"Yes." She shut the file cabinet. "All burned. And good riddance." She gave him an odd warm look of interest. "I bet you've just come back from Mars." "Why do you say that?" "There was another explorer in here yesterday. He'd just made the Mars hop and return. He was interested in supernatural literature, also. It seems there are actually 'tombs' on Mars." "What are 'tombs'?" Lantry was learning to keep his mouth closed. "You know, those things they once buried people in." "Barbarian custom. Ghastly!" "_Isn't_ it? Well, seeing the Martian tombs made this young explorer curious. He came and asked if we had any of those authors you mentioned. Of course we haven't even a smitch of their stuff." She looked at his pale face. "You _are_ one of the Martian rocket men, aren't you?" "Yes," he said. "Got back on the ship the other day." "The other young man's name was Burke." "Of course. Burke! Good friend of mine!" "Sorry I can't help you. You'd best get yourself some vitamin shots and some sun-lamp. You look terrible, Mr. ----?" "Lantry. I'll be good. Thanks ever so much. See you next Hallows' Eve!" "Aren't you the clever one." She laughed. "If there _were_ a Hallows' Eve, I'd make it a date." "But they burned _that_, too," he said. "Oh, they burned everything," she said. "Good night." "Good night." And he went on out. * * * * * Oh, how carefully he was balanced in this world! Like some kind of dark gyroscope, whirling with never a murmur, a very silent man. As he walked along the eight o'clock evening street he noticed with particular interest that there was not an unusual amount of lights about. There were the usual street lights at each corner, but the blocks themselves were only faintly illuminated. Could it be that these remarkable people were not _afraid of the dark_? Incredible nonsense! _Every one_ was afraid of the dark. _Even he_ himself had been afraid, as a child. It was as natural as eating. A little boy ran by on pelting feet, followed by six others. They yelled and shouted and rolled on the dark cool October lawn, in the leaves. Lantry looked on for several minutes before addressing himself to one of the small boys who was for a moment taking a respite, gathering his breath into his small lungs, as a boy might blow to refill a punctured paper bag. "Here, now," said Lantry. "You'll wear yourself out." "Sure," said the boy. "Could you tell me," said the man, "why there are no street lights in the middle of the blocks?" "Why?" asked the boy. "I'm a teacher, I thought I'd test your knowledge," said Lantry. "Well," said the boy, "you don't need lights in the middle of the block, that's why." "But it gets rather dark," said Lantry. "So?" said the boy. "Aren't you afraid?" asked Lantry. "Of what?" asked the boy. "The dark," said Lantry. "Ho ho," said the boy. "Why should I be?"