She took it and walked over to the youngster. His large eyes had
followed all her movements and he drew back slightly as she held out the
respirator. "It won't hurt," she coaxed. "You have to wear it. The air
outside stings."

The little face remained steady but the eyes were fearful as Jane slid
the transparent mask over his head and tightened the elastic. It pulsed
slightly with his breathing.

"Better wrap him in this," Pete suggested, pulling a duroplast jacket
out of the locker. "Air's tough on skin."

The girl nodded, pulling on her own respirator. She stepped quickly into
her duroplast suit and tied it. "Thanks a lot, Pete," she said, her
voice slightly muffled. "See you tomorrow."

Pete grunted as he watched her wrap the tiny form in the jacket, lift it
gently in her arms, then push through the door.

The girl walked swiftly up the street. It was quieter now, but in a
short time the noise and stench and garishness of New Reno would begin
rising to another cacophonous climax.

The strange pair reached a wretched metal structure with an askew sign
reading, "El Grande Hotel." Jane hurried through the double portals, the
swish of air flapping her outer garments as the air conditioning unit
fought savagely to keep out the rival atmosphere of the planet.

There was no one at the desk and no one in the lobby. It was a forlorn
place, musty and damp. Venus humidity seemed to eat through everything,
even metal, leaving it limp, faded, and stinking.

She hesitated, looked at the visiphone, then impulsively pulled a chair
over out of the line of sight of the viewing plate and gently set the
little boy on it. She pulled the respirator from her face, pressed the
button under the blank visiphone disk. The plate lit up and hummed
faintly.

"Patrol Office," Jane said.

There was a click and a middle-aged, square-faced man with blue-coated
shoulders appeared. "Patrol Office," he repeated.

"This is Jane Grant. I work at the Elite Cafe. Has anyone lost a little
boy?"

The patrolman's eyebrows raised slightly. "Little boy? Did you find
one?"

"Well--I--I saw one earlier this evening," she faltered. "He was sitting
at the edge of the street and I took him into the cafe and fed him."

"Well, there aren't many children in town," he replied. "Let's see." He
glanced at a record sheet. "No, none's reported missing. He with you
now?"

"Ah--no."

He shook his head again, still looking downward. He said slowly, "His