alarm,
how am I going to explain suspending operation of the college for a
period?"

"Remodeling," replied the Chief. "Work out the details and put a sign up
as soon as evacuation has progressed far enough."

"It may be unnecessary, Oxvane," said Dark, "but it's best not to take
chances. This telepathy is a very uncertain thing, and sometimes it's
hard to differentiate true telepathic communication from one's own hopes
or fears. But it seemed to me that I had the very definite sense that
Miss Cara Nome was seeking something with hostile intent, and it's
entirely possible that she saw part of one of the experiments through
that open door."

Two students appeared, gave their names to Fancher in an undertone, and
sauntered out the back door of the building.

"What's the status now?" asked the Chief.

"They were nineteen and twenty," answered Fancher precisely. "They're
part of Group C, which is going to Hesperidum. Group A goes to Regina,
Group B to Charax, Group D to Nuba and Group E to Ismenius."

"None to Solis?" asked Childress in surprise.

"No, sir, nor to Phoenicis, either," answered Fancher. "They're both so
far, and Solis is a resort, where they might be easier to detect. We're
using both public transport and private groundcars. All of them so far
have reported safely through the flower shop, except these last two, so
the government evidently hasn't thrown a ring around the building yet."

"And I don't think they will, either," growled Childress. "I tell you,
it's all unnecessary."

"Are things going smoothly here?" asked the Chief.

"Yes, sir," replied Fancher. "The last five men scheduled to leave are
taking care of any customers who come in, and the rest of them are
packing supplies into the trucks. As soon as I get word from the flower
shop that the last pair has cleared, I give another pair the word to
leave."

"It seems to be moving along well," said the Chief, and he turned his
green eyes upon Childress. "Is the business office manned?"

"Why--why, there's no one there right now," said Childress, taken aback.

"I think it would look extremely peculiar to any investigator if you
weren't there, frantically trying to locate a new secretary," said the
Chief quietly.

Childress left, in confusion. The Chief turned to Dark.

"I think Fancher's handling this very well without my help," he said.
"You know where your groundcar is, if we all have to make a run for
it?"

"Yes," answered Dark. "We