"Why not?" Sanders demanded. "That uniform you're wearing makes it mandatory. All right, come back into my cabin." They went back into the cabin. The captain shut the door and turned to face Corriston with a shocked concern in his stare. "You've had it rough, Lieutenant. I can see that." "Plenty rough," Corriston conceded. "But it's not myself I'm worried about." "Did you know that a man has just been murdered?" "I know," Corriston said. "With a poisoned barb. A Martian barb. It's a plant found only on Mars. We have him stretched out on a table in the sick bay now. But he isn't sick; he's a corpse. Tell me something, Lieutenant, did you just tangle with the man who did it?" "I think so," Corriston said. "In fact, I'd stake my commission on it." "I see. Well, you'd better tell me about it. Tell me everything." Corriston told him. The captain was silent for a long moment. Then he said, "But we've no Miss Ramsey on the passenger list. And I certainly didn't invite her to drink a toast with me in my cabin. Are you sure of your facts, Lieutenant?" Corriston's jaw fell open. He stared at the captain in stunned disbelief. "Of course I'm sure. Why should I lie to you?" "How should I know? It's unfair to ask me that. If Ramsey's daughter was on this ship, you can rest assured I'd have known about it. After all, Lieutenant--" "But she _was_ on board and you _didn't_ know. Isn't that obvious? Look, she was traveling incognito. The trip to the Station takes only five hours. Perhaps in so short a trip--" "No 'perhaps' about it. I'd have known." "But she _is_ on board, I tell you. I talked to her. I talked to Clakey. Don't make me go over the whole thing again. We've got to find her. Ramsey's enemies would stop at nothing. I'm afraid to think of what they might do to his daughter!" "Nothing will happen to his daughter. She's on Earth right this minute in her father's house, as safe as any girl that wealthy can ever be. Lieutenant, listen to me. I've got a great deal of respect for that uniform you're wearing. Don't make me lose it. When you come to me with a story like that--" "All right. You don't believe me. Will you check the passenger list, just to be sure?" "I'll do more than that, Lieutenant. I'll assemble all of the passengers and check them off personally. I'll give you an opportunity to look them over while I'm doing it. Later you can ask them as many questions as you wish. There'll be a murderer among them, but that shouldn't disturb you too much. You've already met. Perhaps you can identify him for us. Ask each of the men who made a non-existent Miss Ramsey disappear and the one who turns pale will be our man."