edral on cleaning days. But her deaf old husband,
hobbling in from the street at that moment, said he had heard
somebody say that a session of Althing was sitting then, and that
under the Republic that had lately been proclaimed, Michael Sunlocks
presided at the parliament-house daily about midday.

Hearing this, Jason rose from his unfinished breakfast, and went out
on some pretended errand; but when he got to the wooden shed where
Althing held its session he found the sitting over and the delegates
dispersed. His only object had been to see Michael Sunlocks that he
might know him, and having lost his first opportunity he returned the
following day, coming earlier, before the sitting had begun or the
delegates had yet gathered. But though he lounged within the door
yard, while the members passed through, jesting and laughing
together, he saw no one young enough to answer to Michael Sunlocks.
He was too much in dread of attracting attention to inquire of the
few idlers who looked on like himself, so he went away and came yet
again the next day after and waited as before. Once more he felt that
the man he looked for had not passed in with the rest, and, between
fear of exciting suspicion and of throwing away further chances, he
questioned the doorkeeper of the Chamber. This person stuttered
before every word, but Jason learned at length that Michael Sunlocks
had not been there for a week, that by the rule of the new
Constitution the Governor presided only at the sittings of the higher
house, the Council, and that the present sittings were those of the
lower house, the Senate.

That was Thursday, and Jason reflected that though four days were
gone nothing was done. Vexed with himself for the caution that had
wasted so much time, he boldly started inquiries on many sides. Then
he learned that it was the daily practice of the Governor to go at
twelve o'clock noon to the embankment in front of the merchant
stores, where his gangs of masons were throwing up the new fort. At
that hour that day Jason was there, but found that the Governor had
already been and gone. Going earlier the next day, Friday, he learned
that the Governor had not yet come, and so he lay about to wait for
him. But the men whom he had questioned began to cast curious glances
in his direction, and to mutter together in groups. Then he
remembered that it was a time of revolution, that he might be
mistaken for a Danish spy, and as such be forthwith seized a