they know? It had all come upon us in one giant stride. What was
there in the morning paper to alarm them? And now it was but
three in the afternoon. Even as we looked some rumour seemed to
have spread, for we saw the reapers hurrying from the fields.
Some of the golfers were returning to the club-house. They were
running as if taking refuge from a shower. Their little caddies
trailed behind them. Others were continuing their game. The
nurse had turned and was pushing her perambulator hurriedly up
the hill again. I noticed that she had her hand to her brow.
The cab had stopped and the tired horse, with his head sunk to his
knees, was resting. Above there was a perfect summer sky--one
huge vault of unbroken blue, save for a few fleecy white clouds
over the distant downs. If the human race must die to-day, it was
at least upon a glorious death-bed. And yet all that gentle
loveliness of nature made this terrific and wholesale
destruction the more pitiable and awful. Surely it was too
goodly a residence that we should be so swiftly, so ruthlessly,
evicted from it!

But I have said that the telephone-bell had rung once more.
Suddenly I heard Challenger's tremendous voice from the hall.

"Malone!" he cried. "You are wanted."

I rushed down to the instrument. It was McArdle speaking from
London.

"That you, Mr. Malone?" cried his familiar voice. "Mr. Malone,
there are terrible goings-on in London. For God's sake, see if
Professor Challenger can suggest anything that can be done."