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42 ABBOTT'S MONTHLY Defeated, Rita ate eagerly, but she still burned with anger and disappointment. Not for a single moment had she believed that Peter intended to keep the rash promise he had made to Tari. It was incredible to her, that Peter could be earnest, incredible that he meant for her to live among these strange people. Tari returned, just as they were eating the last orange. He did not speak until they had finished. "Now I take you to Chief Ouma Ati," he said. Rita and Peter followed him, the six guards kept themselves a short distance behind. They walked up the shady lane between palm trees and low thatched houses. In front of the doors stood groups of curious, noisy natives, their excited eyes staring at Rita and Peter. At the end of the lane stood the palace, a large, broad house, surrounded by patches of pretty little yellow and purple flowers. Rita and Peter followed Tari through the wide door. In the center of the room sat Chief Ouma Ati, a white haired old man with beaked features and a wizened yellow face. His short white duck trousers reached no farther than his knees, and a narrow red cape partly covered his stooped shoulders. Motionless, he sat on a mat spread across a high white stone, which was his throne. His dim eyes regarded Rita and Peter inquiringly, and yet imperiously. A tall,slim,beautiful young woman stood at his side. A very brief one-piece rose colored costume revealed the graceful outlines of her firm, high-breasted young body. She smiled shyly, showing small white teeth which appeared whiter still with her lovely, naturally sun-tanned complexion. "Chief Ouma Ati no speak the English," Tari told Peter. "This is my sister Tina-she tell him every little thing you say." Peter repeated to Tina the promise he had made with Tari. He spoke listlessly, mechanically, in a toneless voice. It seemed to Rita that his words were spoken as if they had no meaning, as if his mind was far away. But his eyes glowed slightly and looked at Tina as though some powerful force in her drew and held them. Tina translated Peter's words for her father. Then she began to question Peter, speaking shyly, wistfully. Rita watched her face closely and saw something that did not altogether please her. Tina's luminous eyes, as intensely black as the long, curly hair that fell in lovely waves over her shoulders. Tina's large black eyes, mysterious eyes, hypnotic eyes, holding, holding Peter, saying to him: "You lived among the Tahitians - and they love you. You will live among us - and we shall also love you." "Yes, I'll keep my word," Rita heard Peter's voice, a voice that had suddenly come to life. "We're not going to the other end of the island." Tina spoke briefly to her father and Tari. Then she turned to Rita. "My father has a new abode for you," she said. "I go with you -I see if it's ready." Tina went away with Rita and Peter. The little bungalow stood along one of the lanes. Rita was amazed when she entered it. The two rooms were plainly but comfortably arranged with furniture that came from another part of the world. "My brother bring these pretty things from London." Tina said, pointing to Queen Elizabeth's picture. "My old nurse Obaria get the women to fix everything for you- they work on it past three days." "But we just came today," Rita spoke bewildered. How could they have been working on it three days?" Tina's good-natured smile had vanished, and she spoke with a touch of sadness in her soft voice. "It's a long and strange story," she answered. "My Obaria's very religious and superstitious. When she head about The Terrible One - my Obaria begin to have trances at night. For some time past she has her trances - and some things she see come true. "One day her son Pomare (?) to Tahiti. Some days past - he start back home. My Obaria has her trance - she see the ship smash on a big rock. In the morning she tell us how her Pomare die- she see him go down with the ship. We laugh at her - call her the fool. But late in the day a Chinaman from the other end of the island come. He tell her how her Pomare die -he tell her how her Pomare go down with the ships." "Some nights pass -my Obaria see white man and woman. She tell us they come to save us from The Terrible One. She and some more women wait for white man and woman. They say the very ancient gods send you to us." Tina glanced shyly at Peter, whose eyes were still intently fixed on her face, and they had been there the whole time she was talking. She turned her eyes away and met Rita's cold stare. "What a strange woman your old nurse must be." Rita exclaimed, with an air of condescension. "Do you believe in this - prophecy, too?" Tina looked out of the window, and Rita followed the girl's gaze toward the sea. The sun was setting. A great red ball was sinking behind the sea giving it a purple wine color. "When I come home from London," Tina said, turning to Rita, "I laugh at my Obaria - I tell her it's never no good to believe in her Etee, her evil spirit. Then some nights pass - my Obaria dream about my mother. She tell me some awful thing about my mother - I laugh at her. "Some days pass -my mother get the fever - she die. (Continued on page 64) for May, 1931 43 Darker Races Abroad [[image - picture of Haridas T. Muzumdar]] [[photograph credit]] --Acme P. & A. Photo Haridas T. Muzumdar, lecturer, author and friend of Mahatma Gandhi, who arrived in this country last month to give a series of addresses on India. Muzumdar accompanied Gandhi on his famous march to the sea in defiance of he British government. He wants the darker races of the world to understand Gandhi's program more fully. [[image]] [[caption]] Mohammedans from all over the British Empire recently assembled at the Woking Mosque, near London, the only building of its kind in that country, to celebrate the Moslem Festival of Eid ul Fitr. Photo shows the Hedjaz Minister (center with pen) and on extreme left the Imam of the Woking Mosque, at the ceremony. [[/caption]] [[photograph credit]]--Acme P & A. Photo
