Yet with this lack of incident, Neville was at all times alert in his study of the man he was watching. He could not help remembering that little while after the showboat performance that Carstairs had been absent from them. He particularly kept his mind open for any slow change in him, such as could be the result of a mysterious delayed-action drug or from post-hypnotic effect. But there was none that he could detect, nor did the colonel notice anything of the sort, though Neville spoke to him on the subject several times. The first indication that all was not well came from Mariquita Carstairs herself. Neville happened in one day for lunch and found her red-eyed and weeping. Then she added that she had worried a great deal the last few days about her husband's health. "When I watch him when he doesn't know it," she said anxiously, "he looks _different_--so wily, crafty and wicked. And he is not like that. He is the dearest man in the world. He _must_ be sick." Neville left as early as possible, and at once consulted Frawley. "Yes," said the inspector thoughtfully, "she's right. In the last day or so I've noticed a subtle change myself. I blundered into his office the other day and he had his safe open and mountains of files all over the floor. He was actually rude to me. Wanted to know what I meant by barging in on him like that. Imagine!" The communicator on the wall buzzed. The signal light showed it was the skyport calling. Neville could overhear what the rasping voice was saying. "Peters at airport reporting. Mr. Carstairs has made reservation on ship _Fanfare_ for passage to Vesta. Ship arrives in half an hour; departs immediately." By the time Frawley had acknowledged and cut the connection, Neville had already ordered the copter. "I'm on my way," he cried. "This is _it_! Give me a complete travel-kit quick and an Extra-Special transformation outfit." Two minutes later Neville was on his way to the landing field, the two valuable bags between his knees. He was there when the spaceship landed, and was inside it before Simeon Carstairs showed up. The copter soared away the moment he had left it. Carstairs would not know he had a shadow. Neville went straight to the captain, whom he found resting momentarily in his cabin. He flashed his badge. "I am your steward from here to Vesta," he told him. "Send for your regular one at once and give him his instructions." "But my dear sir," objected the captain, rising from his bunk, "as much as I would like to cooperate, I cannot do that. You must know that under the new regulations all members of a ship's crew must be photographed and the pictures posted in prominent parts of the ship. It is your own police rule and is for the protection of passengers from imposters." "Never mind that," snapped Neville, "get him in here."