experienced a dreadful suspense while the projectile which
seemed very formidable as it drew near, sank with a slow and graceful
motion toward the surface of the ground. Evidently it was about to land
very near the spot where we stood awaiting it.

Its inmates had apparently just caught sight of us. They evinced signs
of astonishment, and seemed at a loss exactly what to do. We could see
projecting from the fore part of their car at least two of the polished
knobs, whose fearful use and power we well comprehended.

Several of our men cried out to Mr. Edison in an extremity of terror:

"Why do you not destroy them? Be quick, or we shall all perish."

"No," said Mr. Edison, "there is no danger. You can see that they are
not prepared. They will not attempt to attack us until they have made
their landing."

The Martians Land.

And Mr. Edison was right. With gradually accelerated velocity, and yet
very, very slowly in comparison with the speed they would have exhibited
in falling upon such a planet as the earth, the Martians and their car
came down to the ground.

We stood at a distance of perhaps three hundred feet from the point where
they touched the asteroid. Instantly a dozen of the giants sprang from
the car and gazed about for a moment with a look of intense surprise. At
first it was doubtful whether they meant to attack us at all.

We stood on our guard, several carrying disintegrators in our hands,
while a score more of these terrible engines were turned upon the Martians
from the electrical ships which hovered near.

A Speech from Their Leader.

Suddenly he who seemed to be the leader of the Martians began to speak
to them in pantomime, using his fingers after the manner in which they
are used for conversation by deaf and dumb people.

Of course, we did not know what he was saying, but his meaning became
perfectly evident a minute later. Clearly 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 prisoners or
crushing us by main force.

Awed by the Disintegrator.

The soft whirr of the disintegrator in the hands of Mr. Edison standing
near me came to my ears through the telephonic wire. He quickly swept
the concentrating mirror a little up and down, and instantly the foremost
Martian vanished! Part of some metallic dress that he wo