iciently thankful to God that we are at least spared that."

Davidson's district consisted of a group of islands to the North of
Samoa; they were widely separated and he had frequently to go long
distances by canoe. At these times his wife remained at their
headquarters and managed the mission. Dr Macphail felt his heart sink
when he considered the efficiency with which she certainly managed it.
She spoke of the depravity of the natives in a voice which nothing could
hush, but with a vehemently unctuous horror. Her sense of delicacy was
singular. Early in their acquaintance she had said to him:

"You know, their marriage customs when we first settled in the islands
were so shocking that I couldn't possibly describe them to you. But I'll
tell Mrs Macphail and she'll tell you."

Then he had seen his wife and Mrs Davidson, their deck-chairs close
together, in earnest conversation for about two hours. As he walked past
them backwards and forwards for the sake of exercise, he had heard Mrs
Davidson's agitated whisper, like the distant flow of a mountain
torrent, and he saw by his wife's open mouth and pale face that she was
enjoying an alarming experience. At night in their cabin she repeated to
him with bated breath all she had heard.

"Well, what did I say to you?" cried Mrs Davidson, exultant, next
morning. "Did you ever hear anything more dreadful? You don't wonder
that I couldn't tell you myself, do you? Even though you are a doctor."

Mrs Davidson scanned his face. She had a dramatic eagerness to see that
she had achieved the desired effect.

"Can you wonder that when we first went there our hearts sank? You'll
hardly believe me when I tell you it was impossible to find a single
good girl in any of the villages."

She used the word _good_ in a severely technical manner.

"Mr Davidson and I talked it over, and we made up our minds the first
thing to do was to put down the dancing. The natives were crazy about
dancing."

"I was not averse to it myself when I was a young man," said Dr
Macphail.

"I guessed as much when I heard you ask Mrs Macphail to have a turn with
you last night. I don't think there's any real harm if a man dances
with his wife, but I was relieved that she wouldn't. Under the
circumstances I thought it better that we should keep ourselves to
ourselves."

"Under what circumstances?"

Mrs Davidson gave him a quick look through her _pince-nez_, but did not
answer his question.

"But among