warmed, for it showed him how assiduous had been
Evanitalina's counting of his imprisonment, for it was exactly sixteen
days, even as she said, she tallying it every morning with a little
stone; and it spoke to him better than words of the endurance and
strength of her love, which, like his own, was as fathomless as the sea.

"I was made free on this condition," he said, touching his rifle, "and
though to me the Government is nothing, nor the King, nor the quarrel
more than that of gulls on a rock, or the squeals of nameless-animals
over carrion, yet I consented for thy sake, Evanitalina."

"My sake?" she exclaimed, astonished. "Were it to please me I would
implore thee to remain behind, though I thought my name had long ceased
to be anything to thee, and that I was utterly forgotten and cast
aside."

"So did I try to make it," he said, "for no shark could have been more
cruel than thee to me, nor any bat more blind to worth, and because I
had neither lands nor family thou drovest me forth with contempt."

"It was the insufficiency of the two dollars, O'olo," she protested,
"and not that of my love, which was unbounded; and if I merited
punishment for what seemed right to me, have I not received it, and
atoned a thousand times over for my fault? Did Viliamu gain me for all
his wealth and position, or did Carl the half-caste take me to wife? I
was truer to thee than ever thou wast to me, and nightly I wept, and
held the memory of thee in my arms, like a mother whose babe is dead.
And this I will do, if thou wilt return to jail, and break the covenant
of thy freedom--I will marry thee, and go live with thee in Siosi's
house, and forfeit rank and honor and the regard of all, reckoning them
as naught in the comparison of thy love."

At this O'olo could hardly keep back his tears, so greatly was he
overcome; and his hand met Evanitalina's and clasped on hers, and his
chest shook like one grief-stricken at the death of a near relation. He
had learned many things since he had become bad, and knew better than
before the gulf that lay between an eat-bush like himself and a member
of the renowned I'i family. Our Lord in the desert was not more tempted
by the kingdoms of the world than he at that moment by Evanitalina, who
was offering herself in all her young beauty for his delight.

But resolutely he put the devil behind him, saying: "I will not have
thee stoop to me, so that persons shall mock at thy choice, and the
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