k and Nora were not paying
close attention. The sounds of the jeep motor had come from the west and
they got within sight of the Madison-Well intersection in time to see
the jeep hurtle southward at its maximum speed.

Frank yelled and waved his arms, but he knew he had been neither seen
nor heard. They were given little time for disappointment however,
because a new center of interest appeared to the northward. From around
the corner of Washington Street, into Clark, moved three strange
figures.

There was a mixture of belligerence and distress in their actions. They
carried odd looking weapons and seemed interested in using them upon
something or someone, but they apparently lacked the energy to raise
them although they appeared to be rather light.

The creatures themselves were humanoid, Frank thought. He tightened his
grip on Nora's hand. "They've seen us."

"Let's not run," Nora said. "I'm tired of running. All it's gotten us is
trouble. Let's just stand here."

"Don't be foolish."

"I'm not running. You can if you want to."

Frank turned his attention back to the three strange creatures. He
allowed natural curiosity full reign. Thoughts of flight vanished from
his mind.

"They're so thin--so fragile," Nora said.

"But their weapons aren't."

"It's hard to believe, even seeing them, that they're from another
planet."

"How so? They certainly don't look much like us."

"I mean with the talk, for so long, about flying saucers and space
flight and things like that. Here they are, but it doesn't seem
possible."

"There's something wrong with them."

This was true. Two of the strange beings had fallen to the sidewalk. The
third came doggedly on, dragging one foot after the other until he went
to his hands and knees. He remained motionless for a long time, his head
hanging limply. Then he too, sank to the cement and lay still.

The wailings from the north now took on a tone of intense agony--great
desperation. After that came a yawning silence.

* * * * *

"They defeated themselves," the military man said. "Or rather, natural
forces defeated them. We certainly had little to do with it."

Nora, Frank, and Jim Wilson stood at the curb beside a motorcycle. The
man on the cycle supported it with a leg propped against the curb as he
talked.

"We saw three of them die up the street," Frank said.

"Our scouting party saw the same thing happen. That's why we moved in.
It