"Quick, Jack, quick!" I shouted; "Edmund is down!"
He had not got the locker open, but he darted to my side, and together we
rushed out into the press. Shall I ever forget that moment! We were
pushed, hustled, struck, hurled to and fro; but we had only a few steps
to go, and we reached our leader where he lay. Seizing him, we succeeded
somehow in carrying him into the car. Our clothes were torn, our hands
and faces were bleeding, and there was blood on Jack's shoulder. Edmund
was alive. We placed him on a bench, and then the fascination of the
spectacle without again enchained us.
Suddenly my eyes fell upon Ingra, who had not previously made his
appearance. He was as insane as the others, and like many of them had a
knife in his hand. In a moment he pushed his way toward Ala, and my heart
rose in my throat, for I did not know what mad thought might be in his
mind. If I had had a weapon, I believe I should have shot him, but before
he had arrived within three yards of the queen there came an explosion of
flame--I do not know how else to describe it, for it was so sudden--and
the great platform was instantly wrapped in licking tongues of fire.
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