Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 2).djvu/153

 to be willing to spend a bronze coin even, on field medicines which they knew were good. They recognised her and asked her where she had been all this while. She pointed vaguely eastward and told them she had found work to do over yonder, and she only now wished to sell her herbs because she wanted a little money to spend at the autumnal fairs.

This they thought so natural that the Telamone women were willing to help her. They told her of a pharmacy in Orbetello where her simples would be willingly bought, and one of the old men, called Febo, who had his felucca lying off the dirty, shallow port, where once Marius landed with his thousand men, said to her:

'You used to be a good one on a deck; I want to go to the Orbetellano; if you take the tiller, I will carry you there.'

'That is kind of you,' she said gratefully.

'Nay, nay, you will give me something when you have sold your stuff,' said he. 'The wind will serve us; we shall fly. You know the water hereabouts; you will not run us aground?'

'Not I,' she answered as she sprang on deck.