"You underestimate them, though," Frank said. "There's a little trickle of maturity in this country. For every aberration like you it gains a drop of experience and knowledge. The war is over. We've had our emotional jag. We're about to go into one of our rational periods. We're about to wake up to our responsibilities. Your day is passing. I don't know if there's enough of you left to keep out the starmen. The people are coming around. But--I--do--know--this. I know...." "Stop!" Norma cried. "You don't understand Bud! You're trying to make him into something dishonest and cynical!" "I've watched him come up. I've watched him for years. I've seen all the rotten deals he's pulled. I've seen him smear innocent people--ruin their careers--and all not for patriotism but for himself. To advance his career. Keep his name before the public. He doesn't care for anything but Bud. Bud, and any means to the end that he moves up, gets power--power for power's sake--power to create and destroy--power to change and control. I've watched him: I know him. I'm talking the only language he understands." Bud was trembling. The sense of indignation, horror, and innocence was blunted by the shallow dryness of his breathing. "Frank! Stop this! You're out of your mind!" "I'm going to see you defeated in the next election, Bud. I'm going to dig up dirt, I'm going to find out who your mistresses are. I'm your brother. I'm going to hound you, disgrace you, drive you from office. You know me. You know I mean what I say. _You know I will do it._" "What do you want? My, my God, Frank, what are you after?" * * * * * Frank's hands were shaking. His mouth worked nervously. "For once in my life, for once in my life I've got something all-the-way decent to fight for, and I mean to fight just as dirty as I have to get it. Bud, you're coming over to my side on this starmen hearing. You're going to vote for co-operation with them. Do you hear me? Do you hear what I say?" Bud, his eyes bulging with shock and disbelief, shook his head dumbly. His own brother--this terror raging before him--impossible, his own brother.... His heart pounded. His will was gone. "What do you want?" he repeated dryly. "I told you." "I--I--I'll have to think. I--I--" "No, you won't," Frank said. He stood before him now. "No, you won't." Norma jumped between them. "Leave him alone!" Bud snaked from behind her and fled to the bar. His unprotected back a crawling mass of chill, he poured himself a drink. "You're ... you're upset, Frank. You've been, been overworked." He drank the drink in a feverish gulp. "Now ..." his voice fluttered nervously. "I'll forget what you've said here tonight. I understand." His breathing was still tight and frightened. "About the starmen. I haven't, I haven't really given the matter too, too much ... attention. I still have an ... I was just today thinking of...." Frank started to speak.