It may be that Toea and I shall come back with this
our friend Parri"--she smiled into Barry's eyes--"when the ship
returns; it may be that she and I will live in Sydney for a while and
not return till twenty moons have passed. But return I shall."

An old, bald-headed warrior, grasping his spear in his right hand,
thrust its point deeply into the ground, stood up and spoke.

"Alisi, this is a great day. The ship which was stolen from thy dear
husband is thine again, and the white men who killed him and tried to
kill thee are, as thou saidst they would be, bound in links of iron.
That is well. But there are some things of which thou hast not spoken
and of which we would know, out of our love."

"Tell me, old Roku."

"It is pleasing to us that this man Velo of Samoa is taking Pani to
wife. He is a good man and true to thee and the white man Parri. But
we of Tebuan would see thy own wedding feast ere the ship saileth."

A vivid scarlet dyed Mrs. Tracey's cheeks as a roar of applause burst
from the assembled people. She put her hand to her throat and tried to
speak.

"What is it, Mrs. Tracey?" inquired Barry.

"Nothing of any importance, Mr. Barry," she said hurriedly, but trying
to force a smile and speak with unconcern. "I--I have been telling
them that you will marry Pani and Velo to-day, and that all going well,
Toea and I will return to Arrecifos certainly within two years."

Old Roku, the father of Toea, stood quietly holding the staff of his
spear and awaiting her reply.

"Roku," she said at last, trembling as she spoke, "say not such things
to me. This man Parri is my good friend, but hath no desire to wed me,
nor do I desire to wed him. And even if we were both of a free mind
such a thing could not be, for he is betrothed to another woman."

Roku slapped his naked chest in derision. "Alisi! what is that to
thee? Thou art a great woman and can command. What is any other woman
to thy will but as a dried leaf which falls and is swept away by the
wind? This man Parri and thou must wed, else shall we of Ujilong be
sore in heart. No child hath drawn at thy breasts----"

Mrs. Tracey held up her hand, her voice choking with shame in fear that
Barry might understand what was being said. "Say no more, Roku. I
tell ye all it cannot be. See, here in these boxes are the rifles and
the tobacco for the men and the red and blue cloth and the
many-coloured beads for the women and children, as was promi