Алая чума

           Herethebuildingsstoodapart,inthemidstoftreesandgrassylawns,andherethefireshadplayedfreaks,burningwholeblocks,skippingblocksandoftenskippingasinglehouseinablock. Andhere,too,theprowlerswerestillattheirwork. Wecarriedourautomaticpistolsopenlyinourhands,andlookeddesperateenough,forsooth,tokeepthemfromattackingus. ButatDoctorHoyle’shousethethinghappened. Untouchedbyfire,evenaswecametoitthesmokeofflamesburstforth. 

           “Themiscreantwhohadsetfiretoitstaggereddownthestepsandoutalongthedriveway. Stickingoutofhiscoatpocketswerebottlesofwhiskey,andhewasverydrunk. Myfirstimpulsewastoshoothim,andIhaveneverceasedregrettingthatIdidnot. Staggeringandmaunderingtohimself,withbloodshoteyes,andarawandbleedingslashdownonesideofhisbewhiskeredface,hewasaltogetherthemostnauseatingspecimenofdegradationandfilthIhadeverencountered. Ididnotshoothim,andheleanedagainstatreeonthelawntoletusgoby. Itwasthemostabsolute,wantonact. Justaswewereoppositehim,hesuddenlydrewapistolandshotDombeythroughthehead. ThenextinstantIshothim. Butitwastoolate. Dombeyexpiredwithoutagroan,immediately. Idoubtifheevenknewwhathadhappenedtohim. 

           “Leavingthetwocorpses,Ihurriedonpasttheburninghousetothegarage,andtherefoundDoctorHoyle’smotorcar. Thetankswerefilledwithgasoline,anditwasreadyforuse.