e, now would you?"

"But--but what are you going to _do_?"

"Me? I'm going to watch. I'm going to watch one of the epic events of
our time--" For a moment Beardsley was solemn, almost shocked, as a
thought struck him. "In a way it will be sad. Yes, it will! ECAIAC is
about to lose her first case."

Now that was strange. Why should he have said such a thing? _Why ... now
that the game was over which had had to be played, and he felt the
bitter-sweet surge of victory that lay throbbing at his grasp!_ About to
lose her first case....

He shrugged in remote annoyance and strode away from Pederson. It would
be fast now! Already the rejects were falling, the irrelevants, as
ECAIAC with blithe unconcern brought the final equate toward conclusion.
He observed Jeff Arnold, standing silent and alert but so devoid of all
emotion that somehow it wasn't real ... and Mandleco, half crouched,
teeth gnawing away at the cigar, his heavy face rapacious and eager as
he awaited the final tape; that was all that mattered now; the
MATHEMATICS would register, CODE would add synaptic approval, and proof
indisputable would be on that tape in clean translated print--the name
of Carmack's killer.

Indisputable? Bowing his head, Beardsley smiled, and listened to the
smooth rhythmic control. Nothing sinister now! No snapping malevolence!
All those other times ... his unreasoning panic, the askance remarks
from Arnold, the humiliation ... the very thought of it now was gibing
and obscene. How could he ever have been caught up in such a thrall of
terror?

It wasn't terror he felt now. Something.... His smile turned to a giggle
as he felt a sudden compelling impulse to pat ECAIAC on the head!

* * * * *

Now how would one do THAT? Never mind. Never mind, never mind, never
again are you going to snap at _me_, Ekky. We were introduced, remember?
We're really great friends now.

For a moment Beardsley was suspended in astonishment, aware that he had
almost crooned the thought. He glanced around in embarrassment--

Pederson was watching him. Pederson was at his side again, perplexed and
frowning. "Beardsley--this business of Sheila and Arnold. It wouldn't
happen that way, it couldn't! There's another answer, there's _got_ to
be--"

Beardsley stood unmoving, oblivious. Almost, he seemed suspended in
another dimension; almost, he caught the quivering of a mind but could
not separate it from the sudden tremor that