“Yes, it is now so long ago that I do not mind telling you all about it. A few days earlier it would only have made you nervous. The evening before we were frightened by the fall of that stone, a white man arrived at Ajo, and passed the night in the loerah’s house.”
“Dalima!” cried Anna, in dismay, “who was he?”
“I can’t tell you, Nana. I have tried hard enough to find out; but I have discovered nothing further than that he busied himself with butterfly catching. Pah!”
We may mention here that the natives of Java are, as a rule, afraid of butterflies. They fancy that the dust from their wings produces violent itching and even leprosy. Hence Dalima’s exclamation of disgust.
“Did you see him, Dalima?” continued Anna, “did he see you?”
“Well, no, Nana, I did not. In fact next morning he started before daybreak. The last that was seen of him was at Pringtoetoel, he was then going in an easterly direction.”
“Why did you not tell me this at once?” asked Anna.
“Why should I have done so? It would only have disturbed you for nothing. What was the use of troubling you to no purpose?”
For a few moments the girls spoke not a word.
Dalima, who was beginning to fear that Anna was really displeased, at length broke the silence and said: