midday
Indeed , before it was done with -- Catholic though she was -- she began to wonder in what lay the wickedness of these heretics , and how it came about that they were worthy of death and torment , since , sooth to say , in this Book she could find no law to which their lives and doctrine seemed to give offence . Thus it happened that Martha , the fierce , half-crazy water-dweller , sowed the seed in Lysbeth 's heart that was to bear fruit in due season . When three weeks had gone by and Lysbeth was on her feet again , though as yet scarcely strong enough to travel , Martha told her that she had business which would keep her from home a night , but what the business was she refused to say . Accordingly on a certain afternoon , having left good store of all things to Lysbeth 's hand , the Mare departed in her skiff , nor did she return till after midday on the morrow . Now Lysbeth talked of leaving the island , but Martha would not suffer it , saying that if she desired to go she must swim , and indeed when Lysbeth went to look she found that the boat had been hidden elsewhere . So , nothing loth , she stayed on , and in the crisp autumn air her health and beauty came back to her , till she was once more much as she had been before the day when she went sledging with Juan de Montalvo . On a November morning , leaving her infant in the hut with Martha , who had sworn to her on the Bible that she would not harm it , Lysbeth walked to the extremity of the island .