Was his liking for the other girl stronger than his liking for her? She earnestly hoped not. As for herself, in spite of all, her love had not grown cool, and she was fully prepared to marry Murcott if he assured her that she was the first in his love. On May 16 she wrote again saying that Willies conscience would surely guide him to his duty. In answer to these communications de fendant wrote on May 26. He thanked her for kind and loving letters, and went on to say,inter alia, "At Christmas I was as right as the bank, but when I got back my letters did get cooler. I had seen the other girl, but only in a friendly way, however. After conversation I found she was clean gone on me, and got to like her, hence the cause of this present trouble. I expected it was off with you, and that I was free again. Another thing that put me off marriage was the bad state of the roads. I feel as though I have acted in a very dishonorable man ner to you. I may have carried on a little more with the other girl than with you." Defendant also boasted of his con quests, referring to a Maori girl writing ,him love letters, and mentioning that a widow had said that if he went away she would cry. Plaintiff, in her reply of June 8, ven tured the opinion that he had become in sane to write in endearing terms, and at the same time confess to dishonorable dealings, but advising him to come to Dunedin and chat over the trouble, what ever it might be. Defendant wrote resenting what he termed the insulting and bouncing tone adopted by the plaintiff, mentioned bis having asked general opinions from Tara naki friends, and all said he had acted honorably, and referred to some action by his father, saying his father "ought to be dashed well ashamed of himself for saying I must marry you or cut all family connections, when he hasn't heard my defence." On May 9 defendant wrote to plaintiff saying that he was still willing to marry her, and he repeated that statement in his letter of June 20. 