Bronson had only the strength of the indignant, which was far from the unreasonable power of the insane. With the use of a small amount of foresight, Ed Bronson knew that he might have been in a room less bare, perhaps one in which the door had not been bolted, barred and locked. Bronson, it must be told, was not aware of the fact that the men who held him were also used to prisoners possessed of the cunning of the insane. No amount of cajolery, honest protest, supine acquiescence or willing aid would have made them do other than lock, bolt and bar his door. What Bronson needed was a friend.... Maddox smiled with grim humor. "We cannot silence him now." Kingston nodded, his face clearing of its slight frown. "Good man," he breathed. "Nor," said Maddox, looking at the cell depicted on the kinescope tube, "can we aid him to escape." "To kill him inside of that room would most certainly prove to them that enough of his tale is true to make them suspicious. Even to open that room and let him out will prove to them that there is more than the agency of a single man at work." "In other, terser words," grunted Maddox, "he has placed himself in a position where he has life insurance--only in the name of Earth Three." "And you see to it that he stays alive, suspect and helpless!" snapped Kingston. "That I shall do," nodded Maddox. "That I shall do!" "Unless, of course, he is threatened by death with both killer and motive indigenous--or apparently so--to Earth One." * * * * * Peter Moray turned to Virginia Carlson and shook his head. "Won't work," he said. "Why not?" she asked. Moray explained. His explanation was almost identical to that of Kingston and Maddox. To hurl a man into an asylum for hallucination is all well and good. To protect society, for any number of reasons all directed at the protection of society, from the maniac or to protect the maniac from society is sound. Yet no man can be incarcerated very long if he is sane and wants to get out. It is as difficult for a sane man to fake insanity as it is for an insane man to fake insanity. "So what do we do now?" asked Virginia. "We should have eliminated him at once," snapped Moray. "Confound it, I was sleeping. I thought he might be useful." "You were wrong," she said. "It seems to me that we might as well give him the works. I'll go down and see that he is taken care of." * * * * * Peter Moray nodded. Bronson had seen Moray but had never seen Virginia. In fact, Bronson knew only Virginia's last name. That was a help. Also, Virginia was a very good looking young woman and the power of a beautiful woman who speaks with certainty is great. She was also a capable calculator and could plan her campaign as she went along. Moray nodded, and Virginia headed for the asylum.