blame themselves if something happens, but that may be too late.
As it happens, we _weren't_ too late. Let's be thankful for that.

"By the way, am I wrong in assuming that Nestor will not get your
psychotherapy treatment?"

"No, you're right," I said. "The warden at Sing Sing will be taking
care of him from now on." I turned to Brownlee and said: "Which
reminds me--what's going to be the disposition on the Hammerlock Smith
case?"

"I talked to Judge Whittaker and the D.A. Your recommendation pulled a
lot of weight with them. They agreed that if Smith will plead guilty
to felonious assault and agree to therapy, he'll get off with eighteen
months, suspended. When I release him, he'll never bother young boys
again."

The Duke looked puzzled. "Hammerlock Smith? Odd Name. What's he up
for?"

I told him about Hammerlock Smith.

He thought it over for a while, then said: "Just what is it you do to
men like that? How can you be so sure he'll never hurt anyone again?"

Brownlee started to answer him, but a uniformed officer put his head
in the door. "Excuse me, Dr. Brownlee, the District Attorney would
like to talk to you."

Brownlee excused himself and followed the cop out, leaving me to
explain things to His Grace.

"Do you remember that, a couple of centuries ago, the laws of some
countries provided the perfect punishment for pickpockets and
purse-snatchers?"

He gave me a wry grin. "Certainly. The hands of the felon were
amputated at the wrist. Usually with a headsman's ax, I believe."

"Exactly. And they never picked another pocket again as long as they
lived." I said. "Society had denied them the means to pick pockets."

"Go on."

* * * * *

"Do you remember Manny the Moog? The little fellow who was brought in
yesterday?"

"Distinctly. I thought it was odd at the time that you should release
a man who has a record of such activities as car-stealing and reckless
driving, especially when the witness against him turned out to be a
perfectly respectable person. I took it for granted that he was one of
your ... ah ... 'tame zanies', I think you called them. But I did not
and still don't understand how you can be so positive."

"I let Manny go because he's incapable of driving a car. The very
thought of being in control of a machine so much more powerful than he
is would give him chills. Did you ever see what happens when you lock
a claustrophobe up in a dark closet--the mad,