as ours they have always been
inevitable. The missionary merely provides the service of the church, as
in duty bound. Who shall deny that he does the Lord's work toward
unifying the island type?" He blinked nervously, balked at his own lead
and started again.

"As to any stigma that may attach to such a union--really, you know,
it's not as if our natives had the least negroid taint. They are
Caucasians. Yes, my dear, that is scientifically true. The Polynesian
people are an early migration of the great Caucasian race. Besides
which, they are very fair to look upon--undeniably--very fair indeed."

She sat transfixed, but the most amazing part was to come....

"Consider, moreover," he pleaded--actually it was as i