Evening star., 1955-01-02

Who had shot, with the guilty Rabotkn. the innocent
Kometsy. Who had said Kometsy prosecuted and
handed to the Security Police, He innocent perhaps
But he has the look of man who ay be guilty day
Oof found himself thinking Of things he had not rernem-
beed for many years. things he had thought buried under the
heap Of the intervening time Those had been days when
every man carried his head loose on his shoulders.
Why did his mind come back Kometsy? Perhaps because
he had been the greatest and the last, OF the victims And
as oak when felled thce brings down host Of lesser
trees, SO had tumbled all Kometsys friends
His secretaries His family His department His friends.
His wife had taken poison. There brother Andreas
Something about Andreas? He had escaped By great good
fortune Andeas had been in Washington at the time Of the
trials. and by better fortune had had his family with him.
So rapidly had these thoughts passed through Oofs mind
that he found Perov st laughing his stupid joke
Il have made and unmade many cabinets in my time he
repeated
finished off his work the door jamb with few strokes Of
spokeshave rstclass workman. indeed thought Orlof,
who knew something Of most things Not to his
material and then hide the behind sandpapeng and
putty His finished product was clean wood ceanly worked
WAS your father carpenter?" he asked suddenly
Indeed. greatness said the speaking for the first
time land his father before him.
Il thought might be So said Oriof you do not often
see tools like this now"
It was gauger plane that had caught his eye lovely
instrument OF bright steel ana DfasS tie pcked up ana
twled the gauge which regulated with micromecr
cision the depth and set Of the blade.
1T would take you what year - to buy such tool?
More greatness said the Il work little for money.
Many Of these my father left Others came to me before
- before the Liberation"
Orlo nearly smiled He guessed that il the man had been
alone he would have said something very different.
He packing away his tools with careful hands, as
surgeon might lay aside his instruments Each chisel with
its edge hidden wad Of oakn the graded drills the Curl
ous gouges, the small thin, heavy brassba saw
When he had done he bobbed TO the asking leave
to withdraw himself from their presence.
Petrov smiled and made gesture OF dismissal with his
hand The opened the door and ambled through then
he turned smiled again. and closed the door behind him.
The little sigh which ii made hung on the air.
PErRov moved again the window Below the wall
the waters winked in the setting
when die he said. Il viii leave instructions in my will
for my coffin to be taken and sunk in the middle Of the
lake They say ii is bottomess an old volcano -
Il think said Oro his hard ncisive voice. that you
should check up on that man. The the better.
That man,
.'The man who's just left Who does he call HIMSELF"
cooperative sent him."
Even local coopeatives have been known to make mis-
takes" said Orlof. driy.
Are you sure you're not -
letting my suspicious mind away with me? No
I'm not sure But my suspicious mind has just told
things which my eyes FIVE minutes ago Do you remember
the gauger plane? II would cost you in this country today
Oh thirty dollars. Would like that earn thirty