Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
He was speaking of Sangoa now, in answer to a question of Beth's.
"Yes, indeed," said he, "Sangoa is very beautiful, and the climate is
even more mild than that of your Southern California. The north coast is
a high bluff, on which is a splendid forest of rosewood and mahogany. My
father would never allow any of these magnificent trees to be cut, except
a few that were used in building our house."
"But how do your people live? What is the principal industry of your
islanders?" asked Beth.
"My people are--fishermen," he said, and then the automobile drew up
before the hotel entrance and the conversation ended.
It was on the following afternoon, as they all met in the hotel lobby
after lunch, that a messenger handed young Jones a neat parcel, for which
a receipt was demanded. Ajo held the parcel in his hand a while,
listening to the chatter of the girls, who were earnestly discussing
plans for the new picture enterprise. Then very quietly and unobtrusively
he unwrapped the package and laid upon the table beside him several small
boxes bearing the name of a prominent jeweler.
"I hope," said he, taking advantage of a pause caused by the girls
observing this action, and growing visibly confused by their involuntary
stares of curiosity; "I--I hope that you, my new friends, will pardon a
liberty I have taken. I wanted to--to present those who were instrumental
in saving my life with--with a--a slight token of my gratitude--a sort
of--of--memento of a brave and generous act that gave me back the life I
had carelessly jeopardized. No," as he saw surprise and protest written
on their faces, "don't refuse me this pleasure, I implore you! The
little--eh--eh--mementos are from my own Island of Sangoa, with the
necessary mountings by a Los Angeles jeweler, and--please accept them!"
As he spoke he handed to each of the girls a box, afterward giving one to
Uncle John and another to Arthur. There remained upon the table three
others. He penciled a name upon the bottom of each and then handed them
to Patsy, saying:
"Will you kindly present these, with my compliments, to the Misses
Stanton, and to their aunt, when they return this evening?
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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