inst the frame. Taking an anesthetic cartridge out of his pants
pocket, he broke the seal, taking care not to trigger it, and returned
to his crevice-climbing posture. He lifted himself again above the row
of electric eyes and waited, cartridge in hand, leg muscles cramping
painfully.

* * * * *

After Miss Noble had turned off the speakphone, she pulled herself
away from the fascinating view of golden curls and scuttled over to a
stiff ladder-back chair beside the telephone stand. She lifted the
antique cradle phone (none of these modern invasions of privacy like
the vizerphone) and spoke warily into the mouthpiece.

"Who is it? What do you want?"

"Barbara?" A man's voice was urgent.

"This is Miss Noble speaking," she replied haughtily.

The voice was savage. "Well, this is _Doctor_ Harris, then. Have you
looked at the mail today? I got my directors' meeting notice this
morning."

"Yes, I got one. The fifth of August," she said impatiently.

"And this seems to be our year. There's been a girl here already this
morning with some story about my having advertised for a housekeeper.
She told it to the doorphone and wouldn't leave when I said I didn't
want anybody--but it only took one drop of skunk oil in the hallway to
send her packing." The horrid chuckle that came from the receiver was
so raucous that Miss Noble held it away from her ear.

"Blonde or brunette?" she asked noncommittally.

"Blonde--and really young, not a damn rejuvenee!"

"Rod Harris! You actually went and peeked at her, you old goat!"

"Only through the one-way."

"Well, since the company knows that a pretty girl is still good bait
for an old ninny, you're as good as a goner. They'll have _you_
rejuvenated before long."

"They won't get a chance to! And I'm going to get old enough so I
can't even lift a hand to thumb my nose at the company. Then I'm going
to go and die and the Juvine Perpetual Youth Corporation will scream
in agony as it disbands and makes public property of its hallowed
formulas as per the original articles of incorporation ... and _you_
will probably get a new set of false teeth and take the treatment
again since you could get it real cheap when the monopoly's finished
and not have to disturb your millions salted away in the sugar bowl."

This mixture of facetiousness and downright sarcasm was only surpassed
by Miss Noble, who snapped back, "Don't you sneer at me, Doctor Roland
Harri