ach her how to be happy and good, and so forth; and that, in fine, she
was to remain there with the hermit.

She heard him quietly, her great dark eyes opening wider and wider, her
bosom swelling, her stature seeming to grow taller every moment, as she
clenched her weapons firmly in both her hands. Beautiful as she always
was, she had never looked so beautiful before; and as Amyas spoke of
parting with her, it was like throwing away a lovely toy; but it must be
done, for her sake, for his, perhaps for that of all the crew.

The last words had hardly passed his lips, when, with a shriek of
mingled scorn, rage, and fear, she dashed through the astonished group.

"Stop her!" were Amyas's first words; but his next were, "Let her
go!" for, springing like a deer through the little garden and over the
flower-fence, she turned, menacing with her blow-gun the sailors, who
had already started in her pursuit.

"Let her alone, for Heaven's sake!" shouted Amyas, who, he scarce knew
why, shrank from the thought of seeing those graceful limbs struggling
in the seamen's grasp.

She turned again, and in another minute her gaudy plumes had vanished
among the dark forest stems, as swiftly as if she had been a passing
bird.

All stood thunderstruck at this unexpected end to the conference. At
last Aymas spoke:

"There's no use in standing here idle, gentlemen. Staring after her
won't bring her back. After all, I'm glad she's gone."

But the tone of his voice belied his words. Now he had lost her, he
wanted her back; and perhaps every one present, except he, guessed why.

But Ayacanora did not return; and ten days more went on in continual
toil at the canoes without any news of her from the hunters. Amyas, by
the by, had strictly bidden these last not to follow the girl, not even
to speak to her, if they came across her in their wanderings. He was
shrewd enough to guess that the only way to cure her sulkiness was to
outsulk her; but there was no sign of her presence in any direction; and
the canoes being finished at last, the gold, and such provisions as they
could collect, were placed on board, and one evening the party prepared
for their fresh voyage. They determined to travel as much as possible by
night, for fear of discovery, especially in the neighborhood of the few
Spanish settlements which were then scattered along the banks of the
main stream. These, however, the negroes knew, so that there was no fear
of coming on them u