hem,
conscious of the years of increasingly uncertain health to come, Mrs.
Folsom's words contained a personal implication, one that hit home.
But in spite of the vindication of her claim to have seen a
materialized ham sandwich, they weren't quite ready to trust her about
this.

Dr. Ormond's face was grave.

"Eleanor," he said reprovingly, "that was letting the cat out of the
bag, wasn't it? I hadn't intended to discuss that part of the matter
just yet."

He hesitated, frowning, tapping the table top lightly with his
knuckles. Mrs. Folsom looked unabashed. She had produced another
sensation and knew it.

"Since it was mentioned," Ormond said with deliberation at last, "it
would be unfair not to tell you, at least in brief, the facts to which
Eleanor was alluding. Very well then--Eleanor has served during the
past several weeks as the subject of certain experiments connected
with this instrument. She reports that after her first use of it, her
periodically recurring heart problem ceased to trouble her."

Mrs. Folsom smiled, nodded vigorously. "I have not," she announced,
"had one single touch of pain or dizziness in all this time!"

"But one should, of course," Dr. Ormond added objectively, "hesitate
to use the word 'cure' under such circumstances."

In the front row someone asked, "Dr. Al, will the instrument heal ...
well, other physical conditions?"

Ormond looked at the speaker with dignity. "John, the instrument does,
and is supposed to do, one thing. Providing, as I've said, that the
student working with it has attained a certain minimum level of
Insight, it greatly accelerates his progress towards Total Insight.
Very greatly!

"Now, as I have implied before: as one approaches the goal of Total
Insight, the ailments and diseases which commonly afflict humanity
simply disappear. Unfortunately, I am not yet free to show you proof
for this, although I have the proof and believe it will not be long
before it can be revealed at least to the members of this group. For
this reason, I have preferred not to say too much on the point....
Yes, Reuben? You have a question?"

"Two questions, Dr. Al," Reuben Jeffries said. "First, is it your
opinion that our group has now reached the minimum level of Insight
that makes it possible to work with those instruments?"

Ormond nodded emphatically. "Yes, it has. After tonight's occurrence
there is no further question about that."

"Then," Jeffries said, "my second que