The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-02-27

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while If he. was correct and the I'm.
pact took place he would either be
crushed like a fly beneath mountain,
or surviving by some miracle, find him.
self among the most famous OF mem
Verify he was in the hands OF des1
tiny SO colossal that all the armies
and navies OF the world and all its
teeming billions Of humanity to back
them were as impotent rs a swarm of
gnats to alter t. and arising with n
face the color Of wet ashes he placed
his things In order with unusual care,
as one might who was about to take
4 long vacation. and with last look
at the beloved instruments so inf.
nitely more delicate than the human
senses locked tho door and departed,
taking his seat upon the little car
that ran down the steep cog road to
the city below.
He entered> the busting place just
as the sun dropping behind the west.
ern peaks left the hrst shadows OF
evening to steal swiftly across the
plain. Scarcely three.quarters Of an
hour had passed since Kelly of the As
ISOLATED Press had clashed the receiv-
err into its hook and darted for the
telegraph key, but already the howl
ing newsboys were scampering about
with the sSility Of young apes as they
gathered their horde Of nickels from
the shrieked prophecy Of the dire
death that was hurting down. upon
them, fighting for dropped coins as
coyotes snap and wrangle over bones,
as little mindful Of the promised clash
! of celestial bodies as had two knights
Of the squared ring challenged each
other to plgmy mortal battle. Des-
mond, watching them, doubted not
that they would have stood daunt.
lessly screeching their wares before
the onslaught Of a Jupiter, scrambling
for the coins in the very shadow of
the approaching monster. With
cynical curiosity new to him he
scanned the faces Of those who pur
chased the news which he had sent
forth to the world, watching them az
they read the huge headlines bearing
his name, reading in their faces their
varied emotions-their open derision.
their Incredibly. their doubt and in .
few cases their fear. On all sides he
heard the comments Of those who had
purchased the scare head extras.
hf~h hrnuy ooua rnnoN
or something Is going to drop on us
this evening. Guess I'll have to put
up my umbrella"
"Bet you twenty to one she misses
U.S." ..s
Fine bet that. If won what good
would it do me-buried a hundred
hmiles deep?"
you can't always tell. Those wise
boys hit things right once in a mil
/ iion times"
"And just think, Julia. II 1t hits Us
it will break up the dance"
"A scheme to sell more yellow news
papers"
absurd, impossible, unscientiac-"
HE says it IL as big as this state"
"Glad the state amt Texas then"
From nearby corner band Of Ad-
ventists began to chant to the beat
ing OF drum. seeming to glory in the
direful prospect. "He who repenteth
in the last hour may yet enter the
holy Kingdom. Come ye while yet ye
may and be saved. for the end Of all
earthly things IL at hand, woe, woe"
Angry, Disguised. amused. Desmond
turned upon his heel and started for
nearby hete) that, ha Vas acc1s-
lomed to frequent. but had scarcely
taken half dozen steps when
hand fell upon his arm and he looked
up to see the half-serious, half-smiling
face Of his friend Alan March before
him. He paused. saluting.
March slipped the professors arm
beneath his own. "Come along, now,
and tell me all about 1t. Might as
well know the worst first as last" he
announced as he scanned his friends
face as closely as physician might
scan the features Of q patient OF
whose sanity he was slightly In doubt.
What was your idea In starting all
this excitement anyway--or IS the re-
port a canard conjured up by some
enemy or practical joking alleged
i friend of yours?" Desmond shook his
head
"No. 1t is my own message. and as
you will readily appreciate, have
Etaked my reputation upon it's accu.
racy. If am wrong will be the butt
of the world, a clown, buffoon. a
Iunatic." Despite himself he drew a
sigh. 1t did not seem possible that
such a grotesQue calamity as he had
prophesied could occur in q universe
bf such perfection. God-made. where
each stupendoss body Of unthinkable
space lay balanced to . hair against
Its cosntless asighboss Of hundreds Of
millions. yes. hundreds Of billions Of
miles away: who're perfection incon.
ceivable to naal scanned to rule
through both indnity Of time and
space. And now that be had had
time to ponder over 1t. IL ssemed to
him that It mast Ill have bsen .
dream. . dream % vivid that he had
upon awakening mistaken It for real.
ity. Yet II hs had been asleep then
| he was az apt 70 be asleep now, and