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Updated: May 1, 2025
The place for which he is making is a sort of half hut, half cave, close in to the base of the hill, with trees overshadowing, and a rocky background of cliff. Arrived in front of this solitary dwelling, he dismounts, and, drawing aside the horse's skin which serves as a swing door, calls out: "Shebotha!" Presently a woman appears in the opening if woman she could be called.
For, although the footfall is distant, and only distinguishable as such by the rustle it makes among the dead leaves, she can tell it is not that of Shebotha, with whose halting gait and shuffling step her ear has grown familiar. Whose, then? Who would be coming to the hut at that time of night now morning save Shebotha herself?
"You cannot take her out of the toldo," rejoins the man in a tone of dogged denial. "You must not; Shebotha would kill me if I permitted it." "But I have Shebotha's command to do so." "How am I to know that?" "You forget what I have said, and what I've given you."
The speech is not addressed to the captive herself, but to him who watches outside. After an interchange of ordinary salutation, and an inquiry by the watcher as to what is wanted this evidently in tone of surprise the soft voice responds, "I want to speak with the little pale free." "You cannot. Shebotha forbids it. No one may enter here without her permission."
For it is this last that has brought the girl thither. Only a second or two do they remain silent, till the sorceress recovers breath; for it is she who breaks the silence, saying: "Nacena wants to speak with Shebotha? On what subject?" "Need I tell you, Shebotha; you know!" "I know that the sister of Kaolin is in love with our young cacique. That is no secret to others, any more than to me."
Add to this a pair of dark grey eyes, deep sunken in their sockets, for all gleaming brilliantly, and you have the countenance of Shebotha sorceress of the Tovas tribe one of cast as sinister as ever presented itself in a doorway.
"If Nacena should ever want the paleface put to sleep by that other spell, Shebotha will administer it." As the fiendish suggestion is spoken in a whisper, the three listeners do not hear what it is. They can only guess by the behaviour of the young girl that some offer has been made which she indignantly rejects. This can be told by her rejoinder, and the air in which she delivers it.
As the gaucho gathers himself, stunned and somewhat dazed by the fall, 'tis to learn that for that night his riding double is at an end, with Shebotha sharing the saddle; for the sorceress is no longer to be seen! There is no mystery about Shebotha's disappearance nor aught out of the way save in the adroitness with which the aged crone contrived to effect her escape.
It is of hope; as can be told by the words which fall in low murmuring from her lips: "After all I may be mistaken. Can I? If so, and he is still true, then I am wronging him, and Kaolin may commit a crime that will bring both punishment and repentance. Oh, that I knew the truth! But surely, Shebotha knows, and can tell it me. She will, for the reward I shall offer her.
But he has not dared to take the youthful captive to his own toldo, or even hint at so doing; instead, he still keeps his wicked purpose to himself, trusting to time and Shebotha for its accomplishment. According to his own way of thinking, he can well afford to wait. He has no thought that anyone will ever come after the captive girl; much less one with power to release her.
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