Soa gave a final twist with her lever and waited, her hand on the lanyard.

A bullet cut it in two, but without firing the gun, and she grasped the shortened cord.
"Now for it!" cried Leonard, as the first party came into the line of fire.
Soa sprang backwards with a yell: again the piece thundered out, and the canister screamed through the air.

It tore along the advancing files, then, striking the beaten earth, rebounded and caught those who were following with the ricochet, and with awful effect.

Whole groups were mowed down by this one discharge, the destruction being twice as large as that caused by the first shot, for at this greater range the canister found room to spread.

Also the rebounding missiles flying hither and thither among the crowd did no little execution.