tell me again," said Dr. Oliver Payne, in ttle laboratory overlooking t;Eit alking nonsense. A c;

        "ts s nonsense, but listen to it, Oliver, ; said Dr. Mary Malone. "S S—s Dust, but its ts

        our sicles. And Im telling you,    extraordinary display on tures, symbols .... Srument too, a sort of pass t symbols all around the rim.

        And s in t tate of mind, too—s intimately."

        It urned from Geneva, ient to ical, and preoccupied.

        "And t old me about some skulls in tt-Rivers Museum. S    t;

        "ait a minute. Give me some sort of structure    are you saying? You saying s    selling us somet;

        "Bot kno suppose somety, forty ticles around before t ts at our level, t imagi involved evolution.

        time, lots after sested old me thing.

        Im saying is t around t time, tion process. Suddenly ;

        Dr. Payilted ic mug and drank t of his coffee.

        " icularly at t time?" ;y-five t;

        "O paleontologists. I dont kno speculating. Dont you ts at least possible?"

        "And tell me about ;

        Dr. Malone rubbed ;ers," s; t ics or somet;

        terrorism, subversion, intelligence... all t. Go on.    did ? ;

        "Because of t t tell me ;

        telep.    it do;eve got a visitor."

        ";

        "Not a name I knoen, Mary, Im off, you realize t, dont you?"

        "t;

        "Yes. Ive got to take it. You must see t."

        "ell, ts t;

        o be frank... I t see any point in t of stuff youve just been talking about. Cs all too crazy. I just t get involved. Ive got a career, Mary."

        " about tested?    about t;

        urned ap at t almost h relief.

        Sir C;Good day to you. Dr. Payne? Dr. Malone? My name is . Its very good of you to see me    any notice."

        "e in," said Dr. Malone,    puzzled. "Did O    ;

        "It may be ; ;I uand youre ing for ts of your funding application."

        "?" said Dr. Payne.

        "I used to be a civil servant. As a matter of fact, I ing stific policy. I still acts in t do;

        "O; said Dr. Malone. S a c down as if ing.

        "tter not mention s Act covers all sorts of silly t your application    intrigued me so muc I must fess I asked to see some of your    t I still act as a sort of unofficial adviser, so I used t as an excuse. And really, e fasating."

        "Does t mean you t; said Dr. Malone, leaning foro believe him.

        "Unfortunately, no. I must be blunt. t mio rene."

        Dr. Malones scious curiosity.

        "; he said.

        "ell, you see, t officially made t. It doesnt look promising, and Im being frank    of funding    in ture.    mig if you ue t differently."

        "An advocate? You mean yourself? I didnt t ," said Dr. Malone, sitting up. "I t t on peer revie;

        "It does in principle, of course," said Sir C;But it also o knoees ice. And to ked in your    mig certainly ougo tinue. ould you let me make informal representations on your be;

        Dr. Malo like a dro. "ll make a difference? I doo suggest t... I dont kno;

        " ; said Dr. Payne.

        Dr. Malone looked at    Oliver just said o    o be uanding Sir Cter ty o sit dooo.

        "Im glad you take my point," said t;Youre quite rigion Id be especially glad to see you taking. And provided ra money from anotoget;

        "ait, ," said Dr. Malone. "ait a mier for us. Im perfectly o discuss ts, but not tion. Surely you see—"

        Sir Cure ret and got to . Oliver Payood too, anxious.

        "No, please, Sir C; ;Im sure Dr. Malone ening, foodness sake. And it mig;

        "I t you o Geneva?" she said.

        "Geneva?" said Sir C;Excellent place. Lot of scope t of mooo. Do me ;

        "No, no, its not settled yet," said Dr. Payne ily. "t to discuss—its all still very fluid.

        Sir C do you some coffee?"

        "t ; said Sir C again, isfied cat.

        Dr. Malone looked at    time. Se sixties, prosperous, fident, beautifully dressed, used to t of everyto moving among po ears. Oliver    get    uisfied him.

        She folded her arms.

        Dr. Payne ;Sorry its rative...."

        "Not at all. S I ;

        "Do, please," said Dr. Payne.

        "ell, I uand t youve made some fasating discoveries in the field of sciousness.

        Yes, I knos a long    subject of your researcs around. And Im especially ied in t. I o trate your resear of sciousness. Sed, tt, you remember, 1957 or ts—I believe youre on track of somet could take t t line of researc even attract defense funding, iful, even today, aainly isnt subject to tion processes.

        "Dont expect me to reveal my sources,"    on,    forried to speak. "I mentios Act; a tedious piece of legislation, but nt be naug it. I fidently expee advances in to do it. And ticular matter ected ;

        speak. S kno, but s s faint.

        "For various reasons," Sir , "I am in tact elligence services. terested in a    antique stifistrument, certainly stolen, ion s a moot point    ainly killed someone.

        And he girl.

        "No may be t you    may be t you are quite properly ined to tell t    you er service if you o let me knoely. I    make sure ties deal    effitly and quickly and upid tabloid publicity. I kno Ior alters came to see you yesterday, and I kno turned up. You see, I do knoalking about. I ance, if you saell me, I    too. Youd be very o t t, and to clarify your recolles of er of national security.

        You uand me.

        "ell, top.    in touc leave it too long; ttee meets tomorro you    reac t any

        time."

        o Oliver Payne, and seeing Dr. Malone ill folded, laid one on t    o gently, beamed at bot.

        t;Mary, are you mad? ?"

        "I beg your pardon? Youre not taken in by t old creep, are you?"

        "You t turn do! Do you    t to survive or not?"

        "It    an offer," sly. "It imatum. Do as -so-subtle ts and s about national security and so on—t you see ;

        "ell, I t more clearly t close take it over. If terested as    it to carry on. But only on terms."

        "But terms    to find neo manipulate it. Im not going to get mixed up in t, Oliver, never."

        "t any of a job. If you stay, you migo influe in a better dire. And youd still ill be involved!"

        "But    matter to you, any; s;I t Geled?"

        ;ell, not settled. Not    aogeto leave    I to somet;

        " are you saying?"

        "Im not saying—"
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