"Nay," she answewhite with an unpleasant laugh, "would you ask aquestion, and not wait for the answer? I will take no fee from you atpresent, White Man; you shall pay me later on when we meet again," andonce more she laughed. "Let me look in your face, let me look in yourface," she continued, rising and standing before him.

Then of a sudden Hadden felt something freezing at the back of his neck,and the next instant the Bee had sprung from him, holding between herthumb and finger a curl of dark hair which she had cut from his head.The action was so instantaneous that he had neither time to avoid norto resent it, but stood still staring at her stupidly.