"Gentlemen, I will not endeavour to describe her, except to say
that she was so darkly lovely that I doubted the evidence of my
senses; tall and lithe, with the grace of some beautiful jungle
creature.
"When she saw that I was awake, she paused and lowered her head
in confusion. She wore a gossamer robe of sheeny golden silk,
and, standing there with the light of the dawn behind her, she
made a picture that I think would have driven a painter crazy.
"I am supposed to be an unimpressionable man, and perhaps it is
true; but there at that moment, as the glance of her dark eyes
met the wondering look in mine, I knew that my hour had come for
good or ill.
"This is not the time nor the place for personal reminiscences. I
am here for another purpose. One of those accidents which are
really due to the hand of fate had precipitated me into the
garden of the house of Naida, and she in her great compassion had
tended me and sheltered me, keeping my presence secret from those
who would have dealt with me in summary fashion, and, indeed, who
were actually on the look-out for my arrival.
"Yes, so Naida informed me. To my great surprise she spoke almost
perfect English, and that sort of understanding sprang up between
us immediately which, in the case of a man and a beautiful woman
thrown together as we were, can only terminate in one way.
"She was some sort of priestess of the temple which I had seen
from the top of the cliff.
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