ow is Opataia willing to take
her, though she is but of little worth, to my mind.'

"While they spoke thus to us, Tepuaka and his white friend had gone to
thy house, and there did Tui, thy wife, meet them with smiles to hide
what lay in her heart.

"'Get thee ready, thou wicked woman,' said her father roughly to her;
'get thee ready quickly to leave this heathen land and return to thy own
country, where thou shalt be wife to this good man, Opataia, who desires
thee still.'

"'It is well, my father,' said Tui; 'but yet leave us now for a little.
Surely if this man desires me for his house he can speak to me with his
own mouth, and not through thine.'

"So her father went without the house, and Opataia, the white man,
remained with Tui.

"Then said the evil-faced white man to Tui: 'For the wrong that thou
did'st me by running away with that evil white man do I forgive thee,
for I love thee well.' And then he put his arms about her, and sought to
embrace her after the manner of a lover.

"And then from beneath her gown did Tui take out a little gun that fires
six bullets; and as the fat man, Opataia, pressed her to his bosom and
heeded not what she did, she placed the mouth of the little gun to the
side of his fat head. Then she said--

"'This do I, dog, for the husband of whom thou hast robbed me,' and then
there came a flash and a cry, and the white man sprang to his feet and
fell forward on his face--dead.

"Then Tui ran from the house. She fled from her father and came towards
the village, and Tepuaka the King followed her with death in his face.

"'Kill her!' he called to the men of Niuafou.

"But then we men of Anuda sprang to her aid with our clubs in our hands,
and she ran into our midst and called to us to save her from her father.

"So there was much talk, and then her father's wrath began to subside,
for we made him many presents of food for his journey back, and he went
away in peace.

"That is all. And see, Jaojai, hither comes thy wife with her son in her
arms to welcome thee home."

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Officer And Man, by Louis Becke

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