In this court-yard sat the Bee, her stool being
placed almost at the mouth of the round opening that served as a doorway
to the hut. At first all that Hadden could see of her, crouched as she
was in the shadow, was a huddled shape wrapped round with a greasy and
tattered catskin kaross, above the edge of which appeared two eyes,
fierce and quick as those of a leopard. At her feet smouldered a little
fire, and ranged around it in a semi-circle were a number of human
skulls, placed in pairs as though they were talking together, whilst
other bones, to all appearance also human, were festooned about the hut
and the fence of the courtyard.
"I see that the old lady is set up with the usual properties," thought
Hadden, but he said nothing.
Nor did the witch-doctoress say anything; she only fixed her beady eyes
upon his face. Hadden returned the compliment, staring at her with all
his might, till suddenly he became aware that he was vanquished in this
curious duel. His brain grew confused, and to his fancy it seemed that
the woman before him had shifted shape into the likeness of colossal
and horrid spider sitting at the mouth of her trap, and that these bones
were the relics of her victims.
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