"Well!" Mack breathed. "At least we know now what to avoid! We—"
But again Vivian gripped him. "What's that over there?" Her shaking hand gestured to one side. It was an upright blob moving in a patch of trees. A tree hid it; then it showed again. It stopped, seemed to turn upon itself. Still upright. Then again it moved.
Suddenly Mack gasped, "A man! Look—see it now—a man—why—why it's Blaine!"
Startled relief was in his voice. The figure came to another open space, where the crimson glow in the air showed it plainly. It was Blaine. He was moving along, gazing around as though searching.
"Blaine! Blaine!" Mack called.
The banker turned at the voice; saw Mack and Vivian who now were running toward him. "You Mack—Vivian—you're safe—"
"Yes, sure!" It was a blessed relief to Mack.
"I've been looking for you," Blaine called. He was running to meet them. "And I've got something—something important! A weapon—"
The three reached each other. Blaine and Mack gripped hands. Then suddenly Vivian gasped: "Another! Another of those Things—"
Out among the trees beyond where Blaine had been a moment before, a slithering red shape was visible. Another of the Deathless Things which soundlessly had been stalking Blaine. Like a huge thirty-foot crimson python it was sliding through the vegetation. Its neck and head came up, reared up as for a second it stopped, peering with red-green eyes seeking its prey. Then it lowered its head and came slithering rapidly forward!