The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-01-16


She sighed. closed her eyes, and was
silent, while Eugene. seated in the still
chair across the table from her.
watched her prollle, thought himself
an idiot, and called himself that and
other names. And AZ the silence con.
tinued, and the impassive woman IN
the easy-chalr remained impassive. he
began to wonder what had led him to
be such . fool. What had brought him
back to this absurd place and caused
him to be watching this absurd wom-
an taking q nap in chair3 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 over this unknown woman's
slumbers1 It struck him that to make
the picture complete he ought to be
shooting flies away from her with
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 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!"
"Yes," Eugene said dryly. '"That's
what you said last time. remember
'Lopa.' She's your control think
you said"
"Tm Lopa," said the husky voice.
''I'm L0pa herself"
| "YOu mean I'm to suppose you're
not Mrs. Horner now?"
"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 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 OF
anybody but just Lopa. Guide"
"You mean you're Mrs. Horner's
guide7' he asked.
"Your guide now" said the voice
with emphasis, to which was incon'
gruously added a low laugh. "YOl
came here once before. LOpa remem
bers."
"Yes-so did Mrs. Horner."
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 you,
grandfather-no, he says father.' He's
your father"
"WhAt's his appenrance2"
"How?"
"What does he look like?"
every fine! White beard, but no
long beard. He says some one els,
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 he
head. She has pretty brown hair. Sh'
Is fond of you. She is some one VIII
knows you very well, but she is no
your sister. She is very anxious t.
say something to yOu-very anxious
Very fond of you; very anxious to tall
to you. Very glad you came here-oh
very glad!'
"What is her name?"
"Name." the voice repeated. an,
seemed to ruminate. "Name hard t
getaways very hard for LOpa
Name. She wants to tell me her nam
to tell you. She wants you to under
, stand names are hard to make. Sh
says you must think of something tina
p makes a sound" Here the voic
. seemed to put question to an invis
. ible presence and to receive an ar
: swer. "A little sound or a big sound
She says it might be q little sound @
a big sound. She says ring-ol
LOpa knows! She means bell That
: it, bell"
II
), mean her name is Belle?'
6 'Not quite. Her name Is longer"
= 'Perhaps," he suggested, 'she NEAR
9 that she was BELLE"
mo. She Says she thinks you kno
a what she means. She says you mu'
4 think of color. What color?" Agai
+. LOpa addressed the unknown, but til
|, time seemed to wait for an answer.
> "Perhaps she means the color of h
. eyesy said Eugene.
n mo. She says her color is light
j. it's light color and you can 81
# through it."
N "Amber?" he said, and was startle
# for Mrs. Horner. with her eyes st
Is closed, clapped her hands, and Il
ar voice cried out in delight:
o. Eyes! She says you know who 81
10 is from amber. Amber! Ambe
d. That's It! She says you understal
= what her name is from bell nj