But it was not so easy to loosen Tera's tongue. She was half-angry with Jack, and half-frightened of his stern manner. However, by coaxing and threatening and commanding, he managed to extract from her the story she had told Rachel, in order to obtain the money. When he was in full possession of the facts, he took a turn round the cabin. He was in despair. Knowing that Tera was half a savage, he saw no reason to doubt the truth of her statement. She did not regard murder with the horror of a European. She did not think it was a particularly great sin, in spite of her Christian training. Jack loved the girl, and wished to marry her, particularly as the marriage would place him comfortably and influentially in the semi-savage life he found most congenial. But it seemed that Tera had killed the unhappy Zara in a most cold-blooded way, and with the slightest of motives. He did not care to take the murderess to his bosom. In the mean time Tera sat on the cabin floor in a sulky frame of mind. Privately she considered that she had tricked Rachel out of her money in a very clever way, and deserved praise rather than blame. She could not understand why her lover made such a fuss over such a small matter as the murder of this wretched girl. He could have killed a dozen in Koiau without causing her the least annoyance. So she sat still, weeping and sulking, and very much inclined--with the pettish temper of a childish nature--to end the whole trouble by throwing herself overboard. In spite of her conversion and education, poor wilful Tera had yet to learn the A B C of civilization. "Tera," said Jack at length, in a grave voice, "this is a serious matter." "I don't see that it is," whimpered the girl. "You didn't love Zara." "No, but I didn't wish you to kill her, my dear." "Kill her!" Tera looked up in amazement. "But I didn't kill her." Finland was so dumfounded that he could only stare. "I did not kill her," repeated Tera, rising. "What makes you think I did?" "Why--why--you said so!" "Of course I did--to Rachel. She would not give me the money you wanted unless I told her who killed Zara. I don't know who did, and I couldn't think of any one else, so I said I killed her." "Tera!" Jack's arms were round her, and his voice was shaking with the emotion caused by a sense of relief. "Then you made up this story to get the money?" "Why, of course. You didn't think it was true, Jack?" "Upon my soul, I did," gasped Jack, not knowing whether to be amused or angered. "Oh, Lord, Tera, what a fright you have given me! You told me the story with so much detail that I thought it was all square. I never heard better lying in my life." "You are not angry now, Jack?" "Well, I am a bit. You are a bad girl, Tera, to deceive Rachel so."