Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-02-26

cry, he fell senseless to the floor
When Thornton awoke he was dazed
with the immensely 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 it. The sense
of his conquest struck him like a
blow.
Ugh! What was that? With a
shudder he drew back his hand. Some
thing moist and indescribably loath-
some had touched it. He opened his
eyes With cry of horror he started
back. There before him Was mon
ster of such terrible aspect that he
scarcely dared look at it again. 1t
was formless, spOngy mass slowly
filling the room. Then he remem-
bered. The lowest forms of life de-
velop with marvellous rapidity. 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 it as from the touch of
death. How he loathed It! But with
a mighty effort he neryed 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 it 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 a 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 it's growth was I'M
checked. 1t did not resist, yet it did
not retreat. The filthy monster simply
grew. It's 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 I'm
doing.
Still the mass increased. 1t scarce
ly seemed to grow, rather to swell.
Little by little it was Filing 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 1t 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 its 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
If he had it would have been useless.
Every avenue of escape was blocked
by the spongy demon that was slowly
enyeloping him Kill it he could not;
escape was impossible. Yet he would
not give up hope. Cursing aud shrek
ing, stamping on it, beating it back
with his bare fists, he saw his hideOus end
ever drawing nearer. Death-unearthly,
unbelievable, inevitable death-was
writing In the undulating waves of
matter around him. Must he die thus?
Was this to be the reward of his dis
coyery? The horror Of it filed his
heart. His struggles grew feebler and
feebler; his fate was sealed.
Inch by inch the mass was enyelop-
ing him; 1t was creeping upon him
from below; it was tumbling over on
him from above. His breath came In
great gasps. His strength was gone.
The end was come God! the awful
ness of 1t! With a last despairing
cry he sank into the embrace of the
mighty monster. With a gulp as of
a mighty throat, IL took him in. All