Evening star., 1926-12-12
Man Who Was ''Dead' BeCam

| white mans prestige would vanish in
Kapatea.
Yet If he went ahead, what assur-
| ance did he have that when We started
up the opposite slope, clinging like
| flies to it's steep side. the kapateans
would not shove those boulders over
the edge and the huge rocks, hurting
| down at tremendous speed, would not
wipe out all of us?
| But there was no attack as we
| climbed. The group above merely
parted TO let two men pass through II.
One was gigantic specimen Of
ma anhood, with great bulging muscles
| that rippled under his ebony skin
| naked except for the breech -clout ma de
of the soft inner fiber Of the tapa tree.
Limping al his heels was misera BILE
little individual He was thin, and on
his legs were unhealed sores that
seemed TO pain him extremely. The
eyes under a rather high forehead
We're weak and Watery.
The big man pushed through the po-
lice, ignoring them as if they did not
exist, and came directly to the ma gis-
trate
Then. humping his chest with his
closed fists. he announced his own
identity: "Aihi-Oai," and with a care.
less wave of the hand seemed to in
troduce his insignificant compa nion.
The magistrate. reaching TO take the
faccid hand which the little man ex.
tended. was surprised to hear himself
addressed in Motuan.
Chief Aihi-Oai bids YOU welcome.
master" he said. Il am Muria," he
added, as II II didn't matter
"Muria." Hmphries asked, you
know why I am here?"
Yes, master" was the ready reply,
1T is fashion 'govamen' walkaho
seeing what the villages are doing"
kapatea. said Humphries, sternly,
has been making war on Kevezzi.
The 'govamen' has gone very wild"
But 1t Is over now, master" Muria
SAID. kapatea's people have gone to
theiT villages again"
1T will not be over until handouts
are on the man who led the payhack,"
retorted Humphries grimIy. Where
is Yapitze?"
"One does not speak the name of
the dead, master" said Muria after
a bit, hint of reproof In his tone az
he mentioned An ancient taboo. Per.
haps you did not know. The man of
whom you speak is dead
Yapitze dead? 1t was hard to be-
lieve. Still, the taboo on dead mans
name might have kept, the fact of
Yapftze's death from us
He Was ambushed and killed with
a spear, master" went on Muria.
mo. II was not the people Of Kevezzi
who slew him. but man from his
own village of Tavivi, who envied his
great strength and desired it for him
self" That, too. Is a mountain belief,
that slain mans virtues pass to the
slayer.
THE one Of whom you speak was
buried?" Humphries asked, and Muria
replied in the affirmative.
Very WE'LL" said Humphries. rising
to signify the interview was ended.
tomorrow l start for Tavivi-and YOU
shall lead me-"
"Tavivi! No, ma ster, l do not go
to Tavivi." The protest was wrunp
from Muria's lips and he gazed plead
ingly at the white man. II have
nothing to do with Tavivi, master. /
do not know the way"
"Tavivi is in Kapatea," insisted the
magistrate. Surely you visit vii.
lage of your own tribe"
But Muria did not answer. He had
turned to Chief Aihi-Oai and was talk
Ing rapidly and earnestly with him.
Apparently he was passing on the re-
quest and the chief was vetoing It.
Watching their faces. It could be seen
that in some way fear was the reason
for the refusal. In ones heart one
could not blame them.
\
A BAD place, this village Tavivi,
quite the spot which would give
birth to fiend such AZ Yapitze. 1t
would not lightly forgive the man
who led it now into the ha ands of the
"govamen'," in view of it's part in the
recent warfare. He would be marked
man