induced to return,
it was only to scowl sullenly at everybody with the most bewitching
ill temper, poised so lightly that the very wind seemed to sway her
slender figure back and forth like a flower on its stalk.

We called her the Belle of Bongao, and said all manner of nice things
about her, which she repaid with a bold stare from under those
wonderful lashes, and a contemptuous manner which said as plainly
as words that American women were not much to look at, what with
their ugly clothes and still uglier faces. She was glad she wasn't so
large and clumsy, and that her teeth weren't white, nor her throat all
screwed up in high bandages, and she smiled a little as she thought of
her own attractions, for the Belle of Bongao had not learned she was
a beauty for nought; and then, too, had she not cost eighty dollars,
Mexican, the highest price ever paid in Tawi Tawi for a slave? Small
wonder the little beauty rated her charms high.

It was in Bongao we first made the acquaintance of Toolawee, the
chief _vigilante_ of Sulu. It seems this personage had been sent to
the Tawi Tawi Islands as pilot of the launch _Maud_, which, under
his careful seamanship, was then lying high and dry on a coral reef
within sight of the little garrison. Pirate under Spanish regime,
chief of police under American administration, Toolawee is known
to fame throughout the archipelago, though perhaps most of his
reputation depends upon Mr. Worcester's delightful account of him
in "The Philippine Islands." As all may remember, Toolawee acted
in the capacity of guide, philosopher, and friend to Mr. Worcester
and Doctor Bourns on their second visit to Sulu, many moons before
our occupation of the place. Toolawee was at that time acting as
"minister of war" to the nominal Sultan, having for reasons of his
own become a renegade. Mr. Worcester says of him:

"A Moro by birth and training, he had thrown in his lot with the
Spaniards. As a slight safeguard against possible backsliding, he
was allowed a fine house _within the walls_, where he kept several
wives and some forty slaves. Arolas reasoned that, rather than lose
so extensive an establishment, he would behave himself. Later we had
reason for believing that the precaution was a wise one....

"He was considered a 'good' Moro, and we were therefore interested
in several incidents which gave us some insight into his real
character. After satisfying himself that we could use our rifles with
effe