lso preparing...."

Henry Woods fought his way through the crowd which milled in front of
the loudspeaker. The hum of excitement was giving away to a silence, the
silence of a stunned people, the fearful silence of a populace facing a
presence it is unable to understand, an embattled world standing with
useless weapons before an incomprehensible enemy.

In despair the reporter looked about for a taxi, but realized, with a
groan of resignation, that no taxi could possibly operate in that
crowded street. A street car, blocked by the stream of humanity which
jostled and elbowed about it, stood still, a defeated thing.

Seemingly the only man with a definite purpose in that whirlpool of
terror-stricken men and women, the newspaperman settled down to the
serious business of battling his way through the swarming street.

* * * * *

"Before I go to the crux of the matter," said Dr. Silas White, about
half an hour later, "let us first review what we know of this so-called
Horror. Suppose you tell me exactly what you know of it."

Henry Woods shifted uneasily in his chair. Why didn't the old fool get
down to business? The chief would raise hell if this story didn't make
the regular edition. He stole a glance at his wrist-watch. There was
still almost an hour left. Maybe he could manage it. If the old chap
would only snap into it!

"I know no more," he said, "than is common knowledge."

The gimlet eyes of the old white-haired scientist regarded the
newspaperman sharply.

"And that is?" he questioned.

There was no way out of it, thought Henry. He'd have to humor the old
fellow.

"The Horror," he replied, "appeared on Earth, so far as the knowledge of
man is concerned, about six months ago."

Dr. White nodded approvingly.

"You state the facts very aptly," he said.

"How so?"

"When you say 'so far as the knowledge of man is concerned.'"

"Why is that?"

"You will understand in due time. Please proceed."

Vaguely the newspaperman wondered whether he was interviewing the
scientist or the scientist interviewing him.

* * * * *

"They were first reported," Woods said, "early this spring. At that time
they wiped out a small village in the province of Quebec. All the
inhabitants, except a few fugitives, were found dead, killed
mysteriously and half eaten, as if by wild beasts. The fugitives were
demented, babbling of black shapes that swept down out