oked with news of a constantly increasing number
of casualties. A Boston minister, preaching a funeral sermon,
collapsing beside the coffin; a lineman on a telegraph pole, overcome,
falling--and splashing! A thousand incongruous tragedies shocking
humanity.

In Europe the action of the Plague was the same as in North America.
Death stalking the sea-coast, destroying thousands; ignorant
fishermen, men of learning, women and children of every age--all were
grist to be ground in the mill of the Gray Plague.

Before a week had gone by, no one remained alive in the villages,
towns and cities all along the Atlantic. New York, London, all the
large coast cities were deserted by the living, left to the rigid
dead. From the largest metropolis to the smallest hamlet, all became
body-glutted tombs.

And then, on the morning of October 12th, news was given to the world
that threw mankind into a panic. The Plague was moving inland! Slowly,
yet relentlessly it spread, no longer confining its effect to the
sea-coast, but moving farther and farther inland toward the heart of
the two continents, driving mankind before it. For people fled in
insane terror before the advancing death. Nor was there escape from
the menace--no antidote to counteract, no sanctuary wherein to hide.

To North and South, to East and West, the pestilence spread,
destroying as it went. Unless there were some miraculous intervention,
the human race would be destroyed!

* * * * *

Officials of the world were at their wits' end; scientists threw up their
hands in despair. The Plague was an insoluble puzzle--enigmatical, utterly
inexplicable, beyond the knowledge of Earth.

Scientists and doctors were brutally slain during that period by
fear-crazed mobs, because of their inability to rescue the world from
the grip of the Plague. Thousands of people died while striving to
escape from the Gray Death, crushed by passing motor vehicles, or
starving in the congested areas. Gone was the boasted civilization of
man--humanity sinking rapidly to the level of the beast; gone,
destroyed in a few weeks!

And then one day when the end seemed perilously close, there was
ushered into the presence of the remnant of the United States
officials who had gathered in San Francisco, a twisted monstrosity of
a man, fearfully scarred and deformed. He was closeted with them for
two hours. At the end of that time an excited official communicated
with