gainst this. He looked again at the
comet, the representative to Earthmen of all the fierceness and terror
that lay in outer space, beyond the thin tissue of atmosphere that
protected man and his fragile life. He would remember all the days of
his life that the universe might be beautiful and exciting and terrible,
but whatever it was, it held no friendliness toward man. It could
destroy him with a mere whim of chance occurrence. Man had gained a
foothold, but there was a long way to go to an enduring security.

* * * * *

On the day of the official beginning of operation of the giant projector
in Jenkin's pasture, there was a little ceremony. Sheriff Johnson stood
on an improvised platform and with an impressive gesture threw the
switch that officially turned the power into the great instrument. It
had been successfully tested previously, but now it was launched in an
operation that would not cease until the last trace of comet dust had
fallen from the sky and was mingled with the dust of the Earth.

Most of the townspeople who were well enough to do so turned out for the
ceremony. During the construction, a guard had been kept to prevent
sabotage of the projector, but there had been no attempts made on it.
Now the people stood in the trampled snow and ice of the pasture,
staring up at the giant structure, with a quality of near-friendliness
in their eyes and in the expressions of their faces.

The Sheriff made a little speech after throwing the switch. He thanked
them for their co-operation and thousands of man-hours of labor, not
mentioning that it had been obtained, initially, at the point of his
guns. He praised the scientists and noted that conquest of the comet
might never have been achieved without the genius of their men of
College Hill. He did not mention the attempts to destroy that genius.

"I think we should all like to hear," he said, "from the man who has led
this vast and noble effort from its inception. He will speak for all
those who have worked so steadfastly to bring this effort to a
successful conclusion. Professor Maddox!"

There was a flurry of applause. Then it grew, and a shout went up. They
called his name and cheered as he stood, a figure dwarfed against the
background of the great projector bowl.

Ken knew what he must be thinking as he waited for the cheers to
subside. He must be thinking: they have forgotten already, forgotten the
angers and the jealous