punished hard. When the men became angry, Mary would stop them.

"Let us pray about this," Mary would say. After she had prayed they would
settle the point. Finally Mary and her God won out.

The fighting tribe at last agreed to be satisfied with a fine. The village
paid the fine. They did not use money. So the fine was paid in barrels and
bottles of trade gin. Now Mary was worried. What should she do? She knew
the warriors would drink the gin right away. She knew this would make them
fight after all in spite of their promises. A quick thought came to
her. According to the law of these people, clothes thrown over anything
gave it the protection of your body. No one else could touch it. Mary
snatched off her skirt. She took off all the clothes she could spare. She
spread them over the barrels and bottles. Now no one could touch them.

Mary took the one glass the tribe had. She gave one glassful to each chief
to show that there was no trick and that the barrels and bottles were
really filled with gin. Then she spoke to them about fighting. "If all of
you go to your homes and don't fight," said Mary, "I'll promise to send the
stuff after you. I must go away. I have been sick and I must go where I can
get strong again. I am going across the great waters to my home. I shall be
away many moons. Will you promise me that you will not fight while I am
gone? It will make me very happy if you will make that promise. It will
make me sad if you don't, for I will always be wondering whether you are
fighting and hurting one another."

"I will promise," said the chief of the village, "if the other chief will."

All the warriors looked at the chief whose son had been hurt. For a long
time he said nothing. His tribe had always been fighters. It would be hard