The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-24
Rapidly They Searched the Grounds.


brighter electric lights the ground
seemed to be carpeted with sooty
snow. In their absorbed listening they
had not noticed the phenomenon, but
now as they lifted their faces upward
they were conscious of the falling of a
soft, impalpable substance. fine as
flour, sinking as gently as thistle
down. Desmond brushed a spoonful Of
1t into his palm. scanned it, rubbed it
between his fingers. smelled OF it, even
tasted it, then shook his head.
Undoubtedly organic dust brushed
from the visitor by atmospheric fric-
tion," he muttered He suddenly bent
over with another sharp exclamation
Of surprise. Hello! What's this ?'
A small twig had come twirling
down to his feet and he picked it up
and turned it over slowly as they
crowded around him. ANY Of you
ever seen anything like this ?" he de-
nanded at length as he passed it from
hand to hand. Critically they scanned
1t. The twig was about the length
and size of lead pencil and at its end
was leaf black as jet, perfectly round
and about the size Of a silver dollar
Upon the leaf and extending from rim
to rim was stamped in glittering white
a strange cabalistic design. Doris
leaning forward for a better view
gasped sharply and clutched at the or
nament below her throat. Removing
It with a quick motion she laid it be
side the leaf, while from all sides
arose expressions of amaZement. For
in size, in color, in design, in all re-
spects save that her trinket was Of
jade and diamonds whilst the leaf was
all vegetable they were identical.
"A most marvellous coincidence"
muttered Desmond dreamily, his eyes
half closed. 'InexpIicable. The plot
is thickening fast Dust falls. Vegeta-
ton descends. What if after all-my
God, what's that?"
He turned his face quickly upward
every eye following, every ear alert
From above came first a strange cry
unlike any sound they had ever heard
before from the throat of man, fowl or
beast, quavering yet sharp and in
sistent, bearing the notes Of both ap-
peal and threat as though the thing
that uttered it knew not what his next
act should be and in his INDIGESTION ut
tered the double note. And while those
below were still staring open mouthed
and speechless before the oncoming
of this new mystery, there came
rush as Of mighty wings, a tanning Of
the air that swept their faces, while
from out OF the darkness there set
tied before them a monstTous shape
that rooted them in their tracks and
caused every hair upon their heads to
prick and pull. Manlike of head and
limbs, yet manlike in such a way as no
mortal eye had ever seen before. with
huge bullying eyes, a cavernous mouth
hung with loosely Tapping lips, thin
arms and legs that seemed to be made
of cords instead of flesh and muscle
and his reddish body loosely hung
about by a strange skin, he was more
the fantastic apparition OF a deltrium
than any creature known 70 man since
the grotesque flying shapes Of prehis-
toric ages. And more marvellous than
OH ClSSs dLLdNAC1 10 his SACulQEES "
huge brachial muscles that ran down
ward to his hips were a great pair OF
batIike wings with spread Of full
thirty feet. and with these now fully
extended he crouched before them in
the attitude OF bird just aIightfng.
Slowly he scanned them, his great
eyes glowing LUMINOSITY In the dusk,
his broad mouth working Enthusiastically
and his head craned forward az
though trying TO read in their faces
what manner of creatures they were,
and whether his next movement
should be one OF friendship, antagon-
ism or flight Then his eyes settled
upon Doris, who now paralyZed by a
terror infinitely greater than had POS
sessed her at the approach Of the hos
tile world. could only stare at the
monster like one chained to the spot.
Then slowly he raised one long arm
until its index finger pointed at the
which she held in her hand,
and with strange croaking sound
and a curious birdlike hop he came
straight towards her.