ld mat which lay at the end of the cave and spread it out
in the centre.

"Come, Susani, dear one," he said gravely, and his usually harsh and
guttural voice sounded soft and tender. "Come, sit thee here, and then
in a little while shall I get wood and make a fire so that we may eat.
Hast eaten to-day, little one?"

She shook her head; a faint smile parted her lips, and then her strange,
mournful eyes for a moment again sought ours as she seated herself on
the mat Suka beckoned us to approach and sit near her, himself sitting a
little apart and to one side.

"Susani," he said, bending forward and speaking slowly and carefully,
"_fealofani tau lima i taka soa_" ("give your hand to my friends ").

The girl held out her left hand, and Senior and I each took it in turn
gently within our own, and uttered the native greeting of "_Fakaalofa_."

"She can talk," said Suka, "but not much. Sometimes for many days no
word will come from her lips. It is then she leaveth the village and
walks about in the forest or along the beaches when others sleep. But
no harm can come to her, for she is _tausi mau te Atua_.{*} And be not
vexed in that she gave thee her left hand, for, see----"

* In God's special keeping.

He touched the girl's right arm, and we now saw that it hung limp and
helpless upon her smooth, bared thigh.

"Was she born thus?" asked Senior, as he placed his strong, rough hand
upon her head and stroked her thick, wavy hair, which fell like a mantle
over her shoulders and back.

"Nay, she was born a strong child, and her mother and father were
without blemish, and good to look upon--the man was as thick as me" (he
touched his own brawny chest), "but as she grew and began to talk, the
bone in her right arm began to perish. And then the hand of God fell
upon her mother and father, and they died. But let me go get wood and
broil some fish, for she hath not eaten." Then he bent forward and
said--

"Dost fear to stay here, Susani, with the white men?"

She looked at us in turn, and then said slowly--

"Nay, I have no fear, Suka."

"Poor little beggar!" said Senior pityingly.

Ten minutes later Suka had returned with an armful of dry wood and some
young drinking cocoanuts. Fish we had in plenty, and in our bags were
some biscuits, brought from the schooner. As Senior and I tended the
fire, Suka wrapped four silvery sea mullet in leaves, and then when it
had burnt down to a heap of glowing coals he laid them