Ralph Stock

“ Such a mood was upon her now, for a white man had come to live at Luana, a white man of an entirely new pattern, sparse as to hair at the temples, almost blind, to judge by the size of tortoiseshell-rimmed sun-glasses that he wore, thoughtful of countenance, and content to sit in a cane chair under a mango tree for longer than Felisi had ever seen a white man sit in any one place. ”

“ TIME passes, even in the Islands. Felisi of Luana had reached the mature age of sixteen.
And things had happened—drastic things that have a habit of changing the whole aspect of life. No longer was she called upon by her father to adventure forth from the family roof-tree and wrest from a grudging world the wherewithal to purchase such luxuries as his advanced tastes demanded. Such excursions were no more, so that for Felisi the curtain was rung down on the thrilling drama of other people's business. Henceforth she must attend to her own. ”

“ Felisi was diligently eradicating mangoes, and Garnet was staring into the tangled branches overhead with a smile of pleasurable anticipation, so he failed to observe the sudden cessation in harvesting operations, and the expression on Felisi's face as she scrambled to her feet and came towards him.
"Playmate all right?" she inquired gravely.
"Very much so," said Garnet. "Of course, I may be prejudiced, but that's my opinion, and I think it will be yours. You see, she knows so well how to play, and as for stories, she's chockablock with 'em." ”