By the middle of February the flu epidemic was over. Its toll had leveled the population to a reasonable balance with the food supply.
Whether Mayor Hilliard"s ironic suggestion reflected any real principle or not, the situation had worked out in accord with his macabre prediction.
Ken had explained the comet"s daily infinitesimal retreat and there was a kind of steady excitement in estimating how much it diminished each day. Actually, a week"s decrease was too small for the naked eye to detect, but this did not matter.
Radio reports continued to tell of increased construction of projectors throughout the world. Tests were showing they were effective beyond all previous hopes.
The populace of Mayfield was enthusiastic about the construction of additional units. Two more had been built, and three others were planned. Serious attention had to be given now to the coming planting season. Every square foot of available ground would have to be cultivated to try to build up stores for all possible emergencies of the following winter.
When the time came for making the first work a.s.signments on the farms, Professor Maddox and Professor La.r.s.en appeared to receive theirs.
Sheriff Johnson was in the office at the time. "What are you two doing here? You can get back to your regular business," he stormed. "We aren"t that hard up for farmers!"
"We have no regular business," said Professor Maddox. "The projector work is being taken care of. Mayfield will probably not be the site of a university again during our lifetimes. We want to be a.s.signed some acres to plow. By the way, did you hear Art Matthews has got three more tractors in operation this week? If we can find enough gasoline we may be able to do the whole season"s plowing by machine."
"You"re sure you want to do this?" said Sheriff Johnson.
"Quite sure. Just put our names down as plain dirt farmers."
Ken clung to the radio for reports of the outside world. The batteries were all but exhausted, but a motor generator could be allotted to the station as soon as other work was out of the way.
In Pasadena, they told him a diesel railway engine had been successfully decontaminated and put into operation. Airtight packing boxes had been designed for the wheels to keep them from being freshly affected by the dust remaining in the air. It was planned to operate a train from the metropolitan area to the great farming sections to the east and north. A few essential manufactures had also been revived, mostly in the form of machine shops to decontaminate engine parts.
Negotiations were under way to try to move the great wheat and other grain stocks of the Midwest down the Mississippi River to New Orleans and through the Panama Ca.n.a.l to the Pacific Coast cities. Oldtime sailing vessels, rotting from years of disuse, were being rebuilt for this purpose.
Ken found it hard to envision the Earth stirring with this much life after the destruction that had pa.s.sed over it. In the civilized areas, it was estimated that fully two-thirds of the population had perished.
Only in the most primitive areas had the comet"s effect been lightly felt. Yet, around the world, the cities were stirring again. Food for the surviving was being found. The hates and the terrors were being put away and men were pulling together again to restore their civilization.
Maria came to the radio shack to tell him dinner was ready. He invited her to join him for a moment. "It may be possible for you and your father to return to Sweden much sooner that we thought," he said.
Maria shook her head. "We aren"t going back, now. We"ve talked about it and decided to stay. It"s as Papa always said: Where so much happens to you, that"s the place you always call home. More has happened to us in a year here than in a lifetime back there."
Ken laughed. "That"s a funny way to look at it, especially after the kind of things that have happened to you here. Maybe your father is right, at that."
"All our friends are here now," she said.
"All I can say is that it"s wonderful," Ken said with a rising surge of happiness in him. "I mean," he added in sudden confusion, "I"m glad you"ve decided this is the best place to live."
He changed the subject quickly. "Dad"s even talking of trying to start up a kind of college here again. We wouldn"t have the buildings, of course, but it could be done in houses or somewhere else. He says he"s been thinking a lot about it and considers it would be our greatest mistake to neglect the continuance of our education. So I guess you can finish school right here.
"Personally, I think all the professors out there trying to be dirt farmers just got tired after a couple of days of plowing and decided something would have to be done about _that_ situation!"
Maria laughed. "Don"t be too hard on them. Papa told me about the plan, too. He says Sheriff Johnson has agreed to guarantee their pay in food and other necessities. He"s stepping down now, so there can be an election, but he"s demanding approval of that program before he leaves office. I don"t think they ought to let him go."
"He"ll be re-elected," said Ken. "He"s on top of the heap now. I even heard old Hank Moss chewing out some guys in town for criticizing Johnson!"
Ken closed down the transmitter and receiver for the night. Together, he and Maria walked to the house. They stopped on the back porch and glanced toward the distant projector bowls reflecting the light of the comet and of the sun.
Soon there would be only the sun to shine in the sky. The Earth was alive. Man was on his way up again.
About the Author
At various times, Raymond F. Jones has lived in Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, thereby enabling him to describe the mountain-west community, which is the scene of his newest science fiction book, with sureness and insight. He also has a rich scientific background, which includes training in the fields of radio operating, and electronic engineering, followed by meteorological work with the United States Weather Bureau. To this kaleidoscope of places and things, Mr. Jones has added another facet, that of "a spare-time writer" and has managed to produce eight books, something over one hundred magazine stories, articles and novelettes. This is his third Winston book.
The author was born in Salt Lake City where he is presently living, and attended the University of Utah. He is now working as a researcher with a historical society which possesses the world"s largest collection of microfilm copies of ancient doc.u.ments and records. These doc.u.ments have been gathered from all parts of Europe and the United States, and Mr.
Jones is enjoying this new environment.
Mr. Jones describes the theme of THE YEAR WHEN STARDUST FELL in this way: "It is the portrayal of the unending conflict between ignorance and superst.i.tion on one hand, and knowledge and cultural enlightenment on the other as they come into conflict with each other during an unprecedented disaster brought on by the forces of nature."
Coinciding with the surge of interest in all of science, this book will give the reader a real appreciation of the role of the scientist.
Other Winston Science Fiction Books
PLANET OF LIGHT SON OF THE STARS
Other Published Books
THE TOYMAKER RENAISSANCE THIS ISLAND EARTH THE ALIEN THE SECRET PEOPLE
_The Editors_
Cecile Matschat, editor of the Winston Science Fiction series, is recognized as one of this country"s most skilful writers and editors.
She has sixteen books to her credit, including the highly praised _Suwannee River_ in the "Rivers of America" series. Nationally known as a lecturer, an artist of great ability, Cecile Matschat is also an expert historian. With this varied background, she is perfectly suited to select top science fiction authors and books to make this a balanced and well-rounded series.
Carl Carmer, consulting editor, holds an outstanding position in the literary world. Author of _Stars Fell on Alabama_, he now edits the popular "Rivers of America" series. Other of his books are _Genesee Fever_, _For the Rights of Men_, _Listen for a Lonesome Drum_, and _Windfall Fiddle_.
Other Winston Science Fiction Books
Ant Men, The by Eric North--_Geologists find living fossils in the badlands of Central Australia_
Attack from Atlantis by Lester del Rey--_An atomic submarine crew discovers the lost city of Atlantis_
Battle on Mercury by Erik Van Lhin--_Sun storms sweep Mercury and threaten man"s existence_
Danger: Dinosaurs! by Richard Marsten--_A treacherous big-game hunter leads an expedition back to the Age of Reptiles_