possibilities. It would have been only a matter of scientific curiosity
then, but with recent developments in the atomic field, the
possibilities took on a new light."

He paused as a Filipino brushed by, then resumed, lowering his voice so
only those at the table could hear. "He's a smart one. I've known about
him for a long time, as one of the best free-lance agents in the Far
East. He has a good reputation for accuracy, and he sells--or
sold--information to the highest bidder. He was riding on his reputation
in this deal, because as soon as the facts became known, as they had to
sooner or later, he was all washed up as a spy."

"I don't get it," Rick complained.

"I'll explain. He was selling a story to every country that was
interested. He would contact the embassy, consulate, or chief espionage
agent of, say, country X. He would report that country Y had a secret
atomic pile--nuclear reactor, that is--in the mountains of West China.
You can imagine the excitement. He would sell that information for a
reasonable price. Then, for a considerably higher price, he would
undertake to collect a sample of the deuterium they were using. Once he
collected the sample, which of course came from Korse Lenken, he would
contract to give them the location of the reactor for a very high price
indeed. He made the rounds country by country, changing his story as
needed. Of course he collected in advance for the location, which was to
be delivered later, after he had risked his life getting it. That was
the story he used--and some of the best agents in the Orient fell for
it."

The daring ingenuity of the thing made Rick shake his head. "But they
were certain to catch up with him!"

"Of course. He knew it. But he intended to stall in giving them the
final location until he had tapped every possible source. Then I believe
he intended handing them some phony location in West China, after which
he would disappear and live on the proceeds. He collected enough to make
him very wealthy. He hadn't reached us yet, but you can bet that if I
hadn't stumbled on the story, he would have made a sale to one of our
embassies or consulates."

"Ours, too," Keaton-Yeats said. "He took advantage of all the interest
in atomic weapons. And of his reputation, of course."

"What about Ko?" Scotty asked.

"Ko had a side line," Bradley explained. "He was selling heavy water to
various institutions and schools all over Asia for normal experimental