312 MYSTIC ISLES 



tell. I never knew about that girl until a week ago. 

 She does n't know me. I saw her on the Broom Road, 

 so I came to-night to have a good look at her. I was 

 afraid to come alone. It would do no good for me to 

 tell her. She 's taken care of. She 's lovely, is n't she? 

 I 'd like to take her in my arms once." 



We walked to the Annexe. 



'*! '11 tell you," he resumed. "I can't blame myself. 

 I was like any young fellow who comes down here, — I 

 was n't more than twenty-five, — but I feel like hell. 

 That child's face is almost identical, except for color, 

 with my baby of eight or nine at home. I 'm afraid I 'U 

 see it at night when I go back." 



On the trees, which carry all the public announce- 

 ments, appeared a notice of a concert by the local band : 



Fanfare de Papeete 



Le public est informe la Fanfare donnera son 



Concert sur la Place du Gouvernement Mardi Soir a 8 heures. 



RETRAITE 



aux Flambeaux ! 



All day it rained, but at seven a myriad of stars were 

 in the sky. The Place du Gouvernement is a large 

 lawn between the group of buildings devoted to admin- 

 istrative affairs, with seats for several score, but not for 

 the hundreds who attended the band concert. The no- 

 tice about the flambeaux drew even the few boys and 

 youths who might not have come for the music. 



In the center of the lawn was a kiosk, and on the four 

 sides the rue de Rivoli, the garden of the Cercle Mili- 

 taire, the grounds of the former palace of the Pomares, 



