d his lips uncertainly.

"You will excuse me for a moment, sir," Thayer said to Commissioner
Sanford. He picked the Geest gun up gingerly by its unmistakably curved
shaft, took it over to the office safe, laid it inside and relocked the
safe. He then left the office.

* * *

In an adjoining room, Thayer rapped out Major Wayne Jackson's code
number on a communicator. He heard a faint click as Jackson's wrist
speaker switched on, and said quickly, "Wayne, are you in a position to
speak?"

"I am at the moment," Jackson's voice replied cautiously.

Colonel Thayer said, "Norm Vaughn just crashed in here with something he
claims was found in the diggings. Sanford saw it, and obviously
recognized it. We might be able to keep him quiet. But now some
questions. Was that item actually dug up just now?"

"Apparently it was," Jackson said. "I didn't see it happen--I was
talking to Black at the moment. But there are over a dozen witnesses who
claim they did see it happen, including five or six of the news agency
men."

"And they knew what it was?"

"Enough of them did."

Thayer cursed softly. "No chance that one of them pitched the thing into
the diggings for an Earthside sensation?"

"I'm afraid not," Jackson said. "It was lying in the sifter after most
of the sand and dust had been blown away."

"Why didn't you call me at once?"

"I've been holding down something like a mutiny here, Silas. Vaughn got
away before I could stop him, but I grounded the other aircars till you
could decide what to do. Our visitors don't like that. Neither do they
like the fact that I've put a guard over the section where the find was
made, and haven't let them talk to Norm's work crew.

"Ronald Black and his staff have been fairly reasonable, but there's
been considerable mention of military highhandedness made by the others.
This is the first moment I've been free."

"You did the right thing," Thayer said, "but I doubt it will help much
now. Can you get hold of Ronald Black?"

"Yes, he's over there ..."

"Colonel Thayer?" another voice inquired pleasantly a few seconds later.

"Mr. Black," the colonel said carefully, "what occurred in the diggings
a short while ago may turn out to be a matter of great importance."

"That's quite obvious, sir."

"And that being the case," the colonel went on, "do you believe it would
be possible to obtain a gentleman's agreement from all witnesses to
make no mention of this ap