"I would hate to be Amos if he gives Carson an assay of values from
that jug handle.
"Yes, yes," he muttered incoherently. "The day of reckoning comes to
all. I have seen it. I have seen the sky turn black, the waves rise
mountain-high out of the sea, the earth rock and reel, the dead roll
out of their coffins in the cerements of their graves, the living fall
upon their faces to hide from the wrath of Almighty God! I have seen
it just as Paul tells about it. I have heard the roar of the winds,
seen palaces crumble and fall--like John of Patmos, I lift up my
voice--I, John."
I was at his side in a moment, and saw that he was delirious. The
exertion through the snow the day before, the loss of sleep and
intense anger, had made him ill. I knew of a few simple remedies at
hand, and in a little while I had him sleeping soundly.
The sun became warmer as the day advanced. The snow melted on the
cabin roof and froze in drooping icicles at the eaves. All day I went
noiselessly about the cabin, letting Buchan sleep. A premonition of
impending danger crept over me. I tried to throw off the dread feeling
by reading, but I could not concentrate my thoughts on the pages of
the book. Strange thoughts came like they did to the man who was being
taken to the guillotine and begged time of his captors to put his
thoughts on paper. I thought I would write mine that day, or remember
them at least, but I cannot recall them. I only know they were strange
and fascinating, as if I was living another life, on another planet.
I brought in wood and water for the night. The sound of the door
slamming awoke Buchan. He arose and sat by the fire, which blazed up
brightly from its fresh supply of pine logs.
"Better, I see," I observed, "but heavens you were locoed this
morning! talking about the resurrection, the quaking earth, and the
dead rolling out from their graves!"
"All true," he said, quietly. "I have seen those things, and what has
happened once may happen again."
I was standing by the window, looking out over the snow covered San
Luis valley, when even as he spoke I felt the ground tremble. There
was a rush of air and the cabin became filled with a fine snow that
was stifling, then a thunderous roar, and all was utter darkness.
I was choking with the snow particles. I groped to the door and opened
it and felt a solid bank of snow.