The Thing That Walked In The Rain by Otis Adelbert Kline Read Free Book Online Page A

Bahna, however, was a modern scientist, and obtained, I found, a large quantity of refined pseud-aconitine, the most deadly poison known to science. It was this poison which he intended to use in one of his victims after the people in this neighborhood had been properly subdued and he was ready to destroy the monster. Weeth the help of Charlee and Pedro, I injected it into the hydra's veins after draining them of blood. My friend Charlee dismissed the people so they would not discover that their terrible god had been killed, or that any deception had been practiced on them, thus paving the way for our escape. Let us go and see if the poison has worked.”
    We went hack to the observation room and looked out. The crater was entirely emptied of human beings. And floating on the surface of the water, moving limply up and down with the waves that rippled across the lake, was an enormous green tangle—the limbs that had once walked in the rain, terrorizing the countryside. Thousands of fish, of many sizes and varieties, were tearing at them with such voracity that it was evident they would soon disappear.
    “Mahna ees dead,” said the doctor, “and his man-made god died weeth him. So ends the chapter. But you, Jeemie, who are so full of questions, permit me to ask you one. Why ees it that you and Anita stay so closely together, your arms around each others ?”
    I’m sure my face turned three shades redder than was its normal wont. But Anita snuggled closer, reassuringly.
    “You are so good at deciphering mysteries, doctor,” I said. “Why not figure this one out?”
    Whereupon, reading the consent in her starry eyes, upturned to mine, I kissed her full upon the lips.
    “Por Dios! exclaimed the doctor, his arms around us both, “I geeve up! The man who can explain the mystery of love has not yet been born!”
    The End.