Read "Old Ugly-Face" by Talbot Mundy online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The storm, veering around in a wide arc, began to return, like a dog to its vomit. Thunder and lightning again, but not much wind yet. From a black sky lightning stabbed the whirling snow and revealed the procession, in shimmering glimpses--Old Ugly-face leading. The grand old mystic had seized his moment, and doubt was not in him. He was destiny's agent, self-identified--a swimmer on the rising tide of spirit--beyond praise. In his right fist he shook the prayer wheel. Andrew and Elsa couldn't hear him, but he appeared to be chanting. Behind him, in groups of twos, threes, dozens, the naked hermits trouped like ghosts arisen from their graves.
-"Lord love and look at us!" said Andrew. "It's almost too crazy to fail! Almost! It's like the Angels at Mons. Did Old Ugly-face tell you his plan?"