rrieth an Englishman."

The other natives laughed, and then an ugly fat-faced girl with
lime-covered head and painted cheeks called out "_Papatetele!_" and
Terere turned round and cursed them in good English.

"What does that mean?" said a white man to Flash Harry from Saleimoa--a
man full of island lore.

"Why, it means as the bride isn't all as she purfesses to be. Them
pretty soft-lookin' ones like her seldom is, in Samoa or anywhere else."

*****

The day following the stock-taking Etheridge went to Apia--and never
came back.

One night a native tapped gently at Lawson's window and handed him a
note. As he read Terere with a sleepy yawn awoke, and, stretching one
rounded arm out at full length, let it fall lazily on the mat-bed.

"What is it, Harry?"

"Get up, d------ you! Etheridge is dead, and I'm going to take Lalia up
to Apia as quick as I can. Why the h---- couldn't he die here?"

A rapid vision of unlimited presents from the rich young widow passed
through the mind of Terere--to whom the relations that had formerly
existed between her and Lawson were well known--as she and he sped along
in his boat to Etheridge's. Lalia received the news with much equanimity
and a few tears, and then leaving Terere in charge, she got into the
boat and rolled a cigarette. Lawson was in feverish haste. He was afraid
the consul would be down and baulk his rapid but carefully arranged
scheme. At Safune he sent his crew of two men ashore to his house for a
breaker of water, and then once they were out of sight he pushed off and
left them. They were in the way and might spoil everything. The breeze
was strong, and that night Lawson and Lalia, instead of being out in
the open sea beating up to Apia, were ashore in the sitting-room of the
white missionary house on the other side of Savaii.

"I am indeed glad to make your acquaintance, Mr. Lawson. Your honourable
impulse deserves commendation. I have always regretted the fact that a
man like you whose reputation as an educated and intelligent person far
above that of most traders here is not unknown to me"--Lawson smiled
sweetly--"should not alone set at defiance the teaching of Holy Writ,
but tacitly mock at _our_ efforts to inculcate a higher code of morality
in these beautiful islands. Ere long I trust I may make the acquaintance
of your brother-in-law, Mr. Etheridge, and his wife."

Lawson smiled affably, and a slight tinge suffused the creamy cheek of
Lalia.

"And n