t any image
you want--in fifty years or less! You want that knowledge of ours for
your purposes!"

Dalgetty fell silent. There was a long quietness. His own breathing
seemed unnaturally loud.

"All right." Bancroft nodded again, slowly. "You haven't told us
anything we don't know."

"I'm well aware of that," said Dalgetty.

"Your phrasing was rather unfriendly," said Bancroft. "What you don't
appreciate is the revolting stagnation and cynicism of this age."

"Now you're using the loaded words," said Dalgetty. "Facts just _are_.
There's no use passing moral judgments on reality, the only thing you
can do is try to change it."

"Yes," said Bancroft. "All right then, we're trying. Do you want to
help us?"

"You could beat the hell out of me," said Dalgetty, "but it wouldn't
teach you a science that it takes years to learn."

"No, but we'd know just what you have and where to find it. We have
some good brains on our side. Given your data and equations they can
figure it out." The pale eyes grew wholly chill. "You don't seem to
appreciate your situation. You're a prisoner, understand?"

Dalgetty braced his muscles. He didn't reply.

Bancroft sighed. "Bring him in," he said.

One of the guards went out. Dalgetty's heart stumbled. _Dad_, he
thought. It was anguish in him. Casimir walked over to stand in front
of him. Her eyes searched his.

"Don't be a fool," she said. "It hurts worse than you know. Tell us."

He looked up at her. _I'm afraid_, he thought. _God knows I'm afraid._
His own sweat was acrid in his nostrils. "No," he said.

"I tell you they'll do everything!" She had a nice voice, low and
soft, but it roughened now. Her face was colorless with strain. "Go on
man, don't condemn yourself to--mindlessness!"

There was something strange here. Dalgetty's senses began to reach
out. She was leaning close and he knew the signs of horror even if she
tried to hide them. _She's not so hard as she makes out--but then why
is she with them?_

He threw a bluff. "I know who you are," he said. "Shall I tell your
friends?"

"No, you don't!" She stepped back, rigid, and his whetted senses
caught the fear-smell. In a moment there was control and she said,
"All right then, have it your way."

And underneath, the thought, slowed by the gluiness of panic, _Does he
know I'm FBI?_

_FBI!_ He jerked against the straps. Ye gods!

Calmness returned to him as she walked to her chief but his mind
whirred. Yes, why no