"Gladly will I gratify thy most natural curiosity," replied the old man, "but I must ask thee to wait until evening; for the narrative is of such length that it cannot be told until our affairs are ordered for the day. Therefore, let us first return thanks to our Heavenly Father for His abounding mercies, and then attend to the duties awaiting us."
With this the old man led the way to the outer platform, to which Nanahe fetched a small Bible, that was the only book the Indian lad had ever seen, and from which he read aloud, without hesitation, the exquisite Twenty-third Psalm. While he read, Todd gazed over the underlying valley, and wondered that its every feature should appear so familiar to him. Suddenly he recalled the mirage that three days before had first turned his steps in this direction, and knew that the picture then presented was an image of the one upon which he now looked.
After the simple service was ended the Professor and Nanahe descended into the valley, carrying with them the fowls that had been brought to the castle for safety during their two days' absence. The old lady busied herself with domestic duties, and Todd found himself at liberty to explore the quaint little house, which, his hostess informed him, was only one of many, long since abandoned by their builders, that were to be found among the cliffs enclosing the valley.
"Thee must have read of the ancient cliff-dwellers of this region," she said, "and so will understand when I tell thee that this place of abode and most of its contents were made by their hands, and that we are to-day leading the very life of that long-vanished people."
"But what became of them?" asked Todd.
"That is a mystery that many persons have tried in vain to solve. My husband is of the opinion that they were forced to migrate, either by flood or drouth, but expected to return, since they left their most valued possessions behind them, and carefully concealed the only entrance to the valley. Had they been destroyed by an enemy, their possessions would also have been destroyed or removed, whereas nothing had been touched from the day they left, probably hundreds of years ago, until that on which we were led to this place, and it was given to us for a house."
"It was very wonderful," said Todd; "but the strangest part of all is to find you and your husband and a young Indian living here so contentedly and comfortably. I can't understand it all, and wish you would tell me how it came about."
"Have a little patience and it shall be made clear to thee," replied the old lady, with a smile. "It is a tale of strange experiences, and I would gladly relate it, but I know the Professor has set his heart on telling it himself."
So Todd was forced to wait, and passed the morning in an examination of the dwelling and its contents. Later in the day he descended to the valley, where at the hut he found Nanahe cutting into thin strips, for drying, the meat of a deer that he had just brought in.
"How did you kill it?" asked Todd. "I didn't know you had a rifle."