Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1901-07-25
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ASK your AdSLuduu AuU lSI ulu
answer you. Is 1t as l say or Is 1t
not? Ask him."
The people looked from face to face
Of the men on the Mount, from Jor-
sen, and he laughed. Look at him."
the Judge to the Bishop.
"Is this true?' shouted a voice from
the crowd.
But the Judge made no answer, and
the Bishop said, why all this wrang-
ling over the body of a dying MANI"
Dying indeed" said Jorgen Jor-
sen, and he laugher. Look at him."
Michael Sunlocks, again lying in the
arms Of Greeba, was showing signs
of life. "He will recover fast enough
when all is over"
rs it true?" shouted the same voice
from the crowd.
"Yes," said the Judge.
Then the look of bewilderment in
the faces of the people deepened to
Michael Sunlocks was raised to his
feet. And Jorgen Jorgensen standing
like an old snuffy tiger on the watch,
laughed again, and turning to Jason
he pointed at Sunlocks and said,
"What did I say? A pretty farce truly,
this pretense at Inconsistencies.
Small good it has done him. And he
has little to thank you for. You have
brought him here to his death"
down from the Kotlugia yakul, hurl-
ing ice-blocks before it, and sweeping
farms, churches, cattle, horses, and
men, women and children into the
sea. Then this man also put his heels
to his horse and broke away, like one
pursued by death itself.
What answer Jason would have
made him, no man may say, for at
that moment the same terrestrial
thunder that had been heard before
was heard again, and the earth became
violently agitated as with a deep
pulsation. The people looked into each
others faces with dismay, and scarce
ly had they realized the horror that
waited to pour itself out on the world,
when a man came %galloping from the
south and crying, "The mountains are
coming down at Skaptar. Fly! fly"
They stopped the man and Ques-
toned him, and he answered, with
terror in his eyes, that the ice-moun-
tain itself was sweeping down into the
plain. Then he put his heels to his
horse and broke away.
Hardly had the people heard this
dread word when another man came
%galloping from the southwest. and
crying, 1.-THE sea is throwing vi new
islands at Reykianess, and all the nv
ers are dry"
They sotpped this man also, and
questioned him, and he answered that
the sky at the coast was raining red
hot stones, so that the sea Kissed with
them, and all the land was afire. Then
he, too, put his heels to his horse and
broke away.
Scarcely had he gone when a third
man came %galloping from the south
east, and crying, "The land around
Hekla is washed away, and not a green
place is left on the face of the EARTH"
This nan also they stopped and
questioned, and he answered that a
torrent of boiling water was rolling
down from the Kotlugia yakul, hurting
ice blocks before it, and sweeping
farms, churches, cattle, horses, and
men, women and children into the sea.
Then this man also put his heels to his
horse and broke away, like n pur-
sued by death itself.
For some moments thereafter the
people stood where the men had left
them, silent, helpless, unable to think
Or feel. Then there rose from them all.
as from one man, such a Shrek of NOR
tai agony as lever before came from
human breasts. In their terror they
ran hither and thither, without
thought or intention. They took to
their tents, they took to their ponies,
they galloped north, they galloped east,
they galloped west, and then came
scurrying back to the Muont from
which they had started. A great dan
ger was about to burst upon them, but
they could not tell from what direction
it would come. Some remembered their
homes and wives and children they
had left there. Others thought only OF
themselves and of the fire and water
that were dealing out death.
In two minutes the Mount was a bar
rem waste, the assures on it's sides
were empty, and the seats on the crags
were bare. The Thing-men and the
clergy were rushing to and fro in the
throng, and the old bishop and the
judge were seeking their horses.
Greeba stood with fear on her face,
by the side of Michael Sunlocks, who,
blind and MANNED, unable to see what
was going on about him, not knowing
yet where he was and what new evil
threatened him, looked like a man who
might have been dead and was awaken
ing to consciousness in a world of the
damned.
Two men, and two only, of all that
vast multitude kept their heads and
were cool through this mad panic. One
of these was Jorgen ~Jorgensen; the
other was Red Jasen. They watched
each other constantly, the one with the
eyes of the lynx, the other with the
eyes of a lion.
A troop of men came riding through
the throng from the direction of the
Chasm Of Ravens. Twenty of them
were the bodyguard of the Governor,
and they pushed their way to the feet
of Jorgen ~Jorgensen.
your ~excellency," said one of them,
1--WE had news of you that you would
want us, so we made bold to come"
"You have come in time" said Jor-
gen Jorgensen. and his cruel eyes flash
ed with the light of triumph.
There has been a great eruption of
Skaptar," said the man, "and the PEG.
pie of the south are 1ocking into Reyk-
javik."
Leave old Skaptar to take care OF
ITSELF" said Jorgen Jorgensen, "and do
you take charge of that man there. and