The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-12-12

| about for moment with q look of in
tense surprise. At first it WAS doubtful
whether they meant to attack us at all.
We stood on our guard, several car
rying disintegrators in our hands, while
score more of those terrible engines
were turned upon the Martians from
the electrical ships which lowered near.
Suddenly heNwho seemed to be the
leader Of the Martians began to speak
to them in pantonime, using his fingers
after the manner in which they are used
for conversation by deaf and dumb peo-
pie.
OF course we did not know what be
was saying, but his meaning became
perfectly evident moment later Clear
ly they did not comprehend the powers
of the insignificant looking strangers
with whom they had to deal. Instead
of turning their destructive engines
upon us they advanced on a run, with
the evident purpose of making us pris-
oners or crushing us by main force
The soft whir of the disintegrator in
the hands of Mr. Edison standing near
me came to my ears through the tele-
phonic wire. He quickly swept the con-
centrating mirror little up and down,
and instantly the foremost Marian van
ished. Part of some metallic dress that
he wore fell upon the ground where he
had stood, its vibratory rate not having
been included in the range impaired to
the disintegrator.
His followers paused for moment,
amazed, stared about as if looking for
their leader, and then hurried back to
their projectile and disappeared within
it.
Nov we've got business on our
hands, said Mr.. Edison Look out for
yourselves. Z"
AS he spoke saw the death dealing
knob of the war engine contained in the
car of the Martians moving around to-
ward u.s. In another instant it would
have launched its destroying bolt.
Before that could occur, however, it
had been dissipated into space by vi
hratory stream from disintegrator
But we were not to get the vicfr y
quite so easily. There was another of
the war engines in the car, and before
we could concentrate our fire upon it it's
awful flash shot forth, and dozen of
our comrades persisted before our eyes.
"Quick Quick p shouted Mr.. Edison
to one of his electrical experts standing
near. "There is something the matter
with this disintegrator, and 1 cannot
make it work. Aim at the knob and
don t miss it. "
But the aim was not we'll taken, and
che vibratory force fell upon a portion
of the car at a considerable distance
from the knob, making a great breach,
but leaving the engine uninjured.
A section of the side of the car had
been destroyed, and the vibratory ener-
gy had spread no farther. To have at
tempted to sweep the car from end to
end would have been futile, because
the period of action of the disintegrators
during each discharge did not exceed
one second, and distributing the energy
over SO great space would have seri-
ously weakened its power to shatter
apart the atoms of the resisting sub
stance. The disintegrators were like
firearms in that after each discharge
they must be readjusted before they
could be used again.
Through the breach we saw the Mar
tians inside making desperate efforts to
train their engine upon US, for after
their first disastrous stroke we had rap
idly shifted our position. Swiftly the
polished knob, which cleaned like an
evil eye, moved round to sweep over us.
Instinctively, though incautiously, we
had collected in group.
A single discharge would sweep us
all into eternity.
Twill no one fire upon thom?' ex-
claimed Mr.. Edison, struggling with
the disintegrator in his hands, which
still refused to work.
At this fearful moment I glanced
around upon our company and was as
tonished at the spectacle. In the pres
ence of the danger many of them had
lost all self command. A half dozen had
dropped their disintegrators upon the
ground. Others stood as if frozen fast
in their tracks. The expert electrician
whose poor aim had had such disastrous
results held in his hand an instrument
which was in perfect condition, yet
with mouth agape. he stood trem bling
like a captured bird.
1t was disgraceful exhibition. Mr..
Edison, however, had not lost his head
Again and again he sighted at the dread
full knob with his disintegrator, but the
vibratory force refused to respond.
The means of safety were in our
hands, and yet through combination
of i'll luck and paralyzing terror we
seemed unable to use them.
In second more it would be all over
with us.
The suspense in reality lasted only
during the twinkling of an eye, though
it seemed ages long.
Unable to endure it, l sharply struck
the shoulder of the paralyzed electri-
clan. To have attempted to seize the
disintegrator from his hands would
have been fatal waste of time. Luck
lily the blow either reused him from his
stupor or caused an instructive move
ment of his hand that set the little en-
CINE in operation.
am sure he took no aim, but prov
identially the vibratory force fell upon