Page:Amazing Stories Volume 10 Number 13.djvu/127

Rh suppose one who is the victim of some disease of the mind is seldom aware of it," Dr. Howell said, bitterly. "However, since the board insists that I need a rest, then naturally I must take a rest,—without pay, I suppose."

"No, although your contract expires this spring, the Board insist that you accept one half year's salary. That will give you an opportunity to seek another position without too great loss."

Although the snobbish Dean, together with his satellites on the Faculty had condescended to accept Dr. Howell when he came from a small western school three years previously, actual hostilities had not begun until his published theory had directed the spotlight toward him and his work. The facts as set forth met with a bitter attack by a few leading scientists, and Dr. Howell's fellow members on the Faculty turned against him without a single exception. It was a heart-breaking result for the years he had given to scientific thought.

But the acceptance or rejection of Dr. Howell's theory of planetary inter-relationship as balanced by the Cosmic Ray had a more sinister aspect than a mere division of human personalities. If his figures were correct, then the harnessing of Cosmic Energy would be a very grave mistake, even granting that it was practicable. For his calculations showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that any one of several kinds of cataclysm would be the natural result of this misdirected scientific achievement.

Dr. Howell had dared to suggest that scientific progress in this direction be halted, temporarily, at least, so that further investigation could be made of the Cosmic Ray phenomena. He had asked that this be done as a means of promoting human welfare,—that the human race might continue to live and inhabit the earth.

LTHOUGH he had gone to great lengths to prove the correctness of his formulas, using every known mathematical means, his theory had been bandied about the scientific world as the prize joke of the twentieth century. It was rather broadly hinted in certain quarters that Dr. Howell's mind had strayed too far into the Infinite, and that his calculations were based on a hypothesis which was wholly erroneous. The few who did accept his work were the "unknowns" of science; without influence they could only watch and wait.

"Of course I am well aware of the real reason for this act of scientific vandalism by the Board," Dr. Howell's tone was ironical,"—for that is exactly what it must be. They feel that the refusal of the leading scientists to accept my published works on Cosmic Rays is a direct reflection on the University, which may affect the enrollment. In other words, they have dollars where their brains should be.

"Actually, the failure is theirs, not mine. If the Faculty had extended me their support as they have to certain others I need not name here, the leading scientists, Eisendrath, Voltiva, and Stanislov, would hardly have dared to turn 'thumbs down' so vindictively on my theory. But when they found I had no local support they went the limit, literally tearing the house down and throwing it out of the window."

"But, Dr. Howell," the Dean's voice was appeasing, "we do not want you to feel this way about it. Of course I cannot deny that the publication of your theory had a great deal to do with present conditions here.