Page:Weird Tales Volume 10 Number 2 (1927-08).djvu/106

 forgot to go back and change the solution in it. The cross—the cross on the neck! Apropos! A cross! Henry died in vain!"

"No—he did not die in vain! He died for the cause he slaved to bring to fulfilment. He died for the world. He died that you might know, beyond all doubt. He died that others might live!" Mrs. Blauvette's voice rose in an exultant cry as she stepped swiftly forward, caught the girl in her arms and turned to her son. "See! 510 acted the same on him as it did on the animals. You and John both said it. Then 511 will act on humans—on me—the same as it did on the guinea-pig! Saul—you have saved mankind from hell! I know! And Helene was sent to save us all when we were crazed with fear!"

"For God's sake, listen! What's that?" Whittly caught Saul's arm and turned toward the window, his face paling. Tense silence flashed over the room, and five people held their breaths, listening.

in the night, down the road toward the laboratory, came the tramp of hurrying, ruthless feet. The sound of angry shouts, curses and threats rose in the air, as yet a little way distant, but breaking into the stillness of the room with ugly menace.

"The mob!" Whittly whirled on the others, snapping concise orders. "Saul, you've got to get out of sight, quick! John, take that 511 to the garage as fast as you can run, come back here and get your gun. I'll be waiting for you. You two women go to the garage with John, and stay there till I come for you. Run, John! There's no time to waste!"

Cloud leaped out of the door with a curse, running swiftly toward the garage, but none of the others moved.

"Go on, Helene! You're in danger here! You and Mrs. Blauvette get to the garage. Take Saul with you!"

Still no one moved to obey the old doctor's imperative commands. Saul stood watching the two women, clasped in each others' arms. Helene shook her head slowly, but it was Mrs. Blauvette who spoke.

"No. We will stay here—with Saul. We have stood by him too long to change. We are standing by him now."

"Saul—make them go!" Whittly demanded furiously.

"No," Saul denied, his eyes on his mother's face. "And I shall not go. I shall stand by my workshop"

"Lord, they're here!" Cloud burst into the room, leaped to his trunk against the wall and whipped put a loaded revolver. "They're a bunch of madmen! They'll do something murderous if we don't stop them!"

"Saul, you mad fool, you and the women stay here! It's too late to make the garage now. John and I are going out there armed. You leave that crazy mob to me! They all know me—they may listen to me!" Whittly pulled an ugly-looking weapon from his pocket and motioned to Cloud. "Come on, John! Shoot if you have to!"

The next instant Whittly and Cloud had dashed out the door, darted along the side of the house and come to a halt in front of the laboratory. The first of the mob had already passed to the other side of the great building, among them the men carrying the waste and the inflammable oil. Whittly leaped to the door and snapped on the huge floodlight that illuminated the front of the structure. The glow swept out in a wide arc, bringing into sharp relief the rage-distorted faces of the advancing throng, eyes glaring with insane fury, mouths gaping and screaming curses, threats and wild cries.

They halted a moment involuntarily, surprized by the swift flash of