manorwomanamongthem；thattheywerelookeduponasadistinctandsuperiorcasteofIndians，andenjoyedcertainprivilegeswiththetribe；thattheysuperstitiouslyavoidedwhitemen，ofwhomtheyhadthegreatestfear，andthattheywereprotectedinthisbytheotherIndians；thatitwasmarvelousandalmostbeyondbeliefthatPomfreyhadbeenabletoseeone，fornootherwhitemanhad，orwasevenawareoftheirexistence。
Howmuchofthisheactuallyunderstood，howmuchofitwaslyingandduetoJim\'sbeliefthathewishedtoabductthefairstranger，Pomfreywasunabletodetermine。Therewasenough，however，toexcitehiscuriositystronglyandoccupyhismindtotheexclusionofhisbooks——saveone。Amonghissmallervolumeshehadfoundatravelbookofthe\"ChinookJargon，\"withalexiconofmanyofthewordscommonlyusedbytheNorthernPacifictribes。Anhourortwo\'strialwiththeastonishedJimgavehimanincreasedvocabularyandanewoccupation。Eachdaytheincongruouspairtookalessonfromthelexicon。InaweekPomfreyfelthewouldbeabletoaccostthemysteriousstranger。Buthedidnotagainsurpriseherinanyofhisrambles，oreveninalatervisittothesweat-house。HehadlearnedfromJimthatthehousewasonlyusedbythe\"bucks，\"ormales，andthatherappearancetherehadbeenaccidental。Herecalledthathehadhadtheimpressionthatshehadbeenstealthilyfollowinghim，andtherecollectiongavehimapleasurehecouldnotaccountfor。Butanincidentpresentlyoccurredwhichgavehimanewideaofherrelationstowardshim。
ThedifficultyofmakingJimunderstandhadhithertopreventedPomfreyfromintrustinghimwiththecareofthelantern；butwiththeaidofthelexiconhehadbeenabletomakehimcomprehenditsworking，andunderPomfrey\'spersonalguidancetheIndianhadonceortwicelitthelampandsetitsmachineryinmotion。ItremainedforhimonlytotestJim\'sunaidedcapacity，incaseofhisownabsenceorillness。Ithappenedtobeawarm，beautifulsunset，whentheafternoonfoghadforoncedelayeditsinvasionoftheshore-line，thatheleftthelighthousetoJim\'sundividedcare，andrecliningonasand-dunestillwarmfromthesun，lazilywatchedtheresultofJim\'sfirstessay。Asthetwilightdeepened，andthefirstflashofthelanternstrovewiththedyinggloriesofthesun，Pomfreypresentlybecameawarethathewasnottheonlywatcher。Alittlegrayfigurecreepingonallfourssuddenlyglidedoutoftheshadowofanothersand-duneandthenhalted，fallingbackonitsknees，gazingfixedlyatthegrowinglight。Itwasthewomanhehadseen。Shewasnotadozenyardsaway，andinhereagernessandutterabsorptioninthelighthadevidentlyoverlookedhim。Hecouldseeherfacedistinctly，herlipspartedhalfinwonder，halfwiththebreathlessabsorptionofadevotee。
Afaintsenseofdisappointmentcameoverhim。ItwasnotHIMshewaswatching，butthelight！Asitswelledoutoverthedarkeninggraysandsheturnedasiftowatchitseffectaroundher，andcaughtsightofPomfrey。Withalittlestartledcry——thefirstshehaduttered——shedartedaway。Hedidnotfollow。Amomentbefore，whenhefirstsawher，anIndiansalutationwhichhehadlearnedfromJimhadrisentohislips，butintheoddfeelingwhichherfascinationofthelighthadcausedhimhehadnotspoken。Hewatchedherbentfigurescuttlingawaylikesomefrightenedanimal，withacriticalconsciousnessthatshewasreallyscarcehuman，andwentbacktothelighthouse。Hewouldnotrunafterheragain！
Yetthateveninghecontinuedtothinkofher，andrecalledhervoice，whichstruckhimnowashavingbeenatoncemelodiousandchildlike，andwishedhehadatleastspoken，andperhapselicitedareply。