as an act of friendship, all the trees,
and all the _felat_ we desire,' said one of the head men.

"Lirou laughed scornfully. 'And we to toil for years in carrying the
trees and stones from Tokolme, a league away. Bah! Let us fall upon them
as they sleep--and spare no one.'

"'Nay, nay,' said a sub-chief, named Kol, who had taken one of the Yap
girls to wife, 'that is an evil thought, and foul treachery. We be at
peace with them. I, for one, will have no part in such wickedness.' And
others said the same, but some were with Lirou.

"Then, after many angry words had been spoken--some for fair dealing,
and some for murder--Lirou said to the chief Kol and two others: 'Go to
the girl Lea and her head men with presents, and say this: We of Roan
Kiti are like to be hard pressed by Roka when the time comes for the
payment of our tribute. If we yield it not, then are we all dead men.
So give back to us Tokolme, and take from us Roan Kiti, where ye may for
ever dwell in peace, for Roka hath no ill-will against ye.'

"So Kol and two other chiefs, with many slaves bearing presents, went to
Tokolme. But before they set out, Kol sent secretly a messenger to Lea,
with these words: 'Though I shall presently come to thee with fair
words from Lirou, I bid thee and all thy people take heed, and beware
of what thou doest; and keep good watch by night, for Lirou hath an evil
mind.'

"This message was given to Lea, and her head men rewarded the messenger,
and then held council together, and told Lea what answer she should
give.

"This was the answer that she gave to Kol, speaking smilingly, and yet
with dignity:--

"'Say to the chief Lirou that I thank him for the rich presents he hath
sent me, and that I would that I could yield to his wish, and give unto
him this tract of country that his father gave to mine--so that he might
build a strong place of refuge against the King Roka But it cannot be,
for we, too, fear Roka. And we are but a few, and some day it might
happen that he would fall upon us, and sweep us away as a dead leaf
is swept from the branch of a young tree by the strong breath of the
storm.'

"So Kol returned to Lirou, and gave him the answer of Lea, and then
Lirou and those of his head men who meant ill to Lea and her people, met
together in secret, and plotted their destruction.

"And again Kol, who loved the Yap girl he had married, sent a message
to Lea, warning her to beware of treachery. And then it was that