y furnished room and announced, "Honorable
Gunther calling on the Honorables Mayer and Kennedy."

Martin Gunther hurried into the room, for once his calm ruffled. "On the
western continent," he blurted. "Dean and Rosetti. The Temple got them,
they've been burned as witches."

Amschel Mayer shot to his feet. "That's the end," he swore shrilly.
"Only in the west have the barons held out. I thought we'd slowly wear
them down, take over their powers bit by bit. But this does it. This
means we fight."

He spun to Kennedy. "Jerry, make a trip out to the _Pedagogue_. You know
the extent of Genoa's industrial progress. Seek out the most advanced
weapons this technology could produce."

Kennedy came to his own feet, shocked by Gunther's news. "But, Amschel,
do you think it's wise to precipitate an intercontinental war? Remember,
we've been helping to industrialize the west, too. It's almost as
advanced as our continent. Their war potential isn't negligible."

"Nevertheless," Mayer snapped, "we've got to break the backs of the
barons and the Temple monks. Get messages off to Baron Leonar and young
Mannerheim, to Russ and Olderman. We'll want them to put pressure on
their local politicians. What we need is a continental alliance for this
war."

Gunther said, "Should I get in touch with Rykov? He's still over there."

Mayer hesitated. "No," he said. "We'll keep Nick informed but he ought
to remain where he is. We'll still want our men in the basic positions
of power after we've won."

"He might get hurt," Gunther scowled. "They might get him too, and we've
only got six team members left now."

"Nonsense, Nick Rykov can take care of himself."

Jerry Kennedy was upset. "Are you sure about this war, chief? Isn't a
conflict of this size apt to hold up our overall plans?"

"Of course not," Mayer scoffed. "Man makes his greatest progress under
pressure. A major war will unite the nations of both the western
continent and this one as nothing else could. Both will push their
development to the utmost."

He added thoughtfully, "Which reminds me. It might be a good idea for
us to begin accumulating interests in such industries as will be
effected by a war economy."

Jerry Kennedy chuckled at him, "Merchant of death."

"What?"

"Nothing," Kennedy said. "Something I read about in a history book."

VIII.

At the decade's end, once again the representatives of the Genoese team
were first in the _Pedagogue's_ lounge.