The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-11-27

SsS W. SS~ "oA = ASCk
cross. but l dunno. 1 can't never tell
what they'll do. Well"
She sighed, closed her eyes, and was
silent, while Eugene, seated in the stiff
chair across the table from her,
watched her profile, thought himself
III idiot, and called himself that and
other names. And as the Silence con.
tinued, and the ilnpassive woman in
the easy-chair remained impressive, he
began to wonder what had led him to
be such a fool. What had brought him
back to this absurd place and caused
him to be watching this absurd wom-
an taking a nap in q chair? In brief:
What the devil did he mean by it? He
had not the slightest interest in Mrs.
Horner's naps-or in her teeth, which
were being Slightly revealed by the un-
conscious parting Of her lips, as her
breathing became heavier.
How long was he going to sit here
presiding w this unknown woman's
slumbers? 1t struck him that to make
the picture complete he ought to be
shooting flies away from her with u
palm-leaf fan.
Mrs. Horner's parted lips closed
again abruptly, and became COM
pressed; her shoulders moved a little,
then jerked repeatedly; her small
chest heaved; she gasped, and the
compressed lips relaxed to q slight
contortion, then began to move, whis-
pering and bringing forth indistin-
guishable mutterings.
Suddenly she spoke in q loud, husky
voice:
"Lopa is here"
"Yes," Eugene said dryly. "That's
what you said last time. I remember
Lopa.' She's your control 1 think
you said"
I'm Lopa," said the husky voice.
I'm Lopa herself"
you mean I'm to suppose you're
not Mrs. Horner nowY"
Never was Mrs. Horner!" the voice
declared, speaking undeniably from
Mrs. Horner's lips-but with such con-
viction that Eugene, in spite of every
thing, began to feel himself in the
presence Of a third party, who was
none the less an individual, even
though she might be another edition
of the apparently somnambulistic Mrs.
Homer. "Never was Mrs. Horner or
anybody but just Lopa. Guide"
"YOu mean you're Mrs. Horner's
guide?" he asked.
"Your guide now" said the voice
with emphasis, to which was incon-
gruously added a low laugh. "You
came here once before. Lopa remem-
bers."
"Yes-so did Mrs. Homer"
Lopa overlooked his implication, and
continued quickly: "You build. Build
things that go. You came here once
and old gentleman on this side, he
spoke to you. Same old gentleman
here now. He tell Lopa he's your
grandfather-no, he says father He's
your father"
whats his appearance?"
"How?"
"What does he look like?"
"Very fine! White beard, but not
long beard. He says some n else
wants to speak to you. See here.
Lady. Not his wife, though. No.
Very fine lady! Fine lady, fine lady"
us it my sister?' Eugene asked.
"Sister? No. She is shaking her
head. She has pretty brown hair. She
Is fond of you. She is some one who
knows you very well, but she is not
your sister. She is very anxious to
say something to you-very anxious.
Very fond Of you; very anxious to talk
to you. Very glad you came here-oh,
very glad!"
'What is her name?"
"Narne," the voice repeated, and
seemed to ruminate. Shame hard to
getaways very hard for Lopa.
Name. She wants to tell me her name
to tell you. She wants you to under
stand names are hard to make. She
says you must think of something that
makes a sound" Here the voice
seemed to put a question to an invis.
ible presence and to receive an an
swer. "a little sound or a big sound?
She says it might be a little sound or
a big sound. She says a ring-oh,
Lopa knows! She means a bell! That's
1t, a bell"
Eugene looked grave. "Does she
mean her name is Belle?'
"Not quite. Her name is longer"
Perhaps" he suggested, "she means
that she was a BELLE"
"No. She says she thinks you know
what she means. She says you must
think of a color. What color?" Again
Lopa addressed the unknown, but this
time seemed to wait for an answer
perhaps she means the color of her
eyes?' said Eugene.
"No. She says her color is light
it's a light color and you can see
through it."
"Amber?" Re said, and was startled,
for, Mrs. Horner, with her eyes still
closed, clapped her hands, and the
voice cried out in delight:
"Yes! She says you know who she