Then
a stealthy glance swept round the circle as if inspired by one central
intelligence. It crept out of the corners of rattish eyes, reading as
it ran the sinister circle, and hurried back to its intense,
malevolent business of transfixing the quarry in the corner.
A hand reached down and grasped the leg of a short, heavy stool.
Another went lower and clutched a long, murderous bar of iron that
served as a poker. Savage eyes went in quest of deadly things, and
purposeful hands obeyed the common impulse.
Then they advanced....
Later, the stealthy, shivering group stole forth from the room and
down the black hallway that led to the street. The last man out cast a
terrified glance at the still, shapeless object in the corner as he
closed the door behind him and fled after his fellows. When they came
from the passage into the full light of day, each skulker looked at
his hands and found that they shook as if with a mighty ague.
Even as they blinked their eyes in the glaring sunlight, an excited
young man came rushing toward them from the opposite side of the
street. They paused irresolute.
Pages:
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602