ange, and these men
were all strangers newly come among them. Nothing loth, the _Raja's_
followers plunged hotly into the love intrigues which formed the
principal interest in life to the people of Pekan, and the usual
jealousies began to cause quarrels among them. Now, it chanced that To'
Muda Long and Bayan both desired the same girl, and she, it would seem,
preferred the Paroquet to the young Chieftain. Perhaps, his good voice,
and the skill with which he sang the Song of the Burong Agot, turned the
balance in his favour, for Malay women love to be amused, and often
favour those who are willing and able to amuse them. The girl was well
born, and had many relatives, so To' Muda Long could not make an open
scandal by attempting to seize her by force, but his desire for her was
hot in his breast, and he decided that Bayan the Paroquet should die.

It only remained to seek a pretext for a quarrel, and this was easily
found. In the afternoon the _Raja's_ followers were accustomed to play
_sepak raga_,--a game which consists in kicking a round basket-work
ball, made of rattan, from one to the other, without letting it fall to
the ground. When it became dark, the players adjourned to the _Raja's
balai_ or hall, and some of them forgot to let down their trousers,
which had been hitched up above their knees to leave their legs free
while playing. Bayan was one of the older men among the _Raja's_
followers, and he, therefore, checked these youths; for, to enter a
_Raja's balai_ with bared knees is an act of rudeness. To' Muda Long
knew the custom, and, of course, his knees were covered, but when Bayan
spoke he leapt up and said:

'Arrogant one! Dost thou alone know the custom of kings? Thou art over
clever at teaching men!'

And, drawing his _kris_ he made a murderous assault on Bayan. The latter
whipped his _kris_ out, too, and it would have gone ill with To' Muda
Long, for Bayan was a strong man and knew the use of his weapon, had not
the older men, who were present, interfered to separate the combatants.

Next morning, Bayan arose betimes, and, taking the long bamboos, in
which water is stored and carried, he went down to the river to have his
morning bath, and to fetch water for his house. He must have attached
but little importance to the incident of the previous afternoon, for he
went to the river unarmed, which was unusual in those days even for men
who had no especial cause of quarrel. A Malay often judges the coura