hand.

"Oh, that's all right," he said. "This is what they pay this guy for.
But he gets to like his work too well, know what I mean? So here a
while back, he gets on some machine tender. Leans all over this poor
guy. Well, the fab nurse ends up turning in his tickets, and this, the
joes don't go for so good." He jerked a shoulder.

"Oh, Janzel tries to kill the squawk, but it's no go. The joes push
the button and here's Vernay." He grinned.

"They manage to get it knocked to some kinda manslaughter, but
Vernay's still got time to pick up, so they pull wires and get him up
here. It ain't no rest home, but it ain't no madhouse neither, like
some of them places." His eyes clouded.

"Oogh, when I think of some of the holes--" He waved a hand.

"So anyway, like you see, Vernay's got plenty of muscle, but he's kind
of low in the brain department. Maybe they thought something might
drill through the skull up here, but that don't work either. I guess
Janzel'd about as soon get another pretty boy, but they know they'll
lose too much face, they dump him right away.

"Then you come along and just about split the chump's conk just so's
he'll stay out of your light, see?" He shook his head slowly.

"Only thing, that don't solve nothing. He comes out of the bone-house
in a couple days, and he ain't gonna like you at all. See what I
mean?"

"Yeah." Stan examined his fingernails.

"Yeah," he repeated. "You make it all nice and clear." He got up and
went to the washstand.

"Whatcha gonna do, Georgie, boy?" he chanted. "Guess I'll just have to
give him a free lesson in breakfalls. He won't like it too well, but
he could use lots of practice."

* * * * *

It took Vernay more than a couple of days to get out of the hospital.
As time went by, Stan became more and more conscious of the
speculative looks he was getting from prisoners and guards alike.

He stood watching, as a maintenance engineer tore into the vitals of a
Lambert-Howell. Around him was space--a full meter on all sides. It
was, he realized, a distinction--symbolic accolade for anyone who had
the temerity to down a man like Vernay. It was also a gesture of
caution. No one was anxious to block the view of a man who had downed
a vicious fighter with an unobtrusive gesture. And no one was anxious
to be too close when Vernay might come by.

What sort of man was Vernay, Stan wondered. Of course, he was familiar
with the appearance o