The Project Gutenberg EBook of Circus, by Alan Edward Nourse

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Title: Circus

Author: Alan Edward Nourse

Release Date: October 3, 2007 [EBook #22875]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _The Counterfeit Man More Science
Fiction Stories by Alan E. Nourse_ published in 1963. Extensive
research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on
this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical
errors have been corrected without note.

Circus

"Just suppose," said Morgan, "that I _did_ believe you. Just for
argument." He glanced up at the man across the restaurant table. "Where
would we go from here?"

The man shifted uneasily in his seat. He was silent, staring down at his
plate. Not a strange-looking man, Morgan thought. Rather ordinary, in
fact. A plain face, nose a little too long, fingers a little too dainty,
a suit that doesn't quite seem to fit, but all in all, a perfectly
ordinary looking man.

Maybe _too_ ordinary, Morgan thought.

Finally the man looked up. His eyes were dark, with a hunted look in
their depths that chilled Morgan a little. "Where do we go? I don't
know. I've tried to think it out, and I get nowhere. But you've _got_ to
believe me, Morgan. I'm lost, I mean it. If I can't get help, I don't
know where it's going to end."

"I'll tell you where it's going to end," said Morgan. "It's going to end
in a hospital. A mental hospital. They'll lock you up and they'll lose
the key somewhere." He poured himself another cup of coffee and sipped
it, scalding hot. "And that," he added, "will be that."

* * * * *

The place was dark and almost empty. Overhead, a rotary fan swished
patiently. The man across from Morgan ran a hand through his dark hair.
"There must be some other way," he said. "There has to be."

"All right, let's start from the beginning again," Morgan said. "Maybe
we can pin something down a little b