inted to the stack of typescript. "See for yourself."

Len didn't move. "But Ganesh was in Lydia, buying back the sapphire.
He didn't return till--"

"I know, I know. But he _wasn't_. That was Zeuxias in a putty nose
with his beard dyed. It's all perfectly logical, the way Leo explains
it. Zeuxias overheard Ganesh talking to the three Mongols--you
remember, Ganesh thought there was somebody behind the curtain, only
that was when they heard Lygea scream, and while their backs were
turned--"

"All right. But for God's sake, this fouls everything up. If Ganesh
never went to Lydia, then he _couldn't_ have had anything to do
distempering Cyrus's armor. And Zeuxias couldn't, either, because--"

"It's exasperating. I know he's going to pull another rabbit out of
the hat and clear everything up, but I don't see how."

Len brooded. "It beats me. It had to be either Ganesh or Zeuxias. Or
Philomenes, though that doesn't seem possible. Look, damn it, if
Zeuxias knew about the sapphire all the time, that rules out
Philomenes once and for all. Unless--no. I forgot about that business
in the temple. Umm. Do you think Leo really knows what he's doing?"

"I'm certain. Lately I've been able to tell what he's thinking even
when he isn't talking to me. I mean just generally, like when he's
puzzling over something, or when he's feeling mean. It's going to be
something brilliant and he knows what it is, but he won't tell me.
We'll just have to wait."

"I guess so." Len stood up, grunting. "You want me to see if there's
anything in the pot?"

"Please."

Len wandered into the kitchen, turned the flame on under the silex,
stared briefly at the dishes waiting in the sink, and wandered out
again. Since the onslaught of The Novel, Leo had relinquished his
interest in Moira's diet, and she had been living on coffee. Small
blessings....

* * * * *

Moira was leaning back with her eyes closed, looking very tired.
"How's the money?" she asked without moving.

"Lousy. We're down to twenty-one bucks."

She raised her head and opened her eyes wide. "We couldn't be! Len,
how could anybody go through nine hundred dollars that fast?"

"Typewriter. And the dictaphone that Leo thought he wanted, till about
half an hour after it was paid for. We spent less than fifty on
ourselves, I think. Rent. Groceries. It goes, when there isn't any
coming in."

She sighed. "I thought it would last longer."

"So did I. If