The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1894-07-21
BY CRaNIAl16Ny

that they never meant to hurt her.and
that, If only she would venture with
| out the line, as Of cd, all should be
well, and they would love and adore
her. Mali translated To her mistress
| these speeches and prayers. Them
say, You come back, Queenie, -" she
/ explained in her broken Queensland
/ English. BOupari women love YOU
! very much. SOupari women glad Won
! come. You kind. you beautiful, All
/ Bouparl men and women very much
/ pleased with you and the gentleman.
! because you give back him COCOanut
and fruit that you pick in the storm,
| and because you bring down fresh fire
! from Heaven
/ Gradually, after several DAYS. Felix 5
I confidence was 50 far restored that he
/ ventured to stroll beyond the linz
/ again: and he found himself, indeed.
/ most popular among the people In
various ways he picked up gradually
/ the idea that the islanders generally
/ dlsliked Tu-hila-kila, and liked him
! self; and that they somehow regarded
/ him as Tu-kila-kila's natural enemy.
/ W hat II could all mean he did not vet
understand, though some inklings of
! an explanation occasionally occurred
| to him. Oh, how he lOnged now for
! the Month of Birds to end, in order
| that he might pay his lOng-deferred
| visit 10 the mysterious FrenChman.
! from whose voice his Shadow had fled
on that fateful evening with such sud
den prccipitency The Frenchman, he
Judged, must have been long on the
island. and could probably give him
some satisfactory solution of this ab-
strUse problem.
So he was glad. indeed. when one
evening, some weeks later. his
Shadow, observing the sky narrowly.
remarked to him in low voice, New
moon tomorrow, The Month of Birds
Will then be up. In the morning YOU
can 90 and see your brother god al the
Abode of Birds without breaking taboo.
The Month of Turtles begins at sun
rise. My family god is a turtle. so
know the dav for It. "
SO great was Felix's Impotence to
settle this question. that almost before
the sun was up next day he had set
forth from his hut, accompanied. as
usual, by his faithful Shallow. Their
way was past Tukila-kila's temple.
As they went by the entrance with
bamboo posts, Felix happened to
glance aside through the gate to the
sacred enclosure. Early as it was, Tu-
klla -kila was a-foot already: and. to
Felix 5 great surprise. was pacing up
ana down, with that StealthV. wary
look upon his cunning that Muriel had
80 particularly noted on the dav Of
their first arrival. His spear stood in
his hand, ana his tOmahawk hung by
his side: he peered about him suspic-
iously, with cautious glace, as he
walked round and round the sacred
tree he guarded so continually. There
was something weird and awful in the
sight of that savage god, thus CON
demned by his own superstition and
the custom of his people to tramp
ceaselessly up and down before the
sacred banyan.
At sight of Felix, however, a sudden
burst OF frenzy seemed to possess at
once all Tu-Kila-kila's limbs He
hrandished his spear violently, and set
himself spasmOdicaly in posture of
defense. His brow grew black. and his
eyes darted out eternal hate and sus-
pl"ion, It was evident he expected an
instant attack, and was prepared with
all his might and main to resist aggres-
sion. Yet he never offered to desert
his post by the tree or to assume the
offensive. Clearly, he was guarding
the sacred grove itself with Jealous
cure, and was as eager for its safety as
for his own life and honor
Felix passed on, wondering what il
all could mean, and turned with an in
quiring glance TO his trembling
Shadow. As for Toxic, he had held his
face averted meanw lille. lest he should
behold the great god, and be scOrched
to Cinder, but in answer to Felix's
mute inquiry he murmured low: Was
Tu-hilakila there: Were all things
right? Was he on guard at his post
by the tree alreadv:"
~ es, FeliXreplied, with that weird
sense Of mystery creeping over him
now more profoundly than ever. He
was on guard by the tree and he looked
at me angrlly.'
All, " the Shadow remarked. with a
sigh of regret, he keeps watch we'll
1t will De hard work TO assail him. No
god in Boupari ever held his place so
tight Who wishes to take Tu-kila-
kila's divinity must get up carly
They then went on in silence to the
little volcanic knoll near the center of
the island. There, in the neat garden
plot they had observed before. a man.
in the last relics OF a very battered
European costume. much covered with
a short cape of native cloth, was tend
ing his flowers ana singing to himself
merrily. HIS back was turned to them
as they came up. Felix paused a mo-
ment, unseen. and caught the words
the stranger was singing:
Tres iOlie
Ieu pole,
Hossedant gros megOt:
Fort an gueula
Pas beg .eule
1elle euait-'
The STRANGER looked un and nansad