"Who are you?" again demanded the woman.
"Oh, I see you are no Arabian in your notions of hospitality! Those
pagans entertain a guest without asking him a single question; and
though he were their bitterest foe, they consider him while he rests
beneath their tent sacred from intrusion."
"That's because they were pagans!" said Dorkey. "But as I am a
Christian, I'd thank you to let me know who it is that I have received
under this roof."
"My name," said our heroine, impatiently, "is Capitola Black! I live
with my uncle, Major Warfield, at Hurricane Hall! And now, I should
thank your ladyship to send some one to put away my horse, while you
yourself accommodate me with dry clothes."
While our saucy little heroine spoke the whole aspect of the
dark-browed woman changed.
"Capitola--Capitola," she muttered, gazing earnestly upon the face of
the unwelcome guest.
"Yes, Capitola! That is my name! You never heard anything against it,
did you?"
For all answer the woman seized her hand, and while the lightning
flashed and the thunder rolled, and the wind and rain beat down, she
drew her the whole length of the hall before a back window that
overlooked the neglected garden, and, regardless of the electric fluid
that incessantly blazed upon them, she held her there and scrutinized
her features.
"Well, I like this! Upon my word, I do!" said Cap, composedly.
Without replying, the strange woman seized her right hand, forcibly
opened it, gazed upon the palm and then, flinging it back with a
shudder, exclaimed: "Capitola, what brought you under this roof? Away! Begone! Mount your
horse and fly while there is yet time!"
"What! expose myself again to the storm? I won't, and that's flat!"
said Cap.
"Girl! girl! there are worse dangers in the world than any to be feared
from thunder, lightning, rain or wind!"
"Very well, then, when I meet them it will be time enough to deal with
them! Meanwhile the stormy night and my soaked clothing are very
palpable evils, and as I see no good end to be gained by my longer
enduring them, I will just beg you to stop soothsaying--(as I have had
enough of that from another old witch)--and be as good as to permit me
to change my clothes!"
"It is madness! You shall not stay here!" cried the woman, in a harsh
voice.
"And I tell you I will! You are not the head of the family, and I do
not intend to be turned out by you!"