The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-03-06

up and down his back--an irritating
pricking as from q light electric cur
rent applied to his spine, and when he
CHANGED to turn and see Doris family
outlined beneath the trees and In close
converse with Tolliver his whole being
became set on edge at once and his
hands frightened spasmodically. He
drew himself together.
Fool" he muttered In self anger.
He always had been rather proud of
his self possession during times when
that fine quality was at a premium.
Are you, too, going to lose your nerve.
and even before the first symptoms Of
danger at that? You are becoming as
lysterical as Mrs. Emmonds yonder."
! Il sound from the one whose name he
had just mentioned sent him quickly
towards her-a middle aged lady who
was crossing the lawn with peals Of
senseless laughter, her highly strung
nervous system breaking beneath the
suspense Of an impending cataclysm
so vast that the very mountains them.
Eclyes would be but mole hills beneath
| 1t. He took her firmly by the arm.
Mrs. Emmonds!" he exclaimed
lightly. Tell me about It also. 1t
seems to be too good joke to keep to
ones self" She turned rather vacu.
Gus face up at him and laughed again
more shrilly than before.
II am laughing to think how silly
was to be frightened an hour ago over
such a ridiculous bogy thing as every
body has been chatterln2 about 81 the
evening: As II this earth for which
the sun and moon and stars were made
could be destroyed by one of those lit.
tie winking things. Look at them!"
She threw her hand upward and Alan
followed the movement with his eyes.
A ragged rift had been torn in the
clouds and through the gap he could
see the myriads Of the Milky Way, in
finitesimal in size, faint in their light
as far distant glow worms. Once more
her senseless laugh arose. r
And as II the Lord who created this
great world out of darkness and then
built the rest of creation that we
might be able to see by night as we'll
as by day would set two worlds bat.
tering at each other like senseless
sheep! And besides does not this
Bible say that the earth shall be de-
stroyed next time by fire? How silly
l was to be afraid Of such nonsense.
am as bad as a child who fears that
there is a goblin beneath his bed"
Her convulsive peals Of merNjnent
had turned all eyes IA her direction
and dozen men were now upon their
way towards her Alan was still tug
ging at her arm.
"Of course, Mrs. Emmonds. quite
Internationally SO | fully agree
with you that there can be no dan.
GER" He stopped speaking abruptly,
the cold goose flesh breaking out all
over him, for beneath his feet he
seemed to feel the earth shudder like
an overdriven engine. Or was it his
own nerves after all? He turned hi7
face towards his companions beyond
One glance told him that they had
felt it also, for In their eyes was q
wildness such as he had never be!
foro seen in human beings, fear that
no savage horde bearing down upoa
them with naked weapons could have
inspired. Rather it was the grisly, ter
ror of those who have wandered fal
into the evil haunts of the nightmare;
the sweating horror Of humanity who
believe themselves to be at the mercy
Of the supernatural. Then the earth
shudder ceased and they stood staring
at each other with faces that wero
dazed and blanched. Alan suddenly
realized that he was supporting the
dead weight Of q tainted woman and
lowered her gently to the grass.
"Tbe first slight convulsion," said
quiet voice, and all eyes, turned upon
the speaker. It was Professor Des.
mond, and though his face was pale
as we'll as theirs he was by far the
most composed one Of those present
not necessarily by virtue Of superior
courage although he was a brave man.
but rather because Of the confidence
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