"It is not possible!" I returned.

"Ill would you have fared, sir, had she not been there. For
after being bitten, you rushed away into the thickest part of the
wood, and went about in a circle like a demented person for
Heaven knows how long. But she never left you; she was always
close to you--you might have touched her with your hand. And at
last some good angel who was watching you, in order to stop your
career, made you mad altogether and caused you to jump over a
precipice and lose your senses. And you were no sooner on the
ground than she was with you--ask me not how she got down! And
when she had propped you up against the bank, she came for me.
Fortunately the spot where you had fallen is near--not five
hundred yards from the door. And I, on my part, was willing to
assist her in saving you; for I knew it was no Indian that had
fallen, since she loves not that breed, and they come not here.
It was not an easy task, for you weigh, senor; but between us we
brought you in."

While he spoke, the girl continued sitting in the same listless
attitude as when I first observed her, with eyes cast down and
hands folded in her lap. Recalling that brilliant being in the
wood that had protected the serpent from me and calmed its rage,
I found it hard to believe his words, and still felt a little
incredulous.

"Rima--that is your name, is it not?" I said. "Will you come
here and stand before me, and let me look closely at you?"

"Si, senor." she meekly answered; and removing the things from