_Sometimes a passing band of hostile warriors_, _with blackened faces_, _would peer in at us through the open windows_, _and often we were forced to pause until the strangely savage_, _monotonous noise of the native drums had ceased_; _but no Samoan_, _nor_, _I trust_, _white person_, _changed his reverent attitude_. _Once_, _I remember a look of surprised dismay crossing_ _the countenance of Tusitala when my son_, _contrary to his usual custom of reading the next chapter following that of yesterday_, _turned back the leaves of his Bible to find a chapter fiercely denunciatory_, _and only too applicable to the foreign dictators of distracted Samoa_. _On another occasion the chief himself brought the service to a sudden check_. _He had just learned of the treacherous conduct of one in whom he had every reason to trust_. _That evening the prayer seemed unusually short and formal_. _As the singing stopped he arose abruptly and left the room_. _I hastened after him_, _fearing some sudden illness_. ‘_What is it_?’ _I asked_. ‘_It is this_,’ _was the reply_; ‘_I am not yet fit to say_, “_Forgive us our trespasses_ _as we forgive those who trespass against us_.”’ _It is with natural reluctance that I touch upon the last prayer of my husband’s life_. _Many have supposed that he showed_, _in the wording of this prayer_, _that he had some premonition of his approaching death_. _I am sure he had no such premonition_. _It was I who told the assembled family that I felt an impending disaster approaching nearer and nearer_. _Any Scot will understand that my statement was received seriously_. _It could not be_, _we thought_, _that danger threatened any one within the house_; _but Mr. Graham Balfour_, _my husband’s cousin_, _very near and dear to us_, _was away on a perilous cruise_. _Our fears followed the various vessels_, _more or_ _less unseaworthy_, _in which he was making his way from island to island to the atoll where the exiled king_, _Mataafa_, _was at that time imprisoned_. _In my husband’s last prayer_, _the night before his death_, _he asked that we should be given strength to bear the loss of this dear friend_, _should such a sorrow befall us_. CONTENTS PAGE FOR SUCCESS 1 FOR GRACE 3 AT MORNING 4 EVENING 5 ANOTHER FOR EVENING 7 IN TIME OF RAIN 8 ANOTHER IN TIME OF RAIN 9 BEFORE A TEMPORARY SEPARATION 10 FOR FRIENDS 11 FOR THE FAMILY 12 SUNDAY 14 FOR SELF-BLAME 16 FOR SELF-FORGETFULNESS 18 FOR RENEWAL OF JOY 19 FOR SUCCESS