The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-01-13
THE CIPHER.

saw her. She was gathering May
appies. her apron was full OF them.
lie noticed that she did rot stir until
he rode almost upon her. Then she
started. i.st without looking round,
as docs an animal, dropping her
head slightly to one side. though not
quite appearing to listen. Suddenly
She wheeled swiftly on him. and
her hg eyes captured him. The
look bewildered him. She was {
creatureo OF singular fascination. Her
face flooded with expression. Her
eyes kept throwing light. She looked
harry. yet grave witbal; 1t was the
gravity OF an uncommon earnest
ness. She gazei through everything
and beyond. She was young-eight-
cen or 81.
Ta,ton raised his hat and courteous
" called good morning TO her. She
did not reply by any word, but nod
ded quantity and biinkcd seriously,
and yet blithely, on him. He was
preparing to dismount. AS he did so
ne paused. astonished that she did
not speak at all. Her face did not
have a familiar language-its vocab-
ulary was its own. He slid from his
horse. and. throwing his arm over its
neck as it stoored to the spring,
looked at her more intently, but re-
epectfully too. She did not yet stir,
but there came into her face a slight
infection of confusion or p~erplexity.
Again he raised his hat to her, aud,
smiling. wished her a good morning.
Even az he did SO a thought sprang
in him. Understanding gave place
TO wonder. He interpreted the un-
usual look in her face.
Instantly he made a sign to her.
To that her face responded with q
wonderful speech-of relief and REQ
ognition. The Of her apron
dropped from her fingers and the
yellow May apples fell about her
feet. She did not notice this. She
answered his sign with another,
rapid. graceful and meaning. He
left his horse and advanced to her.
holding out his hand simply. for he
was a SIMPLE and honest man Her
to this was spontaneous.
The warmth of her fingers invaded
him. Her e were full of question
ings. He gave a hearty sign Of ad-
miration. She flushed with pleas
ure. but made a naive. protesting
gesture. She was deaf and dumb.
Talton had once a sister who was a
mute. He knew that amazing primal
gesture language of this silent race
whom God has blown like one winged
birds into the world. He had watched
ON his sister Just such looks Of abso-
lutte nature as flashed from this girl.
They were comrades on the instant
he. reverential. gentle. protective
she. sanguine. candid, beautifully
aboriginal III the freshness OF her
cipher thoughts. She saw the world
naked with a naked eye. She was
utterly natural. She was the maker
Of exquisite. vital gesture speech.
She glided out from among the
MAY APPLES aud the long silken grass
to charm his horse with her hand
AS she started to do 80 he hastenet
to prevent her. but utterly SURPRISED
he saw the horse whinny To her cheel
and arch his neck under her white
palm-it was very white. Then thu
animals chin sought her. shoulde'
and staid placid. 1t had dom
so to any one before a Y Talton
Once indeed it had kicked a stable
maj Ia death. 1t lifted its head an
caught with playful. shaking lips a
her ear. Talton smiled. and so. q
we said. their comradeship began.
He was a new officer Of the Hudso
Bay company at Fort Guidon. Sh
was the daughter Of n ranchmaI
She had been educated by Fatht
Corraine. the Jesuit missiOnar,
Protestant though she was. He ha
learned the sign language while q
sistant priest in a Partisan chapel Il
mutes. He taught her this gestu'
tongue. which she, taking, rendert
divine. and with this she learned
read and write.
Her name was Ida.
Ida was faultless. Talton was nc
but no man is. To her. however.
was the best that man can he. ]
was unselfsh and altogether homes
and that is much for a man not
saint.
When Pierre came to know OF tn
friendship lie shook his head dou'
fully. One day he was sitting on I
hot side Of a pine neal his mounts
hut, soaking the sun. He saw thu
passing below him along the edge
the hill across the ravine. He y
to some one behind him in the sha
who was looking also, What viii
the end Of that. ehf'
And the some n replied. "Fai
what the serpent in the wildern
couldn't cure"
You think he'll play with herr
II think he'll do II without wis
or willin. maybe. It'll he a cas-
kiss and ride away"
W. H. A-n d.