ame the end of what was apparently the work day.

"We're making splendid progress," Barnes told him. "I know how tiresome
it is to keep saying the same thing over and over, but the distance is
_such_ a great obstacle. I think it's amazing that we can even _bridge_
it, don't you? Just imagine--the light that's reaching Earth at this
very minute left our star when mammoths were roaming your western states
and mankind lived in caves! And yet, with our thought-wave boosters, we
are in instantaneous communication!"

The soap, Clocker thought, to make him feel he was doing something
important.

"Well, you are doing something important," Barnes said, as though
Clocker had spoken.

Clocker would have turned red if he had been able to. As it was, he felt
dismay and embarrassment.

"Do you realize the size and value of this project?" Barnes went on. "We
have a more detailed record of human society than Man himself ever had!
There will be not even the most insignificant corner of your
civilization left unrecorded! Your life, my life--the life of this Zelda
whom you came here to rescue--all are trivial, for we must die
eventually, but the project will last eternally!"

Clocker stood up, his eyes hard and worried. "You're telling me you know
what I'm here for?"

"To secure the return of your wife. I would naturally be aware that you
had submitted yourself to our control voluntarily. It was in your file,
which was sent to me by Admissions."

"Then why did you let me in?"

"Because, my dear friend--"

"Leave out the 'friend' pitch. I'm here on business."

Barnes shrugged. "As you wish. We let you in, as you express it, because
you have knowledge that we should include in our archives. We hoped you
would recognize the merit and scope of out undertaking. Most people do,
once they are told."

"Zelda, too?"

"Oh, yes," Barnes said emphatically. "I had that checked by Statistics.
She is extremely cooperative, quite convinced--"

"Don't hand me that!"

* * * * *

Barnes rose. Straightening the papers on his desk, he said, "You want to
speak to her and see for yourself? Fair enough."

He led Clocker out of the building. They crossed the great square to a
vast, low structure that Barnes referred to as the Education and
Recreation Center.

"Unless there are special problems," Barnes said, "our human associates
work twelve or fourteen of your hours, and the rest of the time is their
own. S