CHAPTER II.
I MEET THE SILENT WOMAN AND SILAS WRIGHT, JR.
Amos Grimshaw was there in our dooryard the day that the old ragged woman came along and told our fortunes--she that was called Rovin' Kate, and was said to have the gift of "second sight," whatever that may be.
It was a bright autumn day and the leaves lay deep in the edge of the woodlands.

She spoke never a word but stood pointing at her palm and then at Amos and at me.
I was afraid of the old woman--she looked so wild and ragged.

I have never seen a human being whose look and manner suggested a greater capacity for doing harm.

Yet there was a kindly smile on her tanned face when she looked at me.

Young as I was, the truth came home to me, somehow, that she was a dead but undeparted spirit and belonged to another world.