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Rh was too cunning to seem dignified. * * * and helped shake men's reliance on the word of Germany. On the day named, an ultimatum reached Malietoa at Afenga, whither he had retired months before to avoid friction. A fine of one thousand dollars and an ifo, or public humiliation, were demanded for the affair of the Emperor's birthday. Twelve thousand dollars were to be 'paid quickly' for thefts from German plantations in the course of the last four years." Becker concluded by saying he would be at Afenga next morning at 11 o'clock.

This was the same old game, then new to us, cropping up in the South Seas—an outrageous demand, coupled with an explosive ultimatum attached to a short-timed fuse.

The thefts were negligible and had been settled already. The only new matter was this terrible "affair of the Emperor's birthday."

Let us look into it. On March 22d, which was undoubtedly the birthday of the Emperor, some Germans assembled in a public bar in the