“Now you, Sergeant -“

Chan drew a deep breath. “I am quite overcome,” he remarked, “by the bright loveliness of this morning on which I say farewell to the mainland.”

They rode on in silence, while the girl thought hard. If only she could find some way of reaching this stolid man by her side, some appeal that would not roll off like water from a duck’s back. She hastily went over in her mind all she had ever read of the Chinese character.

Kirk drove his smart roadster onto the pier, a few feet from the Maui’s gangplank. The big white ship was gay with the color of women’s hats and frocks. Taxis were sweeping up, travelers were alighting, white-jacketed stewards stood in a bored line ready for another sailing. Good-bys and final admonitions filled the air.

A steward stepped forward and took Chan’s bag. “Hello, Sergeant,” he said. “Going home, eh? What room, please?”

Chan told him, then turned to the young people at his side. “At thought of your kindness,” he remarked, “I am choking. Words escape me. I can only say - good-by.”

“Give my regards to the youngest Chan,” said Kirk. “Perhaps I’ll see him some day.”

“Reminding me,” returned Chan, “that only this morning I scour my brain to name him. With your kind permission, I will denote him Barry Chan.”

“I’m very much flattered,” Kirk answered gravely. “Wish to heaven I had something to send him - er - a mug - or a what-you-may-call-it. You’ll hear from me later.”

“I only trust,” Chan said, “he grows up worthy of his name. Miss Morrow - I am leaving on this dock my heartiest good wishes -“

She looked at him oddly. “Thank you,” she remarked in a cool voice. “I wish you could have stayed, Mr. Chan. But of course I realize your point of view. The case was too difficult. For once, Charlie Chan is running away. I’m afraid the famous Sergeant of the Honolulu police has lost face to-day.”

A startled expression crossed that usually bland countenance. For a long moment Chan looked at her with serious eyes, then he bowed, very stiffly. “I wish you good-by,” he said, and walked with offended dignity up the gangplank.

Kirk was staring at the girl in amazement. “Don’t look at me like that,” she cried ruefully. “It was cruel, but it was my last chance. I’d tried everything else. Well, it didn’t work.