a spy, and we caught him and we sent him back to Moscow.
That's our job. But all this about the sins of the fathers being
visited on the heads of the children, even unto the seventh
generation--this is just plain silly. You're you; you're not your
father. You haven't done anything--why should I treat you as if you
have?"

"How do you know I'm not a spy, too?" she said.

"Because," Malone said flatly, "I know."

"Really?" she said softly. "Do you really?"

Malone opened his mouth, shut it and then started again. "Strictly
speaking," he said carefully, "I don't know. But we're in the United
States now, where a person is considered innocent until proven
guilty."

"And that," Lou said, "is all you're going on, I suppose."

"Not all," Malone said.

"I didn't think so," Lou said, still smiling.

"Don't ask me how," Malone said, "but we're pretty sure you knew
nothing about your father's activities. Forget it."

Lou looked suddenly slightly disappointed. Malone wondered why. Of
course, there was one more reason, and maybe she'd thought of that.
"It does make it easier," he said, "that you happen to be a beautiful
girl."

She smiled again, and started to say something, but she never got the
chance. The landing gear of the aircraft bumped gently against the
runway, and the ship rolled slowly in to a stop.

A second passed. From the back of the plane a voice said: "Are we back
in Washington, S--Mr. Malone?"

"That's right, Miss Thompson," Malone told the Queen.

"And Miss Garbitsch--"

"I'm fine, Miss Thompson," Luba said. She swung her feet around to the
deck.

"Wait a minute," Malone said. "Do you think you ought to get up?"

Lou's smile seemed to reduce him to small, very hot ashes. "Ken," she
said, "the doctor said I was fine, so what are you worrying about? I
can get up. I'll be all right."

"Oh, okay," he said, and stepped back. Her Majesty had already left
the plane. Lou got up, and wavered just a little. Malone held out his
arms, and found her in them before he had thought about it.

A long time seemed to pass. Malone wasn't sure whether he was standing
still because he wanted to, or because he was absolutely incapable of
motion. Lou didn't seem in any hurry to break away, either.

Then she put her arms around his neck.

"Sleuth," she said, "don't you ever follow up a hint?"

"Hint?" Malone said.

"Damn it," Lou said in a soft, sweet voice, "kiss me, Ken."

Malone had no answer to that--at l