very low, frustrated in many cases. Thus, the terrific emotional appeal
of Alfreed's insane program has swept them away, made them willing
followers.

"What," asked the Practitioner, "has been the actual range of violence
and intimidation on the part of the Rightmen?"

"Enough to have a demoralizing effect upon the city as a whole. In
fact, enough to make many feel insecure to such an extent that they
would join the Rightmen sheerly for self-protection. The cases of
violence against citizens, although still small in number, have been
increasing, and have been sufficiently ferocious to paralyze, almost
completely, any attempt at public opposition."

"Quite right," agreed the Historian. "You were correct in one sense,"
he said to the Neuro-specialist. "Alfreed does not _need_ a majority to
win an election, or to seize power now. He can either intimidate the
citizens into voting for him, or to refrain from voting at all."

"What has been done to combat Alfreed, without using his own methods,
of course?" asked an engineer.

"Rightmen have been captured by the ambulance squads, interrogated,
then treated with Regulators. The interesting thing is that, once
removed from Alfreed's influence, they return to normal very quickly,
and a bit of Regulating makes them permanently immune."

"The difficulty is," he went on, "that, so far, the psychopathia has
spread more quickly than the antidote. What we must do is set machines
to capture the Rightmen, Alfreed in particular, and regulate them. We
cannot afford to use violence ourselves because of the deadly effects
it has upon those involved in its use."

The Historian nodded. "We must move quickly," he stated, "because I
greatly think that Alfreed will make an open bid for full power very
shortly. Unless there is something else to come up, gentlemen, I
suggest we adjourn and get to work."

A tent camp for women, children and the animals had been pitched far
outside the city, and the forty-thousand armed men of Heber were

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