Overcomingtherepugnancenaturaltoonewhohadneverbeforetouchedadeadbody，Istoopedandturnedhimovertofeelforhisheart。Hewasquitedead。Apparentlyhisneckhadbeenbroken。Thelightningflashedforathirdtime，andhisfaceleapeduponme。Isprangtomyfeet。ItwasthelandlordoftheSpottedDog，whoseconveyanceIhadtaken。
Isteppedoverhimgingerlyandpushedonupthehill。ImademywaybythepolicestationandtheCollegeArmstowardsmyownhouse。Nothingwasburningonthehillside，thoughfromthecommontherestillcamearedglareandarollingtumultofruddysmokebeatingupagainstthedrench-
inghail。SofarasIcouldseebytheflashes，thehousesaboutmeweremostlyuninjured。BytheCollegeArmsadarkheaplayintheroad。
DowntheroadtowardsMayburyBridgetherewerevoicesandthesoundoffeet，butIhadnotthecouragetoshoutortogotothem。Iletmyselfinwithmylatchkey，closed，lockedandboltedthedoor，staggeredtothefootofthestaircase，andsatdown。Myimaginationwasfullofthosestridingmetallicmonsters，andofthedeadbodysmashedagainstthefence。
Icrouchedatthefootofthestaircasewithmybacktothewall，shiveringviolently。