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The Heat-Ray in the Chobham Road
Theysawtheflashesandthemenfallingandaninvisiblehand,asitwere,litthebushesasithurriedtowardsthemthroughthetwilight. Then,withawhistlingnotethatroseabovethedroningofthepit,thebeamswungcloseovertheirheads, lightingthetopsofthebeechtreesthatlinetheroad, andsplittingthebricks,smashingthewindows,firingthewindowframes,andbringingdownincrumblingruinaportionofthegableofthehousenearestthecorner.
Inthesuddenthud,hiss,andglareoftheignitingtrees,thepanic-strickencrowdseemstohaveswayedhesitatinglyforsomemoments. Sparksandburningtwigsbegantofallintotheroad,andsingleleaveslikepuffsofflame. Hatsanddressescaughtfire. Thencameacryingfromthecommon. Therewereshrieksandshouts,andsuddenlyamountedpolicemancamegallopingthroughtheconfusionwithhishandsclaspedoverhishead,screaming.
‘They’recoming!’awomanshrieked,andincontinentlyeveryonewasturningandpushingatthosebehind,inordertocleartheirwaytoWokingagain. Theymusthaveboltedasblindlyasaflockofsheep. Wheretheroadgrowsnarrowandblackbetweenthehighbanksthecrowdjammed,andadesperatestruggleoccurred. Allthatcrowddidnotescape; threepersonsatleast,twowomenandalittleboy,werecrushedandtrampledthere,andlefttodieamidtheterrorandthedarkness.
