The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1910-07-08

Bile Of prayer; Why he vas devoid Of
speech; what was the God to whom
he pfayedf she would study those
things The problems fascinated her.
The desolation and loneliness OF the
island might have crushed her. Re-
lieved from her immediate spprehen.
slons the man delighted her. She
would investigate him. analyEe him,
synthesize him, teach him She would
mother him as a woman child. No
such opportunity as was hers had ever
presented itself TO human being
Free. as she imagined herself, from
inherited preiudices, devoid OF old SUI
perstitions, crammed with new learn.
ing. illuminated with new light, alb
horrent Of narrow things, she fancied
herself well fitted TO- that strangely
maternal and preceptive role in which
chance had placed her. She would play
upon that mind virgin TO her touch, n
she might use a woman's word. until
II ran In harmony with her own. Alone
upon that island. the rest OF the world
away. she would find occupation. in
terest. inspiration In that nascent
man
lie lay so still and so quiet that
presently she arose and tiptoed softly
TO the entrance where unseen she
could look down upon him. The moon
rose back OF the hill. Although he
was In the shadow, there was still re-
fraction sufficient to enable her to see
his face. lie was asleep. The quiet,
dreamless, unvexed sleep OF a healthy
animal, she thogsst Their positions
were reversed. Ne had watched her
before when she was on guard and
asleep with what dim. dumb, inchoate
effort II might be to comprehend her.
Now II was her turn. lie took no
disfavor In her mind after her inspec-
ton. lie was bold. splendid piece
OF what? Clay She would put
a soul IN him. her soul. Her soul was
the only thing she knew, She forgot,
or II she remembered H. disdained the
ancient concept that before the dust
Of the earth became alive II had TO
be permeated with the breath not
merely OF man or woman, but Of God.
she came back at last and sought
her corner disposed her limbs TO rest
and kept through silent hours her
lonely vigil. SO long as he slept she
was safe. When he awakened. what
then? so long as his mind slept, his
soul slept his consciousness slept, she
was safe. but when they. too. swak.
ened. when whatsoever light there
might be that dawns in personality
dlspelled the night OF idle dreams In
which he lived, what would happen
then?
1nstinctively she shrank from the
thought OF the future. She was as one
who nad potent talisman in her hand
and feared TO put II TO the touch. So
the fisherman In the Arabian tale. II
he had known the contents OF the
corked bottle thrown up from the sea.
might have hesitated ere he drew the
stopper and released the prisoned
spirit She must watch. she must
wait, she must be on her guard. She
forgot that when she had called him
Man" and laid her hand upon his
shoulder she had begun an evolution
which no human power could stop.
Never had the hours seemed so long
and 30 strange to her. Nothing hap
pened Even the capacity TO think
gives out In the strongest mind. the
acutsst brain. temporarily or other
wise She was very tired: the silence
was oppfsssive: the rusty scissors fell
from her hand and At last she slipped
down upon the sand aud driftsd away
into that siumbsr. that Suspension OF
consciousness Ia which for the mo
ment she was even ~ the man.
rhs upper edge Of the sun was just
springing from the sea when It's level
rays woke her. She opened her eyes
to ind the man standing In the open
ing