, and who continued
to dislike the givers. Now though, the United States had been invaded
from space by creatures using weapons of unprecedented type and
effect. If the United States were conquered, there was no other nation
likely to remain free. So a great deal of anti-Americanism faded under
pressure of an ardent desire for America to be successful in its
self-defense.

Moreover, anticipating other alien landings which could take place
anywhere, the United States offered to share its stock of atom bombs
with any nation so invaded. American popularity increased. The fact
that the USSR made no such proposal also had its effect. The United
States invited scientists of every country to help in solving the
menace of the terror beam, and committed itself to share any
discoveries for defense against it with all the world. Again there was
an improvement in the public image of the United States abroad.

But Lockley knew nothing of this. His pocket radio no longer existed
to give him news. It had been rebuilt into something else, whose most
conspicuous parts were cheese and nutmeg graters, slung over his
shoulder as he marched. But if he had known of changes in the
popularity of his country, he wouldn't have been interested. He could
fix his mind only on one subject and matters related to it.

He tramped along the highway, possessed by a cold demon of hatred. He
was on foot for lack of a car. He was unarmed. At the moment he
believed that all the rest of humanity was disarmed, in effect if not
in fact. So he had no plans, only an infinite hatred.

But because he would have to pass through terror beams to get at those
he meant to destroy, he realized that it was necessary to make sure
that he would be able to pass through them, that his equipment for
reaching Boulder Lake was in good order. It was still turned on. He
turned it off to be economical of its batteries. He went on, thinking
of only one subject, examining every possibility for revenge with a
passionate patience, undiscouraged because one idea after another was
plainly impossible, but continuing obsessively to think of others.

He smelled the foetid odor, which cut through his absorption because
of its connotations. He turned on his device and went doggedly ahead.
He knew he had entered a terror beam by the faint perceptions which
came through the cloud of ions his instrument produced. Then they
ceased. He knew that the beam had been cut off. He heard a motor rev