Page:Weird Tales Volume 30 Number 02 (1937-08).djvu/5

 the crowd to tossing trees and lowering sky. His lined face, wet with rain, was worn and anxious.

Suddenly his voice rang out again, a cry from the heart of this shepherd of a stricken flock {{... "Deliver us, O Lord, from all assaults of the devil! In thine infinite mercy, protect and succor us! Stretch forth thy hand against this Thing of Darkness and set us free from fear! In the name of Him who died for us—Amen."

There was a murmurous response like water breaking on a distant shore. Then, slowly, silently, pelted by spiteful icy rain, the crowd dispersed.

At the lich-gate Doctor Dick Thornton was pushed up against two people he wanted to avoid: Edith and Alec Kinloch. Alec's heavy sallow face showed distinct traces of emotion. He looked quite appealingly at Doctor Dick.

{{" '}}Fraid I didn't take all this quite seriously before," he confessed. "I don't understand what it's all about, but{{bar|2}}"

Edith put a restraining hand on his arm. He was having one of his emotional moments, she could see. Heaven knew what he might say! Probably he would double his already absurdly generous offer of five pounds to the widow. What a blessing she could count on herself never to lose her head! Queer sort of service it had been. These villagers

{{image missing}} {{fine block|"In the smoking lamplight, she saw the vast ugly hulk, the bloated face, the small cruel eyes under matted hair."}}