temple, against taboo--because her not belong-a Tu-Kila-Kila temple; and
last night, when it great feast, plenty men catch Jani, and tie him up in
rope; and Tu-Kila-Kila kill him, and plenty Boupari men help Tu-Kila-Kila
eat up Jani."

She said it in the same simple, matter-of-fact way as she had said that
she was a nurse for three years in Queensland. To her it was a common
incident of everyday life. Such accidents _will_ happen, if you break
taboo and go too near forbidden temples.

But Muriel drew back, and let the pleasant-looking brown girl's hand drop
suddenly. "You can't mean it," she cried. "You can't mean he's a god!
Such a wicked man as that! Oh, his very look's too horrible."

Mali drew back in her turn with a somewhat terrified air, and peeped
suspiciously around her, as if to make sure whether any one was
listening. "Oh, hush," she said, anxiously. "Don't must talk like that.
If Tu-Kila-Kila hear, him scorch us up to ashes. Him very great god!
Him good! Him powerful!"

"How can he be good if he does such awful things?" Muriel exclaimed,
energetically.

Mali peered around her once more with terrified eyes in the same uneasy
way. "Take care," she said again. "Him god! Him powerful! Him can do no
wrong. Him King of the Trees! Him King of Heaven! On Boupari island,
Methodist god not much; no god so great like Tu-Kila-Kila."

"But a _man_ can't be a god!" Muriel exclaimed, contemptuously. "He's
nothing but a man! a savage! A cannibal!"

Mali looked back at her in wondering surprise. "Not in Queensland," she
answered, calmly--to her, all the world naturally divided itself into
Queensland and Polynesia--"no god in Queensland. Governor, him very great
chief; but him no god like Tu-Kila-Kila. Methodist god in sky, him only
god that live in Queensland. But no use worship Methodist god over here
in Boupari. Him no live here. Tu-Kila-Kila live here. All god here make
out of man. Live in man. Korong! What for you say a man can't be a god!
You god yourself! White gentleman there, god! Korong, Korong. Chief put
you in Heaven, so make you a god. People pray to you now. People bring
you presents."

"You don't mean to say," Muriel cried, "they bring me these things
because they think me a goddess?"

Mali nodded a grave assent. "Same like people give money in church in
Queensland," she answered, promptly. "Ask you make rain, make plenty
crop, make bread-fruit grow, make banana, make plantain. You Korong now.
Whil