The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-08-21
;. At times his lean face

Ing goa In the Shelf-l1ke shrine, as IL
he sought to win therefrom words for
his meaning. Or else he laid cunning
snares to entrap me into speech that
would satisfy his ear. So finally put
hand on his ribbed breast under the
green jacket and reused him. He
passed the spiced gum over his shriv-
eled lips and motioned to Lee Quoy to
clean his pipe.
II have spent ten years trying to
know about it, and l cannot find the
/ key" he said enigmatically.
1.-The key to what?'' l asked.
He pulled at tassel of the banner
above him, and reached again for the
spiced gum Then he turned cavernous
eyes upon me. There was woman
once" he said, harshly.
Now in all the time had known
the Phrase-Maker he had never spoken
of a woman nor of women. l Won
dered at seasons whether he knew OF
their existence So now 1 gasped in
amazement
"Who was she?" l presently in
quired.
81 do not know" was the response
And then l, being wise, discerned that
he was lost for words.
Reckoning time as he did, it was
three smokes later that l rose to leave
the Phrase-Maker's presence. In these
many hours he had uttered five
phrases: "a kiss is music heard by
the lips :. laughter and tears are the
gates the hollow of an arm :. in
the soft darkness -. words whispered
in the dusk"
The end of it all was long, quiv-
ering "A-a-ahi" that throbbed in the
shadowy room as felt my way to the
door. l asked again, 'Who is she?"
The man sitting on the mat swept his
lips with pallid fingers and his eyes
glowed through the gloom. 1t seemed
as if some divine modeSty forbade him
even to remember her name; he had
told me none of the story. The
phrases, incomplete and incoherent
were not final.
AS l paused there, the Phrase-Maker
dropped into oblivion of my presence
His hand sought for something under
his jacket, and brought forth an object
of gold. This he handled, with closed
eyes the while, passing his palm over
it with silken gestures, breathing soft
ly through his>parched lips. His serv-
ant, Lee Quoy, watched him in terror.
What thing, Lee Quoy?' I said, re-
assuringly.
Lee Quoy could speak excellent En-
glish, but fright narrowed his vocab-
ulary to few shuddering words. ellis
God!" he calculated.
l shifted audibly.
Eyes. He make um god. Long time
now he had god of gold with fine stone.
Once l steal UNI. He try killee me.
Looksee!"
| looked. Across the .lad's brown
forehead ran jagged scar. 1t was
barely healed.
The Phrase-Maker's slender fingers
of ivory caressed the ornament and his
lips retracted and drew up, and the
corners of his mouth stiffened, until
his visage was that of a demon, the
demon on the shelf-like shrine. Lee
Quoy covered on his rug, and
watched as one who watches death
bed.
Then the Phrase-Maker opened his
wrenched mouth and spoke. From his
tripping tongue rolled phrase after
phrase, as if he were running over a
catalogue of his life. Here and there
l recognized some pregnant expression
that stood for strong adventure; again
I seemed to discern the secret never
further told than in one dark phrase.
But l could detect nothing that would
indicate the mystery of the woman.
He commenced to grope, to halt, and
to seek. Before very long, knew that
the Phrase Maker was searching for
the words with which to clothe the
great experience of his life, and no
words were ready.
Lee Quoy blubbered in my ear, and
to quiet him l must set him to fixing
his masters pipe. Meanwhile,
watched the soul of the Phrase-Maker
battle alone.
The gold and it's jewel flashed.
Here is his god," said Lee Quoy,
tugging at the jewel on his sleeping
masters breast.
l picked out of the boys palm a
brooch of ancient fashion. The gold
was worn, and shone white. The ruby
was blackened with dirt.
l looked at it carefully. In letters
almost effaced by attrition l read the
Phrase-Maker's secret.
Lee Quoy pointed to the ring on the
left hand. Him other god," he
whispered.
'These be indeed GODS" 1 assented
sternly, ''and terrible ones. Do not
blaspheme nor profane." And l left,
assured that Lee Quoy would never
again attempt that theft.
When next visited him the Phrase
Maker greeted me with sublime COM
Eosure. 81 have much to say to you,
he said, magnifcently sweeping a bare
arm toward me, land desire that you
listen"
'Have you discovered a new phrase?'
inquired.
He put away the mouthpiece of his
tobacco pipe almost with impatience.