the other stations. From across the country came the fervent best wishes
of those who heard her. Wishes were all they could offer.

The scientists were particularly anguished because they considered the
Maddox-Larsen group among the most likely to crack the barrier that kept
them from conquest of the comet dust. "Our prayers are with you," the
Pasadena group said.

They sent a new report and Maria typed it and showed it to Professor
Maddox that evening. He scanned it and put the pages in his coat pocket
as he glanced out the window toward College Hill.

"It seems like ages," he said. "I wonder if we'll ever get back up
there."

The next attack came well before dawn. Sheriff Johnson was among the
first to be aware of it. The thunder of seemingly countless horses'
hoofs was heard faintly out of the south and he put his glasses to his
eyes. The nomads were a black patch against the snow.

"How many horses have they got?" he exclaimed to the patrolman beside
him. This was Ernest Parkin, one of his best officers.

"I'd say there must be at least a hundred of them," said Parkin in awe.
"They must have been gathering horses for weeks."

"Feed," said Johnson, "for themselves and the animals--they may be
rabble and savages, but they've had genius of leadership."

Behind shelter, they waited for the blow. All orders had already been
given. Only the general alarm was sounded now. It had been expected that
the previous pattern of attack would be repeated. The defenders had been
moved back from the barbed wire. They fired slowly and methodically with
a splendidly efficient barrage as the nomads swung out of the night to
blast with their grenades at the reconstructed fence.

The way opened and they plunged in, the defenders closing behind and
retreating to the other side of their barricades.

Ken paced restlessly as he heard the shooting. "I'm going up on the
roof," he told his father. "There can't be any objection to that."

"I guess not. I'll call you when we need you."

Ken climbed the stairs of the 6-story building, which was the highest in
Mayfield. He came out on the frozen surface of the roof and looked into
the distance. The mounted invaders were circling like Indians about
several blocks of houses, firing steadily at the defenders and hurling
incendiaries at the houses.

Then, as Ken turned his eyes to the northern end of the valley, he felt
as if the whole world had suddenly fallen to pieces in the dim, morn