will, too. It may get knocked pretty flat, but it's going to
get up again."

"What are you talking about?" said Ken.

"The invasion of the nomads, and then this flu. Don't you see it? First
we get our food supply knocked out, and now old Mamma Nature is going to
cut the population down to match it. We tried to figure out who was
going to eat and who was going to starve, and now it's going to be all
figured out for us.

"Balance of nature, or something, you scientists call it, don't you?" He
glanced up at the professors and Ken. "It's a wonderful thing," he said,
"just absolutely wonderful!"

Chapter 18. _Witchcraft_

Three days later, Mayor Hilliard died. It was on the same day that
Maria's mother was buried.

Maria had watched her mother day and night, losing strength and finally
lapsing into a coma from which she never emerged.

Maria and her father did their best to control their grief, to see it as
only another part of the immense reservoir of grief all about them. When
they were alone in their section of the house they gave way to the loss
and the loneliness they felt.

There were no burial services. The deaths had mounted to at least a
score daily. No coffins were available. Each family dug its own shallow
graves in the frozen ground of the cemetery. Sheriff Johnson posted men
to help, and to see that graves were at least deep enough to cover the
bodies. Beyond this, nothing more could be done. Only Dr. Aylesworth
came daily to hold prayer services. It was little enough to do, but it
was all there was left for him.

When the death of Mayor Hilliard became known, Sheriff Johnson called an
immediate session of the councilmen and announced himself as Hilliard's
successor. Visitors were invited, and Professor Maddox thought it of
sufficient importance to attend.

The tension in the air was heavy as the group sat in thick coats in the
unheated hall. Johnson spoke without preliminaries. "There are some of
you who won't like this," he said. "Our town charter calls for an
emergency election in case of the Mayor's death, and some of you think
we should have one now.

"So do those out there." He waved a hand toward the window and the town
beyond. "However, we're not going to have an election, and I'll tell you
why. I know the man who would win it and you do, too. Frank Meggs.

"He hated Hilliard, he hates us, and he hates this town, and he'll do
everything in his power to destroy it. Today he would wi