ent.

"It's all a pack of nonsense!" he declared. "This is just an excuse for
certain people in this town to get their hands in somebody else's
pockets, and to tell other people what to do and how to live.

"I'm not going to have anything to do with it. Anybody who sets foot on
my land to tell me what to raise or to take my goods away is going to
have to reckon with a double-barreled, 12-gauge shotgun.

"If there is any real problem, which I doubt, them Government scientists
will be on the job and get things straightened out so that trains and
automobiles will be running by next week. My advice is for everybody to
go home and let them take care of it."

Mayor Hilliard smiled tolerantly. "I shouldn't have to remind you, Sam,
that some of the best scientists in the world are right here in our own
town, and they say the situation is serious enough for emergency
measures. I hope you won't be foolish with that shotgun, but we're
coming out to see you, tomorrow, Sam."

Granny Wicks seemed to erupt from her place to which she had crowded in
the center of the hall. All eyes turned at the sound of her scratchy,
birdlike voice. "I told you," she shrieked. "I told you what was coming,
and now maybe you'll believe me. There's nothing you can do about it,
Bill Hilliard. Nothing at all. There's death in the air. The stars have
spoken it. The signs are in the sky."

Mayor Hilliard interrupted her. "Perhaps you're right, Granny," he said
gently. "I don't think any of us are going to argue with you tonight.
We're here to do what we can, and to make plans to stay alive just as
long as possible."

At the close, Dr. Aylesworth took the stand. His commanding presence
seemed to draw an aura of peace once more around the troubled group. "We
are civilized men and women," he said. "Let us see that we act as such
during the months that are ahead of us. Let us remember that we may see
a time very soon when there will not be enough food, fuel and clothing
for all of us. When and if that time comes, let us prove that we are
able to be our brother's keeper, that we are able to do unto others as
we would have others do unto us. Above all, may we be able to continue
to call on divine assistance to bring a speedy end to this disaster, so
that when it is over we can look back and be proud that we conducted
ourselves as men and women worthy to be called civilized, and worthy of
the divine approval and aid which we now seek."

It was decided to k