At any rate there it was, travelling towards us on its giant butt, the peg of the top as it were, which, hidden in a cloud of friction-born sparks that enveloped it like the cup of a curving flower of fire, whirled round and round at an infinite speed.

It was on this flaming flower that the search-light played steadily, doubtless that Oro might mark and measure its monstrous progress.
"He is going to try to send the thing down the right-hand path," I shouted into Bickley's ear.
"Can't be done! Nothing can shift a travelling weight of tens of millions of tons one inch," Bickley roared back, trying to look confident.
Clearly, however, Yva thought that it could be done, for of a sudden she cast down her shield and, throwing herself upon her knees, stretched out her hands in supplication to her father.

I understood, as did we all, that she was imploring him to abandon his hellish purpose.

He glared at her and shook his head.

Then, as she still went on praying, he struck her across the face with his hand and pushed her to her feet again.