Evening star., 1938-12-27
By HI. G.. WELLS.
CHAPTER XVII.
PuI E~ny~L


Rud woke up on Sunday morning
IN state OF extreme irritation, or
rather he emerged by degrees from
dreaming evaporation to an ach-
ing discomfort. He woke up and
stared at his discolored ceiling. A
realization of absolute Ineffective
ness overwhelmed him.
Defeat" he whispered. Defeat.
Self defeat. Here the Popular So
cia1st demonstration will be peter
ing out as usual in Hyde Park as If
nothing had happened; here's a
plain situation before us that won't
wait, that can't wait, and I'm doing
nothing. My guns are spiked,
What good am I?
7 might as well not exist"
The tension accumulated. II
reached the breaking point. He ex-
ploded.
"Oh God!" he screamed.
He leaped out of bed as though
Dome unseen beast in 1t had bitten
him. He threw his bedclothes into
the corner; he gashed his chin
shaving, he, kicked his shoes across
the room, he Quarreled with his
snaboy suit OF clothes and broke
his only pair Of braces. He made
nay OF his room in his search for a
piece OF string or safety pin to
repair the damage. Instead of cook
ing MS egg he beat it up raw in
his milk and drank it like that with
trembling hand. He was too api-
eated to light his Primus and make
tea.
He betook himself to Camborne
Square.
He shouted Steenhold out of bed
and stamped and baWled about the
room. He was determined to act,
and now, at any cost. 1t was not
only Steenhold he bawled into ac-
ton, but himself. Now or never !"
he said. THE time has come to
act. Now, when no one expects it.
is our moment. have waited-I
toio you the other night was wait
ing. Well-the time Is now"
Stunned Admiration,
Steenhold received his announce
ment In state of stunned admira-
tlon. He had always felt the latent
explosives in Rud's composition and
mere at last, thank the gods, they
were exploding!
You mean get the boys to-
Gether2"
7 mean get them together now"
fright, chief"
Steenhold went to the telephone
and began dialing. 'Funny!" he
bald. "Bodisham gave me this list
OF names three days ago. And I
Galnt see what it was for. Really!
Dlont see what it was for
Ihat you, Rogers? i. . Rogers! The
hour has come" "
Inc group and its associates as
semoled bit by bit. A miscellany
OF odd cars parked outside in the
square. Rud was exalted and thev
alstened with close attention. He
walked up and down, he sat and
twisted himself about the back of
ms chair, reiterating his conviction
of crisis.
THEY'VE shot men in South Caro-
lima. They landed marines to CO.
operate with the State police. Brit
ASH marines shooting American
strikers. Think of it! The affair
can't wait. Don't you see how
urgent 1t is and what it means to
his? e.
Il begged and prayed the boss
70 take line and he put a fiat
veto on the whole thing. L must
speak: There are things that must
be said
Fills in Particulars.
How and where? I'll tell vou
exactly. o.. There's that platform
dn Hyde Park with one or two
trained droolers, drooling his old
stuff. We 60 there. We take
control"
Bodisham thought for a while,
grasped Rud's idea and began to
fill in particulars.
I'VE go there by twos and threes
and gather round the platform, -
Said Bodishan: Then when Rud
Thinks fit we put him on the plat
form. Therell be some raw green
horn in charge. If necessary Rogers
and you other stalwarts can hustle
him. =.
Can we get reporters? I don't
mean newshounds, I mean re-
porters"
Il know man or two," said
1rwell.
"Shorthand?"
1--WE could have a man for a ver-
:batim report said Steenhold. I'VE
ought to have man for verbatim
report"
And after your speech?"
II don't know" said Rud. "But