"I read about it in the papers that came on board in Honolulu," said Dr Macphail.
"Iwelei, with its sin and shame, ceased to exist on the very day we arrived. The whole population was brought before the justices. I don't know why I didn't understand at once what that woman was."
"Now you come to speak of it," said Mrs Macphail, "I remember seeing her come on board only a few minutes before the boat sailed. I remember thinking at the time she was cutting it rather fine."
"How dare she come here!" cried Davidson indignantly. "I'm not going to allow it."
He strode towards the door.
"What are you going to do?" asked Macphail.
"What do you expect me to do? I'm going to stop it. I'm not going to have this house turned into—into...."
He sought for a word that should not offend the ladies' ears. His eyes were flashing and his pale face was paler still in his emotion.
"It sounds as though there were three or four men down there," said the doctor. "Don't you think it's rather rash to go in just now?"
The missionary gave him a contemptuous look and without a word flung out of the room.