“I am sure she will,” answered the guide.
“Let us walk faster,” said the lady, and, at the same time, quickened her pace.
“I should not advise you to walk faster, madame,” said the guide, “we have still a considerable way to go.”
“True,” said the lady, and fell again into the measured and leisurely pace of the guide.
“You are sure she will give me the information, you say?” observed the lady.
“Quite sure,” answered the guide, dryly, “I can point you out a hundred families in town, who were landed here as poor myself, and who made the great fortunes they now possess, only by consulting her. In the time of slavery, when a planter lost any of his slaves, he had nothing else to do, but to come to her, and she would send him to the very corner, where he would be sure to find his run-a-way.”
“Indeed!” cried the lady.
“It is true,”—replied the guide, “beside, she can cure all sorts of disorders. Those that are pronounced incurable by the doctors in town, resort to her, and are sure to be restored to health.”
“I remember one case in particular,” said the guide, seriously, “of a man who had been suffering for two years, from a hand that was swollen to a very great size. He could not get any rest, either night or day, but groaned continually. He consulted every doctor—they did everything in their power but could not relieve him. His hand grew daily worse and worse: and he was reduced to the size of a nail. Well, some one told him about this old woman, and he came to her. She examined the hand, then pressed the fingers; from under the nails of each she took out a rusty pin. Next day the hand was perfectly cured.”