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           Hogsgrewinordinatelyfat,thensuddenlybegantoundergoloathsomechangeswhichnoonecouldexplain.Theirmeatwasofcourseuseless,andNahumwasathiswit’send.Noruralveterinarywouldapproachhisplace,andthecityveterinaryfromArkhamwasopenlybaffled.Theswinebegangrowinggreyandbrittleandfallingtopiecesbeforetheydied,andtheireyesandmuzzlesdevelopedsingularalterations.Itwasveryinexplicable,fortheyhadneverbeenfedfromthetaintedvegetation.Thensomethingstruckthecows.Certainareasorsometimesthewholebodywouldbeuncannilyshrivelledorcompressed,andatrociouscollapsesordisintegrationswerecommon.Inthelaststages—anddeathwasalwaystheresult—therewouldbeagreyingandturningbrittlelikethatwhichbesetthehogs.Therecouldbenoquestionofpoison,forallthecasesoccurredinalockedandundisturbedbarn.Nobitesofprowlingthingscouldhavebroughtthevirus,forwhatlivebeastofearthcanpassthroughsolidobstacles?Itmustbeonlynaturaldisease—yetwhatdiseasecouldwreaksuchresultswasbeyondanymind’sguessing.Whentheharvestcametherewasnotananimalsurvivingontheplace,forthestockandpoultryweredeadandthedogshadrunaway.Thesedogs,threeinnumber,hadallvanishedonenightandwereneverheardofagain.Thefivecatshadleftsometimebefore,buttheirgoingwasscarcelynoticedsincetherenowseemedtobenomice,andonlyMrs.Gardnerhadmadepetsofthegracefulfelines.

           OnthenineteenthofOctoberNahumstaggeredintoAmmi’shousewithhideousnews.