"A moment ago you were deciding that curiosity might sometimes be out of
place. You are quick at changing your mind, John Ames."

The latter felt guilty. This was indeed "thought-reading" with a
vengeance.

"Yes; but pardon me if it seems to you inquisitive--it is not meant that
way," he said. "The fact is, I am not alone. I have a friend who will
be terribly anxious--in fact, terribly frightened at my absence. I
suppose you are in hiding, like ourselves?" Again that mirthless laugh.

"In hiding? Yes; in hiding. But not like yourselves."

"But will you not join us? I know my way about this sort of country
fairly well, and it is only a question of a little extra care, and we
are bound to come through all right."

"Such `little extra care' as you displayed only yesterday, John Ames?
Yet an evening or so back you thought my presence hardly likely to prove
an acquisition."

The cold, sneering tone scarcely tended to allay the confusion felt by
the other at this reminder. This, then, was the apparition seen by
Nidia, and he had been able to draw near enough to overhear their
conversation with reference to his appearance. The thought was
sufficiently uncomfortable. Who could the man be? That he was an
eccentricity was self-evident. He went on--

"You were right in saying that your `friend' would be terribly
frightened. She has gone through such a night as she hopes never to
spend again, and her fears are not over, but this time they are very
material, and are for herself. There are shapes stealing upon her down
the rocks--dark shapes. Natives? No. Human? No. What then? Beasts.
She screams; tries to drive them off. They grow bolder and bolder--
and--"

"Heavens alive, man, don't drive me mad!" roared John Ames, whirling up
from his couch, forgetful alike of aching bones and bruised and shaken
frame. "What, is it you see--or know? Are you the devil himself?"

But the face of the seer remained perfectly impassible. Not so much as
a finger of his moved. His eyes seemed to open wider, then to close;
then to open again, as one awakening from a trance. Their expression
was that of slight, unperturbed surprise.

"Look here, now," said John Ames, quickly and decidedly. "You have
taken care of me when I was in a bad fix, and most likely saved my life.
I am deeply grateful, and hope we shall get to know each: other
properly. But just now I must not lose a moment in going back to my
friend, an