instant. The bronze button had come
out of his lapel. He tossed it on Masterson's desk.

"Here," he said. "A present for you. I can't stand the smell of it."

* * * * *

Dully, the two men sat, watching the closed door. At long last, Rayson
turned his head with obvious effort, to stare at Masterson, who
recovered a few milliseconds more slowly.

But Masterson's recovery was the more violent of the two. He stared
blankly at Rayson for an instant, then sprang to his feet.

"Why that young...! I'll turn him every way but loose."

He sprang around his desk and took a stride toward the door.

"No, no." Rayson raised a hand warningly. "This is no way to handle
such a matter." He smiled gently.

"After all, this young man succeeded in immobilizing both of us for a
considerable time. In the first place, I doubt you'd be able to catch
him. In the second, do you think he would stand still while you mauled
him by yourself?"

Masterson turned around, frowning. "He caught me unprepared," he
snarled. "He can't do that to me again. Not while I'm ready for him."

"No? I think he could. Any time, any place, and under almost any
conditions. And I have much more experience in these matters than you,
my friend. This is a very dangerous young man, and he requires special
handling. Sit down and let us consider this young man."

Masterson growled impatiently, but returned to his desk. He sat down,
glowering at his companion.

"Suppose you tell me what you're talking about," he demanded.

Rayson looked down at his hands, which rested on the desk.

"We have been talking about mental influence, I believe. In fact, we
mentioned this very matter to our young friend. This is correct?"

"Sure we did. So?"

"And our young man was quite positive that he could never be so
controlled and that any effort to do so would be immediately apparent
to him. This is also correct, I believe?"

"That's about the way of it, yes. What are you driving at?"

Rayson sighed. "Let me remind you of something, then. You are, of
course; of the Ministerial Investigative Force, just as I am. But our
specialties are different. Your dealings are with the teaching and
preparation of youth for useful citizenship, and with the prevention of
certain gross misbehavior. Thus, you deal with those more obvious and
material deviations from the socially acceptable and have little
experience with the more dangerous and even less