said, she was feared as well as
loved, for Deborah made her enemies tremble. Not only did she possess
the power to heal, but also the power to curse. Her eye was like that
of the fabled serpent, called the basilisk, and in her anger she ever
struck terror. She could stop horses from drawing, and keep cows from
yielding their milk. For her to "ill wish" anyone was a sure sign that
ruin would befall them. Nor was this all. Everyone throughout the
whole countryside believed that Deborah had been seen walking along the
beach towards the haunted cove, and it was reported again and again
that she held intercourse with the powers of darkness. It was also
believed that other women, possessing similar power to hers, likewise
met there, and conversed about unlawful things.

She also had the power of telling fortunes and reading the future, and
thus nearly all the lads and girls in the district came to her at one
time or another for advice and help.

I had always been taught to be careful not to offend Deborah Teague,
for she had once nursed me through a serious illness, and looked on me
as a favourite.

No sooner had we come close together than she lifted her hand as if to
tell me to stop; then when I obeyed her gesture, she looked me straight
in the eyes.

"Cain and Abel," she said, mysteriously.

"No, Mrs. Teague," I replied, catching her meaning, "nothing of the
sort."

"Yer brother es gone to his mawther," she muttered. "I axed un what
was the matter, and he said you'd took advantage and hurt un."

I accordingly told Mrs. Teague what had taken place.

No sooner had I spoken than she seized my hand, and with her bony
fingers began to draw the skin together over my joints, peering
curiously all the while.

"Maaster Roger'll av to be keerful," she said.

"What do you mean?" I said.

"Maaster Roger'll av to be keerful," she repeated, in a half wheedling,
half chuckling voice. "Maaster Roger es the ouldest and the biggest,
and the strongest; but Maaster Wilfred ev got the eyes to zee."

"Oh, don't trouble, Mrs. Teague," I said; "I'm going to Wilfred now, to
tell him I'm sorry I've hurt him."

"And mark my words, Maaster Roger," she said, "when you go, oal you zay
will be took no noatice ov, but yer mawther and Maaster Wilfred 'll
look black."

"How do you know, Mrs. Teague?" I said.

"Know!" she repeated, "what do'ant I know? Tell me that!"

I looked at her and was silent.

"I'll tell ee," she cri