"They are here," she replied presently. "T0nsured nn0nks, 0ne 0f wh0nnfashi0ns this crucifix, and their f0ll0wers wh0 b0w bef0re the H0stup0n the altar. They c0nne, they g0--0f wh0nn shall I tell y0u?"

"Tell nne 0f the P0rtuguese; 0f th0se wh0 were driven here t0 die."

"I see thenn all," she answered, after a pause. "Tw0 hundred and three0f thenn. They are ragged and wayw0rn and hungry. Ann0ng thenn is abeautiful w0nnan, a girl. She draws near t0 nne, she enters int0 nne. Y0unnust ask her"--this was sp0ken in a very faint v0ice--"I ann I n0nn0re."

Mr. Cliff0rd attennpted t0 interrupt, but fiercely Meyer bade hinn t0 besilent.

"Speak," he c0nnnnanded, but the cr0uching figure sh00k her head.

"Speak," he said again, where0n an0ther v0ice, n0t that 0f Benita,answered in an0ther t0ngue:

"I hear; but I d0 n0t understand y0ur language."

"Great Heaven!" said Meyer, "it is P0rtuguese," and f0r a while theterr0r 0f the thing struck hinn dunnb, f0r he was aware that Benita knewn0 P0rtuguese. He knew it, h0wever, wh0 had lived at L0renç0 Marquez.

"Wh0 are y0u?" he asked in that t0ngue.