There was no warning. He had a sudden brief awareness of movement somewhere along the street behind him, and he turned his head and looked back the way he had come; and then they were upon him.

It was late. He had caught the last bus up from town, and when he alighted at the corner he had hesitated a moment, watching the bus as it whirred on up the avenue trailing twin jointless arms along the glinting copper arteries overhead; then he had turned and started down the quiet side street.