no nearer reaching him than
in the beginning. I had filled out the necessary forms and stated the
nature of my business so often I began to be alarmed lest my hand refuse
to write anything else and I be condemned for the rest of my life to
repeat the idiotic phrases called for in the blank spaces.

I am afraid I must have raised my voice in expressing my exasperation to
the young lady who acted as receptionist and barrier. At any rate she
looked startled, and I think pressed a button on her desk. A pinkfaced,
whitemustached gentleman came hastily through the door behind her. The
jacket of his uniform fitted snugly at the waist and his bald head was
sunburnt and shiny.

"What's this? What's this? ... going on here?"

I saw the single star on his shoulderstraps and ventured, "General
Thario?"

He hid his white mustache with a forefinger pink as his cheeks. "Yes.
Yes. But you must have an appointment to speak to me. That's the rule,
you know. Must have an appointment." He appeared extremely nervous and
harassed, his eyes darting back to the refuge of his office, but he was
evidently held to the spot by whatever distress animated his
receptionist.

"General Thario," I persisted firmly, "I quite appreciate your
viewpoint, but I have been trying for days to get such an appointment
with you on a matter of vital concern and I have been put off every time
by what I can only describe as redtape. I am sorry to say so, General
Thario, but I must repeat, redtape."

He looked more worried than before and his eyes ranged over the room for
some escape. "Know just how you feel," he muttered, "Know just how you
feel. Horrible stuff. Swaddled in it here. Simply swaddled in it.
Strangled." He cleared his throat as though to disembarrass it of a
garrote. "But, uh, hang it, Mr--"

"Weener. Albert Weener. President of Consolidated Pemmican and Allied
Concentrates Incorporated."

"--Well, you know, Mr. Weener ... man your position ... appreciate
absolute necessity certain amount of routine ... keep the cranks out,
otherwise swarming with them, simply swarming ... wartime precautions
... must excuse me now ... terribly rushed ... glad to have met--"

Swallowing the rest of the sentence and putting his hand over his mouth
lest he should inadvertently regurgitate it, he started for his office.
"General Thario," I pleaded, "a moment. Consider our positions reversed.
I have long since established my identity, my responsibility. I want
n