"Thy mind wanders," I answered. "It is not possible; tell me something that I can believe."
The old woman sat still and motionless, then she answered: "Before the Señor's father came into this world I was a middle-aged woman. When the Señor dies I will still be here; for I hold the magic power handed down from my people, who dwelt on this island long before these miserable natives whom thou now seest about thee had landed in this place. Ah," she continued, rising to her feet at the thoughts of the past, "they were a race of men! These are but cattle, who are fitted to wait upon the white man. But why do I talk thus?" she muttered, seating herself again. "My people have vanished, and I alone remain.
"The Señor does not believe me; he thinks that I dream. Let the Señor but come into my hut here, and I will show him things which are not of this world. Does he wish to behold whom he thinks of? But follow me and he shall see what he wots not of. Come!" and she hobbled to the door of the hut and threw it open.
I hesitated; she was mad doubtless, but I was in no hurry. I had naught to engage my mind; perhaps she might amuse me. It might be that this was but a trick of DeNortier's to lure me into this hut and then put me out of the way; for that was a scheme worthy of his master mind.
The old crone stood in the doorway, looking at me.
"Ah! the Señor fears," she croaked. "Afraid of an old woman, alone and unarmed," and she cackled in glee.
My mind was made up; stepping upon the threshold, I pushed the door wide open and entered. The old woman closed the door, and I was in total darkness. She moved about in the dark, until presently she struck two hard stones together, and going to where three great torches of light-wood were fastened in the wall, she lit them.
Immediately the room became brightly illuminated, and I looked around. There was nothing in the hut; only a rough pile of leaves in the corner, which served as a bed, and a rough stone bench in the center of the room, together with a little wooden chest.
Going to the chest, she raised the lid, calling as she did so to me, "Let the Señor seat himself upon the bench."
I did so, and watched her movements, until finally she drew an article from the chest, and turning, held it out to me. I took it in my hands, and glanced down to see what she had given me. It was a polished disk of silver, perhaps a foot in diameter, curved and embossed with strange and barbarous shapes. I had seen naught like it in all my travels.