“A set of chessmen?” Kitty could not hide her surprise. Chess had become intimately associated in her mind with Cary and his partners. Hazel laughed. “In my old age I’ve suddenly decided to become a chess fan.” “It does seem to be quite a fad around here,” admitted Kitty. “I haven’t any way to get the money to you before you go.” “Oh, that’s all right,” said Kitty. “What price do you want to pay?” She recalled that her grandfather’s ivory chessmen had been very valuable. “Oh, the cheapest ones you can find will do for me, plastic or wood will be all right. I only want them so I can learn the game.” As Kitty put down the phone after this unusual request, she wondered what was behind it. She had no doubt that Hazel’s motive in learning the game had some connection with Lieutenant Cary’s chess playing. Yet the two made no pretense at friendship. Though she had missed her father at breakfast Kitty was determined to see him before she went to town, so she decided to go to the hospital. By nine she had eaten breakfast and was ready for the weekly shopping expedition. “Is you gwine to tek Billy to town wid you?” asked Jane seeing Kitty dressed so early. “Yes. He has to have a new pair of shoes. Hope I can get some non-rationed ones. He’s already used my last coupon.” “Dat boy can sho stomp out dem shoes.” “You’d better wake him up and give him breakfast by the time I come back. I’m going to run up to the hospital to see Dad a few minutes.” All the guards and attendants at the hospital knew Kitty as the daughter of the Chief Pharmacist’s Mate. She always gave them a smile, a jaunty salute and passed in without comment. A few minutes later she slipped noiselessly into her father’s office. He was busy going over some order sheets with a junior officer, so Kitty sat down near the door till he was at leisure. “See you in a few minutes, Kitten,” her father said when the petty officer went out and his stenographer came up with some letters to be signed. Kitty thought how wonderful it was to live where she could occasionally drop in on her father at his work. He had not finished the letters when the door was opened wide and to her amazement young Punaro stepped in and picked up her father’s half-filled wastebasket. He didn’t see her till he turned to go back to the hall, where he had left the large canvas-sided container which he rolled along the halls to collect trash. By the ominous look he sent her she knew instantly he recognized her as the same girl who had come upon him unexpectedly at the galley dock last night. Before he came back with the empty basket her father called her to his desk. He waited a moment till Punaro closed the door. “What’s on your mind, Kitten?” he asked, dropping his professional manner like a mask. “Plenty,” she said. “I don’t like that Punaro fellow coming into your office for one thing.”