Rumors and Beliefs Day dawned at last for the terrified town.

The streets near the barracks and the town hail were still deserted and solitary, the houses showed no signs of life.

Nevertheless, the wooden panel of a window was pushed back noisily and a child's head was stretched out and turned from side to side, gazing about in all directions.

At once, however, a smack indicated the contact of tanned hide with the soft human article, so the child made a wry face, closed its eyes, and disappeared.

The window slammed shut.
But an example had been set.