“Roka made her very welcome, and was filled with anger when she told her story.
“'I will quickly punish these cruel murderers,' he said; 'as for thee, Leâ, make this thy home and dwell with us.'
“Roka gathered together his fighting men. Half he sent to Roân Kiti by water, and half he himself led across the mountains. They fell upon Lirou's people at night, and slew nearly half of the men, and drove all the rest into the mountains, where they remained for many months, broken and hunted men.
“That is the story of Tokolmé.”
CHAPTER XVI ~ “LANO-TÔ”
A white rain squall came crashing through the mountain forest, and then went humming northward across the quiet lake, down over the wooded littoral and far out to sea. Silence once more, and then a mountain cock, who had scorned the sweeping rain, uttered his shrill, cackling, and defiant crow, as he shook the water from his black and golden back and long snaky neck, and savage, fierce-eyed head.
Between two wide-flanking buttresses of a mighty tamana tree I had taken shelter, and was comfortably seated on the thick carpet of soft dry leaves, when I heard my name called, and looking up, I saw, a few yards away, the grave face of an elderly Samoan, named Mârisi (Maurice). We were old acquaintances.
“Talofa, Mârisi. What doest thou up here at Lano-to?” I said, as I shook hands and offered him my pipe for a draw.
“I and my nephew Mana-ese and his wife have come here to trap pigeons. For three days we have been here. Our little hut is close by. Wilt come and rest, and eat?”