, 1916-12-07

~It's ownor grabbed at its legs, but too
late to hold it."
so dramatic that 1t can never have
been paralleled in the history of scien-
tifc gatherings. Professor Challenger
raised his hand in the air as a signal,
and at nee our colleague, Mr.. Il. d.
Malone. was observed to rise and to
make his way to the back of the plat
form. An instant later he reappeared
In company Of a gigantic negro, the
w Of them bearing between them a
large square packing case. All sound
had hushed in the audience and every
one was absorbed In the spectacle be-
fore them. Professor Challenger drew
off the top of the case. which formed a
sliding lid. Peering down into the
box, he snapped his fingers several
times and was heard from the press
seat to say, Come, then, pretty, pretty!
in "A coaxing voice. An instant later.
with a scratching. rattllng sound, a
most horrible and loathsome creature
appeared from below and perched it.
self upon the side of the case.
Even the unexpected fall of the
Duke of Durham into the orches.
ira, which occurred ut this moment,
could not distract the petrified atten-
ton Of HI vast audience. The face
of the creature was like the widest
garGoyle that the Imagination Of a
mad medieval builder could have con
ceived. 1t was malicious, horrible,
with two small red eyes as bright as
IkDiDtq nf bttr,,tn, ,,Anl To-, ln,,, .,u
age mouth, which was held half open,
was full of Il double row of sharklike
teeth. Its shoulders were bumped.
and u them was draped what ap
peared to be a faded gray shawl. 1t
was the devil of our childhood in per.
son. There was IA turmoil In the audi.
ehce-some one screamed. two ladies
In the front row fell senseless from
their chairs, and there was a general
movement upon the platform TO follow
their chairman into the orchestra. For
a moment there was danger of a gen
ernl panic. Professor Challenger threw
up his hands TO still the commotion,
nut the movement alarmed the crea-
lure beside him. Its range shawl
suddenly unfurled. spread and fiutter-
th rs II pair of leathery wings. Its
owner grabbed Mt its legs. but too late
10 mold 1t. 1t had sprung from the
perch II was circling slowly round
me Queens hall with a dry. leathery
mapping of its ten foot wings, while "A
putrid and insidious odor pervaded the
room The cries of the people in the
galleries, whe were alarmed at the
near approach of those glowing eyes
ana that murderous beak. excited the
creature to n frenzy. Faster and fast
'F II hew. beating against walls and
chandeliers in a blind frenzy of alarm.
me window! For heavens sake shut
mat windOwr roared the professor
l''lu the platform, dancing and wiring
i"E MS hanAn N an agony of appre-
neislon AnsA his warning was too
i"te' In "A moment the creature, beat
'ns and humping along the wall like
Il huge moth within "A gas shade, came
upon the opening, squeezed its hideons
u"ih through it and was gone. Pro
lessor Challenger fell back into his
'nalr with his face buried in his
'"HdS, while the audience gave one
.""E deep sigh of relief as they real
Yea that the incident was over.
Ihen-oh, how shall one describe
"INlt took place then-when the full
'\hherance of the majority and the
'"'I reaction OF the minority united to
'""Ae one great wave of enthusiasm,
winch rolled from the back Of the hall,
gathering volume as it came. swept
over the orchestra. submerged the
i'attorm and carried the four heroes
AWAY upon its crest?" Good for you,
NiAc3 IF the audience had done less
''hh Justice surely it made ample
amends. Every one was on his feet.
very Ii was moving, shouting, ges
''cuIating, A dense crowd Of cheering
men We're around the four travellers.
~ with them! Up with themP cried
hundred voices. In a momen -FOUR
"s"'es shot up above the crowd. In
I'm lley strove to break loose. They
~ held in their lofty places of hon