"How will you manage that?" asked Lockley, without too much interest. "The rocket," said the general, beaming. "When troops start into the Park, the rocket takes off. It heads for empty space. And we explain that the aliens went away when they found their weapon useless and we started to get rough with them!" "Oh," said Lockley listlessly. "But the really beautiful thing," the general told him, "is your gadget! They can be made by millions. Ridiculously cheap, they tell me. Everybody in the world will want one, and we'll pass them out. No government could stop that! Not even Russia! But--d'you see, Lockley?" Lockley shook his head. He always had a tendency to look on the dark side of future events. The future did not look bright to him. "Don't you see?" demanded the general, chuckling. "They detonate explosives, those little gadgets! There's no harm in that! Where explosives are used in industry you've only to make sure that nobody turns one on too close. In nine-tenths of the world, anyhow, civilians aren't allowed to have guns. But think of the consequences there!" Lockley was weary. He was dejected. The general grinned from ear to ear. "Why, when these are distributed, even the secret police can't go armed! What price dictators then? For that matter, what price soldiers? The cold war ends, Lockley, because there couldn't be a conquering army in the modern sense. The tanks wouldn't run. The cars would stall. And the guns--An invasion would have to be made with horse-drawn transport and the troops armed with bows and spears. That amounts to disarmament, Lockley! A consummation devoutly to be wished! I'm going to look forward to a ripe old age now. I never could before!" * * * * * Presently Lockley talked to Jill. She was constrained. She seemed uneasy. Lockley felt that there wasn't much to say, now that Vale was alive and well and there was no more danger for her. He offered his hand to say good-bye. "I think," she said with a little difficulty, "I think I should tell you I'm not--engaged any longer. I--told him I--wouldn't want to be married to someone whose work made him keep secrets from me." Lockley tensed. He said incredulously, "You're not going to marry Vale?" She said nervously. "No-o-o. I've told him." Lockley swallowed. "What did he say?" "He--didn't like it," said Jill. "But he understood. I explained things. He said--he said to congratulate you." Lockley made an appropriate movement. She wept quietly, held close in his arms. "I was so afraid you didn't--you wouldn't--" Lockley took appropriate measures to comfort her and to assure her that he did and he would, forever and ever. A very long time later he asked interestedly, "What did you say to Vale when he asked you to congratulate me?" "I said," said Jill comfortably, "that I would if things worked out all right. And they have. I congratulate you, darling. Now how about congratulating me?"