s PAPALAGI custom.'"

"And then every girl that had a wish took whatever she fancied, and the
white man charged us to say naught that would arouse the anger of the
wife that was to come. And so he departed.

* * * * *

"One hundred and ten fat hogs killed we and roasted whole for the feast
of welcome. I swear it by the Holy Ones of God's Kingdom--one hundred
and ten. And yet this white lily of his never smiled--not even on us
young girls who danced and sang before her, only she clung to his arm,
and, behold, when we drew close to her we saw it was the woman in the
picture--his sister!

"And then one by one all those that had gathered to do him honour went
away in shame--shame that he should do this, wed his own sister, and
many women said worse of her. But yet the feast--the hogs, and yams,
and taro, and fish, and fowls--was brought and placed by his doorstep,
but no one spake, and at night-time he was alone with his wife, till he
sent for the old chief, and reproached him with bitter words for the
coldness of the people, and asked: 'Why is this?'

* * * * *

"And the old man pointed to the picture over the table, and said: 'Is
this she--thy wife?'

"'Ay,' said the White Man.

"'Is she not of the same blood as thyself?'

"'Even so,' said he.

"'Then shalt thou live alone in thy shame,' said the old man; and he
went away.

"So, for many months, these two lived. He found some to work for him,
and some young girls to tend his sister, whom he called his wife,
whilst she lay ill with her first child. And the day after it was born,
some one whispered: 'He is accursed! the child cries not--it is dumb.'
For a week it lived, yet never did it cry, for the curse of wickedness
was upon it. Then the white man nursed her tenderly, and took her away
to live in Fiji for six months. When they came back it was the same--no
one cared to go inside his house, and he cursed us, and said he would
bring men from Tokelau to work for him. We said naught. Then in time
another child was born, and it was hideous to look upon, and that also
died.

* * * * *

"Now, there was a girl amongst us whose name was Suni, to whom the
white woman spoke much, for she was learning our tongue, and Suni, by
reason of the white woman's many presents, spoke openly to her, and
told her of the village talk. Then the white woman wept, and arose and
spoke to the man for a long while. And she came back to Suni, and said:
'What thou hast told me was in