The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-12-26

be such a fool. What had brought hin
back to this absurd place and caused
him to be watching this absurd WON
an taking nap In chair? In brief
What the devil did he mean by 1t? HI
Ehad 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 hel
breathing became heavier.
How long was he going to sit here
presiding over this unknown woman's
slumbers? 1t struck him that to make
the picture complete he ought to be
shooting flies away from her with 8
palm-leaf fan.
i Mrs Horner's parted lips closed
again abruptly, and became com
pressed; her shoulders moved little
then jerked repeatedly; her small
chest heaved; she gasped, and the
compressed lips relaxed to a slight
contortion. then began to move, whis'
pering and bringing forth indistin
guishable mutterings.
! Suddenly she spoke in loud, husky
voice:
"LOpa is here!"
Eyes," Eugene said dryly. "That's
what you said last time. I remember
Lopa.' She's your control I think
you said"
"Tm Lopa," said the husky voice
''Pm Lopa herself"
1 6Vnu v,ano 70 re
not Mrs. Horner now"
Never was Mrs. Hornerv' the voice
declared. speaking undeniably from
Mrs. Horners 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
Horner. "Never was Mrs. Horner or
anybody but just Lopa. Guide"
/ "You mean you're Mrs. Horner's
| guide?" he asked
"Yeur guide now" said the voice
with emphasis, to which was incon-
gruously added 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 CO. 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 appearanceT
"How2"
"What does he look likeY
VERY fine! White beard, but not
long beard. He says some one else
wants to speak to you. See here
Lady. Not his wife, though. No
| Very fine lady! Fine lady, fine lady p
SIS 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-yery anxious
Very fond of you; very anxious to talk
to you. Very glad you came here-oh
very glad!"
"What is her manner"
Name" the voice repeated, and
| seemed to ruminate. "Name 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 sound" Here the voice
seemed to put question to an invis.
ible presence and to receive an an.
swer. "a little sound or big sound
She says it might be little sound OF
a big sound. She says a ring-oh
Lopa knows She means bell That's
| 1t, bell"
Eugene looked grave "Does she
mean her name is BELIEF"
"Not quite. Her name is longer"
Perhaps" he suggested, "she means
that she was BELLE"
mo. 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 light color and you can see
through it."
! "Amber?" he 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
Is from amber. Amber! Amber
That's it! She says you understand
what her name is from bell AMI
from amber. She is laughing anC
waving a lace handkerchief at me be-
cause she is pleased. She says
have made you know who it is"
This was the strangest moment OF
Eugene's life, because, while it lasted
he believed that, Isabel Anderson
who was dead, had found means tc
speak to him. Though within ter
minutes he doubted it, he believed II
then.
His elbows pressed hard upon the
table, and. his head between hi:
hands, he leaned forward, staring al
the commonplace figure in the easy
chair. "What does she wish to say
to meT
| "She is happy because you know
her. No-she is troubled. Oh-e
/ great trouble! Something she wants
to tell you. She wants so much tC
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