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           Thentherewasawildcommotionandcloppingintheroad,andasAmmiquenchedthelampforbetterseeingtheyrealisedthatthespanoffranticgreyshadbroketheirsaplingandrunoffwiththedemocrat-wagon.

           Theshockservedtoloosenseveraltongues,andembarrassedwhisperswereexchanged.“Itspreadsoneverythingorganicthat’sbeenaroundhere,”mutteredthemedicalexaminer.Noonereplied,butthemanwhohadbeeninthewellgaveahintthathislongpolemusthavestirredupsomethingintangible.“Itwasawful,”headded.“Therewasnobottomatall.Justoozeandbubblesandthefeelingofsomethinglurkingunderthere.”Ammi’shorsestillpawedandscreameddeafeninglyintheroadoutside,andnearlydrowneditsowner’sfaintquaverashemumbledhisformlessreflections.“Itcomefromthatstone...itgroweddownthar...itgoteverythinglivin’...itfeditselfon’em,mindandbody...Thadan’Mernie,Zenasan’Nabby...Nahumwasthelast...theyalldrunkthewater...itgotstrongon’em...itcomefrombeyond,wharthingsain’tliketheybehere...nowit’sgoin’home....”

           Atthispoint,asthecolumnofunknowncolourflaredsuddenlystrongerandbegantoweaveitselfintofantasticsuggestionsofshapewhicheachspectatorlaterdescribeddifferently,therecamefrompoortetheredHerosuchasoundasnomanbeforeorsinceeverheardfromahorse.Everypersoninthatlow-pitchedsittingroomstoppedhisears,andAmmiturnedawayfromthewindowinhorrorandnausea.