y life also, if thou should'st need
it.'

And so, to please the girl whom he had once loved, he received from
her hand the drink of orange juice, which she took from a basket she
carried, and yet as he drank he looked away, for he feared to see her
eyes looking into his.

Only one word did he say as he turned away, and that was 'Farewell,' and
Milli answered 'Farewell, Narue;' but when he had gone some distance she
followed him and sobbed softly to herself.

And soon, as Narue walked, his body swayed to and fro and his feet struck
the roots of the trees that grew out through the soil along the path.
Then Milli, running swiftly up, caught him as he fell, and laid his head
upon her knees. His eyes were closed and his skin dead to her touch.

Presently the bushes near by parted, and two women came out, and lifting
Narue between them, they carried the young man to a shady place and laid
him down.

And then Milli wept as she bent her face over that of the man she loved,
but the two older women bade her cease.

Once more the girl looked at Narue, and then, stepping out into the path,
ran swiftly towards the village.

* * * * *

The five canoes were now sailing quickly over the smooth lagoon, with
the streamers from their mat sails floating in the wind, and on the
stages that ran from their sides to the outriggers were grouped parties
of singers and dancers, with painted bodies and faces dyed scarlet with
the juice of the _mati_ berry, who sang and danced, and shouted, and
made a brave show for the people who awaited their coming on the shore.

On the great stage of the first canoe, which was painted black, was
seated Laea, surrounded by her women attendants, who joined in the wild
singing whenever the name of their mistress formed the singers' theme.

Then suddenly, as each steersman let fall from his hand his great
steering paddle, which was secured by a rope to the side, the canoes
ran up into the wind, the huge mat sails were lowered, the stone anchors
dropped overboard, and the music and dancing ceased.

And then a strange thing happened, and Laea, who was of a proud and
haughty disposition, as became her lineage, grew pale with anger; for
suddenly the great crowd of people which had assembled on the beach
seemed to sway to and fro, and then separate and form into two bodies;
and she saw that the women and children had gathered apart from the men
and stood in a compact mass on