Цвет из иных миров

           Hewentmuchagainsthiswill,fortheafternoonwasadvancingandhefearedthefallofnightoverthataccursedplace,butitwassomecomforttohavesomanypeoplewithhim.

           Thesixmendroveoutinademocrat-wagon,followingAmmi’sbuggy,andarrivedatthepest-riddenfarmhouseaboutfouro’clock.Usedastheofficersweretogruesomeexperiences,notoneremainedunmovedatwhatwasfoundintheatticandundertheredcheckedtableclothonthefloorbelow.Thewholeaspectofthefarmwithitsgreydesolationwasterribleenough,butthosetwocrumblingobjectswerebeyondallbounds.Noonecouldlooklongatthem,andeventhemedicalexamineradmittedthattherewasverylittletoexamine.Specimenscouldbeanalysed,ofcourse,sohebusiedhimselfinobtainingthem—andhereitdevelopsthataverypuzzlingaftermathoccurredatthecollegelaboratorywherethetwophialsofdustwerefinallytaken.Underthespectroscopebothsamplesgaveoffanunknownspectrum,inwhichmanyofthebafflingbandswerepreciselylikethosewhichthestrangemeteorhadyieldedinthepreviousyear.Thepropertyofemittingthisspectrumvanishedinamonth,thedustthereafterconsistingmainlyofalkalinephosphatesandcarbonates.

           Ammiwouldnothavetoldthemenaboutthewellifhehadthoughttheymeanttodoanythingthenandthere.Itwasgettingtowardsunset,andhewasanxioustobeaway.