d the Embassy and told them not to wait
dinner for us, so the staff had finished eating and were relaxing in the
patio when our car came in through the street gate. Stonehenge and
another man came over to meet us as we got out--a man I hadn't met
before.

He was a little fellow, half-Latin, half-Oriental; in New Texas costume
and wearing a pair of pistols like mine, in State Department Special
Services holsters. He didn't look like a Dumbarton Oaks product: I
thought he was more likely an alumnus of some private detective agency.

"Mr. Francisco Parros, our Intelligence man," Stonehenge introduced him.

"Sorry I wasn't here when you arrived, Mr. Silk," Parros said. "Out
checking on some things. But I saw that bit of shooting, on the telecast
screen in a bar over town. You know, there was a camera right over the
bandstand that caught the whole thing--you and Miss Hickock coming
toward the President and his party, Miss Hickock running forward to her
father, the waiter going up behind Hutchinson with the knife, and then
that beautiful draw and snap shot. They ran it again a couple of times
on the half-hourly newscast. Everybody in New Austin, maybe on New
Texas, is talking about it, now."

"Yes, indeed, sir," Gomez, the Embassy Secretary, said, joining us.
"You've made yourself more popular in the eight hours since you landed
than poor Mr. Cumshaw had been able to do in the ten years he spent
here. But, I'm afraid, sir, you've given me a good deal of work,
answering your fan-mail."

We went over and sat down at one of the big tables under the arches at
the side of the patio.

"Well, that's all to the good," I said. "I'm going to need a lot of
local good will, in the next few weeks. No thanks, Mr. Parros," I added,
as the Intelligence man picked up a bottle and made to pour for me.
"I've been practically swimming in superbourbon all afternoon. A little
black coffee, if you don't mind. And now, gentlemen, if you'll all be
seated, we'll see what has to be done."

"A council of war, in effect, Mr. Ambassador?" Stonehenge inquired.

"Let's call it a council to estimate the situation. But I'll have to
find out from you first exactly what the situation here is."

Thrombley stirred uneasily. "But sir, I confess that I don't understand.
Your briefing on Luna...."

"Was practically nonexistent. I had a total of six hours to get aboard
ship, from the moment I was notified that I had been appointed to this
Embassy."

"In