GRUNFELT, SUDAPFAHL: THE EXCELLENT HINRIK FONSHLIEZEN, PORTFOLIO OF STATE, ANNOUNCED TODAY THE DISCOVERY OF A TIME CAPSULE SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE MUSEUM OF GROSSTAT, NORDAPFAHL. THE CAPSULE, SET FOR A DATE APPROXIMATELY ONE DAY LATER THAN THAT OF THE NORTHERN CAPSULE, IS SAID TO BE BURIED BENEATH THE CAPITOL BUILDING, ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL RECORDS DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC THIS MORNING. EXCAVATIONS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY, ACCORDING TO HIS EXCELLENCY'S STATEMENT, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CAPSULE MAY CONTAIN SOME EXAMPLES OF THE WORK OF R. PHILIPP DACHBODEN. Leland Hale read it carefully and shook his head. "Dear me," he said mildly. "It may mean nothing to you, an outsider," said Dr. Mier bitterly, "but do you realize that to us this is a matter of national honor and prestige?" "Oh, yes. Of course. Naturally. Believe me, Dr. Mier, I certainly appreciate your position." He spread his hands slightly. "But, of course, you realize that, as a representative of the Interstellar Museum, I will have to check on the Sudapfahlian claim." Before Mier could voice any objections, Leland Hale silenced him with a wave of his hand. "You have nothing to worry about, Dr. Mier; as you know, the Interstellar Museum only allows one branch to a planet. Naturally, your museum would certainly have priority over that of Sudapfahl." "Sudapfahl doesn't even have a museum," Mier said, looking fatly superior. "Besides," Hale continued mollifyingly, "I shan't go there until after I have seen what your own time capsule has to offer. It seems to me that the Sudapfahlian government actually doesn't know what's inside their capsule. Their statements seem to be made out of pure jealousy." "You're probably quite right, Dr. Dale," said Mier. "Oh, I know I'm right," said Leland Hale truthfully. * * * * * After lunch, Dr. Allen H. Dale informed Dr. Mier that, as he was a bit fatigued from his trip, he would like to rest for a few hours. Mier agreed whole-heartedly, and the two men made an appointment to meet later in the afternoon for a tour of the Grosstat Museum of Cultural History, and perhaps dinner and a few drinks afterwards. After seeing his guest into his room, Dr. Mier strolled out of the hotel, stepped into his car, and ordered the driver to take him to the Museum. There were big things to be done. This new threat from the south was not to be taken too lightly. At the Museum--a huge, cold-looking, blocky granite structure--Mier climbed out of his car, toiled up the broad stairs to the entrance, and strolled rollingly in. On every side, flunkies, both in uniform and out, bowed and scraped as the Great Man passed by. Dr. Mier reached his book-lined office just as the telephone rang. He picked up the instrument, a mechanism of ancient design possessing no vision equipment, and announced that he was Dr. Rudolf Mier.