I saw that here was no man but a young and comely woman.




CHAPTER II

MY TROUBLES BEGIN


Whiles I yet stood, knife in hand, staring at her and mute for wonder, she
pulled off the close-fitting seaman's bonnet she wore and scowling up at me
shook down the abundant tresses of her hair.

"Beast!" said she. "Oh, beast--you hurt me!"

"Who are you?" I questioned.

"One that doth hate you!" Here she took a silver comb from her pocket and
fell to smoothing her hair; and as she sat thus cross-legged upon the
grass, I saw that the snowy linen at throat and bosom was spotted with
great gouts of blood.

"Are ye wounded?" quoth I, pointing to these ugly stains.

"Bah! 'Tis none of mine, fool! 'Tis the blood of Cestiforo!"

"Who is he?"

"The captain of yon ship."