Evening star., 1939-01-24
BY H. G.. WELLS.
CHAPTER XIV.
THIRP FALLS OUT.

BY H. G. WELLS.
CHAPTER XIV.
THIRP FALLS OUT.
One moonlit summer night a few
weeks later Thirp was murdered by
young man to whom for some rea-
son he had held out dazzling pros
poets of promotion and then disap-
pointed. The particulars Of his
death are no part Of this history,
only its suddenness and its effect
upon Rud concern us here.
Once more for brief final phase
of lucidity he realized his own per-
sonal inefficiency. Once more he
felt matters beyond his management
were being forced into his hands.
1t was a greater loss even than
Bodisham, because while Bodisham
left him diagrams and projects,
plain. open and completely under
standable, Thirp had been delib-
erately secretive. He had always
kept his methods to himself Rud
did not know very much even about
his agents immediate underlings
and now for a time at least, until
he could gain a controlling knowl-
edge of them. he must be his own
watchdog. Rothberg came to him
at once obviously intent to play the
same confidential role that Thirp
had filled so satisfactorily. But Rud
did not like Rothberg. The evil in
his nature had none of the redeem-
ing dilettantism of Thirp: he made
Rud feel unsafe with him. he was
of the hard, dark police type who
hated his quarry. took every ad-
vantage in the hunt and exulted
self-righteously in kill. Now
Thirp had always behaved as though
a political murder was a sadly re-
grettable necessity. For him it was
curious aspect Of this strange, un-
accountable game Of life. He made
Rud feel that though he could in
f1ict death. he would never inflict
wanton humiliation. He would do
everything as 1t were under protest
though quite effectively. But
Rothberg flushed with jealous ami
mostly when he heard the mere
AAolltC VI q Alld1 hCu llldll.
Rothberg's impulse for self-as-
sertion through destruction was far
cruder in its expression than Thirp's,
cruder even than Rud's. He was
not merely killer; he liked to
stamp them down.
Norvel Talks Treason.
Norvel's theory that the Dictator
was necessary evil and that the
forces of progressive adaptation
could live through and live down
any Dictatorship, was losing its
validity with every fresh aggression
of Rud's. And Norvel was losing
his temper. AS one intrusion of
the political police into his new
universities and school organiza-
tions followed another as he found
even his best school teachers were
being terrorized, his clearest think
ers silenced and his carefully
planned instruction in biology, his
tory and social science more or less
Systematically and ignorantly con-
fused, revised or suppressed, be
began reluctantly enough at first
and then without reluctance, to
scheme for the restraint and elimi-
nation Of Rud.
He was not a good conspirator.
He had begun as a publisher and
propaganda and he had grown
into an educator; these are out
spoken activities, and he did not
know how to set about any secret
plotting. He sounded several Of
his colleagues. Neither Bellacourt
nor Holbank nor Roots seemed to
be greatly stirred by the suppress
sion OF thought and discussion.
They were entirely preoccupied by
their own immense Jobs, they were
interfered with very little, as yet.
1t seemed matter of secondary
Importance to them who was fed,
clothed, carried about by their
always more competent material
organizations. They dislked the
idea Of any disturbance of this vast
naturalization of the world general
economy. They wanted things to
go on as they were going. But
Heming, who was in control of the
worlds health. and Lacoste, woh
was a sort of Minister for a miscel-
lanny of biological services, wilder
ness conservation, deep sea conser-
walton, genetic reorganization,
service leading possibly to human
eugenics, population regulation and
the like, were in closer contact
with the mental organization of the
world. Their work overlapped Nor
vel's at number of contracts, and
their general outlook was very SINH
lar 70 his. They disliked the syste-
matte Justification of human re-
lations by this new sort of absolute
monarchy quite as much as Norvel.
Speak in Undertones.
So that when they found them
selves in conference upon a project
of Lacoste's for eliminating various
infections, disease carriers and in
sect pests once and for all from
human experience. it was natural
and easy to fall into a discussion
Of the ever~intensifying World Die
tatorship.
They had dismissed the assistants,
secretaries and stenographers; they
sat together at the end of long
table in the main conference cham
ber Of the education office and their
voices dropped to undertones. Now
and then one or other Of them
would glance over his shoulder to
be cure that they were still alone.
"Well?" said Lacoste watching the
departure of the last secretary.
I'VE did not mention all sorts of
things" said Heming; "for various
good reasons. We seem to go about
our business in blnkers. I have
been feeling all along that the gist
OF our discussion was unspoken."
Norvel sat with his arms folded
| on the table. "Can things sro m