The daily tribune., 1909-01-16


to the gods. With wild, exultant
cry, he fell senseless to the floor.
When Thornton awoke he was dazed
with the immensity of his discovery
This night made him the foremost
scientist OF all time. He alone, of all
men. knew the secret of life. He
alone could produce 1t. The sense
of his conquest struck him like a
blow.
Ugh! What was that7 With a
shudder he drew back his hand Some
thing moist and indescribably loath-
some had touched 1t. He opened his
eyes. With a cry Of horror he started
back. There before him was mon
ster Of such terrible aspect that he
scarcely dared look at 1t again II
was a formless. spongy mass slowly
filling the room. Then he remem-
bered The lowest forms of life de
velop with marvellous rapidty. His
chemicals were the most stimulating
known to science. His creature had
not ceased to grow, while he lay
senseless. The sight OF that animated
jelly filled him with horror He
shrank from II as from the touch o.
death. How he loathed It! But with
mighty effort he nerved himself to
action. With an oath. he sprang for
his acids. His feet sank noiselessly
into the shapeless monster. A tremor
shook its whole surface. Could 1t feel
In his agony Of fear. Thornton dashed
acid after acid on the mass. They
were useless. Black streaks followed
the deadly streams but the growth did
not stop.
He seized knife-a club-anything
He beat It. cut It, struck it-all to no
avail His weapon sank softly into
the unresisting sponge. Its surface
trembled and heaved from the impact
OF the blow, but its growth was un-
checked. 1t did not resist, yet 1t did
not retreat. The filthy monster simply
grew. Its bloated body seethed and
surged Thornton was frantic. The
power he had created was unmanage-
able. He had produced. but could not
control. His triumph was his un-
doing.
Still the mass increased. II scarce
ly semed to grow. rather to swell.
Little by little 1t was filling the room
with its hideous bulk. Vainly Thorn
ton sought to destroy It. He used
every weapon at his command. but
without avail. The monster was in
vulnerable. II was the embodiment OF
life, but without vital point. was suf.
fused with being. but devoid OF a high
er center. Without intellect, without
emotion, without feeling. The mass
OF animation was slowly but surely
overcoming the master mind that had
created It. The man stood powerless
before it's growing might Yet he
fought desperately: he would not own
defeat But ever. as he struggled and
| cursed. the soft but deadly embrace OF
his creature stole silently about him.
He did not think OF flight; but even
| II he had II would have been useless
Every avenue OF escape was blocked
| by the spongy demon that was slowly
| enveloping him. XIII II he could not I;
escape was impossible. Yet he would
not give up hope. Cursing and shrek
ing. stamping on II, beating It back
| with his bare fists. he saw his hideous end
ever drawing nearer. Death-unearthly
unbelievable. inevitable death-was
wrthlns in the undulating waves o.
matter around him. Must he die thus :
Was this to be the reward OF his dis.
covery7 The horror OF It filled his
heart. His struggles grew fsebler and
feebler; his fat0 was sealed.
Inch by inch the mass was envelop.
| ing him; It was creeping upon him
| from below: II was tumbllng over on
| tt... y.n,, ahAyA uia hroatb ,.,,,.. a.,