ppropriate at this time, as I
approach the end of my long service, to record a few observations which
have occurred to me during the course of it as well as to record the
day-to-day details of my present command."

The general wrote: "A man is given a job to do. And when all is said and
done, that is the most important thing in his life: to do his job."

It took perhaps ten seconds for the soft knock to penetrate his
concentration. He adjusted himself to the moment and closed the diary
softly. He deposited it in the upper right-hand drawer of the writing
desk and locked the drawer.

The knock came again.

He arranged his tie.

"Come in," General Shorter said.

The agitation of the man in the doorway was announced by the paleness of
his face.

"Come in, David," General Shorter said, rising politely from the writing
desk. "Be seated, please."

"General, we've had a ... a very unfortunate thing happen on the shift."

The general sank back into his chair. Light from the desk lamp framed
his expressionless and immobile face, half in light, half in shadow. He
fingered the straight-edge on the desk top.

"Sit down, David, and then tell me about it."

Shift-Captain Arnold moved uncertainly.

"Sit down, sit down," General Shorter repeated impatiently.

Captain Arnold seated himself on the edge of the chair.

"One of the men," he said, "just committed suicide. He was in charge of
the air changing monitor this shift. He went outside without a suit."

The general blinked as though to remove an irritation from his eye. His
hand lay still and hard upon the straight-edge. "What was his name?" he
asked in a voice that was vaguely puzzled.

"Schuster. Sergeant Schuster, sir."

"Yes, I remember him," the general said. "He came to us about a week
before the lift. I think he was from Colorado. He had very broad
shoulders. Short and broad. Neat appearing. Uniform always in good
order."

General Shorter ran his thumb and forefinger up the bridge of his nose
and then, with a very small sigh, placed his palm over his eyes.

"Draw up the report," he said. "Was there a final message?" The question
was uttered without hesitation and was followed by a moment of silence.

"No, sir."

General Shorter's breath was audible.

"Please feel free to smoke, David."

"Thank you, sir, I don't smoke."

"No, of course not. I'd forgotten." General Shorter half turned and
placed his hands on the desk. He stood under their pressure.