back in the
chair, removed his glasses and half closed his eyes. Barney let his
gaze rove. The furnishings of the house were what he had
expected--well-tended, old, declining here and there to the downright
shabby. The only reasonably new piece in the study was a
radio-phonograph. The walls of the study and of the section of a
living room he could see through a small archway were lined with
crammed bookshelves. At the far end of the living room was a curious
collection of clocks in various types and sizes, mainly antiques, but
also some odd metallic pieces with modernistic faces. Vacancies in the
rows indicated Fredericks might have begun to dispose discreetly of
the more valuable items on his employer's behalf.

McAllen cleared his throat finally, opened his eyes, and settled the
spectacles back on his nose.

"Mr. Chard," he inquired, "have you had scientific training?"

"No."

"Then," said McAllen, "the question remains of what your interest in
the matter is. Perhaps you'd like to explain just why you put yourself
to such considerable expense to intrude on my personal affairs--"

Barney hesitated perceptibly. "Doctor," he said, "there is something
tantalizing about an enigma. I'm fortunate in having the financial
means to gratify my curiosity when it's excited to the extent it was
here."

McAllen nodded. "I can understand curiosity. Was that your only
motive?"

Barney gave him his most disarming grin. "Frankly no. I've mentioned
I'm a businessman--"

"Ah!" McAllen said, frowning.

"Don't misunderstand me. One of my first thoughts admittedly was that
here were millions waiting to be picked up. But the investigation soon
made a number of things clear to me."

"What were they?"

"Essentially, that you had so sound a reason for keeping your
invention a secret that to do it you were willing to ruin yourself
financially, and to efface yourself as a human being and as a
scientist."

"I don't feel," McAllen observed mildly, "that I really have effaced
myself, either as a human being or as a scientist."

"No, but as far as the public was concerned you did both."

McAllen smiled briefly. "That strategem was very effective--until now.
Very well, Mr. Chard. You understand clearly that under no
circumstances would I agree to the commercialization of ... well, of
my matter transmitter?"

Barney nodded. "Of course."

"And you're still interested?"

"Very much so."

McAllen was silent for a few seconds, bi