face and recollected with a pang how old and ugly he
must seem to her, she had understood the sigh that expressed his own
self-disgust, and had bent over and kissed him on the lips. From that
moment his love for her deepened into an emotion transcending anything
he had ever felt before. He saw now that to separate himself from her
would be to break both their hearts; that, for good or evil, he was hers
and she his; that fate had indeed joined them forever.

When at last he grew strong enough to walk, he went with her across to
the native pastor's house, where together they stood up before the Rev.
Tavita Singua and were married. This was the prelude to another and more
binding ceremony before the American Consul in Apia, whither they both
went in a canoe borrowed from Faalelei. The official books were
withdrawn from the safe and the thirty-six Americans in Samoa were
increased by two new names: "Jack Wilson, aged thirty-one, birthplace
Bath, Me., occupation seaman, present residence Oa Bay; and Fetuao
Wilson, supposed to be seventeen, daughter of Faalelei, chief of Oa Bay,
his lawful wife." (See Consular Marriage Record, p. 18.)

As he stood there before the consul, painfully conscious of his bare
feet, of his unkempt and ragged appearance, of the contrast between
himself and that benignant official, he timidly brought up the subject
of the fee. No doubt there is some kind of damage, he said, and might he
leave this ring--his mother's wedding ring--in pawn until he might earn
a little money and square the matter? The consul took the ring, looked
at it a moment without a word, and then in a rough, friendly way seized
Fetuao's hand and slipped it on her finger.

"I think it belongs here," he said.

"But the fee," said Jack.

"Oh, damn the fee!" said the consul.

With that he went into an inner office and returned with a sheepish air,
as of a man about to do something he was ashamed of.

"Here's ten dollars," he said. "Take it; it's a wedding present, you
know. I never married anybody before."

Jack refused the gift a little ungraciously, though his voice trembled
in doing so.

"Have a drink, then?" said the consul.

"No, I thank you, sir," Jack blurted out.

Embarrassment in a cloud descended on all three. The consul, like the
worthy fellow he was, wished to do something for these waifs, and his
eyes roved about the big, hot room in search of he knew not what. Jack
and Fetuao, no less ill at ease, stood close