two
while they were so near! There were either seven or eight killed and
eighteen wounded, so far as is known. But there were probably more.
There was quite a fire, too, but that was soon got under. We saw it
all except the explosion of the bombs. We weren't looking in the right
place--no luck! However, we saw the Zepp. What a shame the moon's
disappeared again! Listen! Listen!... Can't you hear the engines?"

G.J. shrugged his shoulders. Nothing could be heard above the faint
hum of Piccadilly. The wind seemed to have diminished to a chill,
fitful zephyr.

Concepcion had sat down on a coping.

"Look!" she exclaimed in a startled whisper, and sprang erect.

To the south, down among the trees, a red light flashed and was gone.
The faint, irregular hum of Piccadilly persisted for a couple of
seconds, and then was drowned in the loud report, which seemed to
linger and wander in the great open spaces. G.J.'s flesh crept. He
comprehended the mad ecstasy of Queen, and because he comprehended it
his anger against her increased.

"Can you see the Zepp?" murmured Queen, as it were ferociously. "It
must be within range, or they wouldn't have fired. Look along the
lines of the searchlights. One of them, at any rate, must have got on
to it. We saw it before. Can't you see it? I can hear the engines, I
think."

Another flash was followed by another resounding report. More guns
spoke in the distance. Then a glare arose on the southern horizon.

"Incendiary bomb!" muttered Queen. She stood stock-still, with her
mouth open, entranced.

The Zeppelin or the Zeppelins remained invisible and inaudible.
Yet they must be aloft there, somewhere amid the criss-cross of the
unresting searchlights. G.J. waited, powerfully impressed, incapable
of any direct action, gazing blankly now at the women and now at the
huge undecipherable heaven and earth, and receiving the chill zephyr
on his face. The nearmost gun had ceased to fire. Occasionally there
was perfect silence--for no faintest hum came from Piccadilly, and
nothing seemed to move there. The further guns recommenced, and then
the group heard a new sound, rather like the sound of a worn-out taxi
accelerating before changing gear. It grew gradually louder. It grew
very loud. It seemed to be ripping the envelope of the air. It seemed
as if it would last for ever--till it finished with a gigantic and
intimidating _plop_ quite near the front of Lechford House. Queen
said:

"Shrapnel-