The Harlowton news. [volume] (Harlowton, Mont.) 1909-1914, 1910-03-04
CHAPTER v.
The Voices of the Past.

The Voices of the Past.
1t rained hard during most of the
night. The woman slept lightly and
whenever she woke she could hear
outside of her sanctuary the roar OF
the storm. The man, as usual, slept
the long hours through as undisturbed
by the commotion as a child. 1t was
apparent to her that he had absolutely
no fear. Whether this was due to ig-
norance or temperament she could
not say. Was fear, after all, under the
conditions in which his life had been
lived. purely artificial quality, or was
It natural and inherent? He had
az the skeletons In the coppice which
she had buried. Was that avoidance
fear or was it something else? Was
it instinct or did it arise from recol
lection? She rather fancied the last.
II so, it was evident that the man had
been on the island long time. It
would have taken years for the metal
that must have been about that
woman's person to rust away, for the
steel clasps of the dogs collar entire
~ to disappear.
Upon that faint memory that he
cherished, upon that prayer that he
prayed. she could build the foundation
Of his education. She had been so sue
cessful in training him and in restrain
Ing him, in influencing him and sXsz.
ing him SO far that she had abundant
confidence in her ability to do SO to
the end. It was quite evident that life
would be easily supported under the
conditions in which it must be lived
on that island. She need have no
physical concern as to her material
we'll being or comfort, and here was
mental education and stimulus which
made her for the time being forget
the rest Of the world.
Indeed. she thought bitterly, as she
lay awake during the long watches Of
the night, that the rest of the world
was nothing to her and that she hated
1t. She, therefore, not only was be-
coming resigned to her situation, but
was rejoicing in it. She would teach
this man all she knew. She would
teach him to think, to reflect, to rea-
son. She would teach him to talk.
Since she had book, albeit sorry
one, she would teach him to read.
The rain fell more softly now. Her
eyes dropped.
She slept again only to wake and
muse once more. She could have
slept better had he been outside. How
could he lie there in the complete and
sleeping insensibility of slumber? Her
hand fell against her breast. There
was the treasure trove of her exist
ence the day before. What would they
tell her? She could scarcely wait I'M
til morning to look. So she woke and
slept and woke and slept until the
day broke.
1t was bright and sunshiny out, al
though there were ominous clouds all
about the western horizon. 1t was
probable that the rainy season was at
hand, II not upon them. She re-
GREETED that she had not given more
time to the study of nature, to the
fauna and fora Of the South seas, to
the conditions Of wind and weather
under which life was lived there. Much
philosophy would she gladly have
parted with for such practical infor-
nation. She had to piece her ideas
of affairs out from scraps and tags Of
knowledge. unclassified, incoherent;
from vague recollections of childhood
stories and romances; from carelessly
scanned collections of voyages, books
of travel and adventure. The result
was unsatisfactory. In some particu-
lars the instructive man before her
was her master. At the things which
went to make up physical comfort and
we'll being in a state Of absolute ma.
ture he certainly surpassed her.
She was thankful when she walked
abroad that she had the shelter of the
cave, for everything was drenched
from the terrific downpour. If it was
the beginning of the wet season she
knew that the rains would soon come
again. Still she luxuriated in what
freedom she had. Without removing
her single garment she plunged into
the lagoon for a refreshing bath. The
man followed her and swan about her
moving slowly, with less skill than