I was so shocked I let go of him. I sat down and lit another cigarette with what remained of the first. I watched him brush himself off and settle himself in the client chair. "I can't blame you for behaving like that," he said. "What the devil have you been doing, living in our attic and spying on me?" "Dear me, no. But you see, I know. I know all about you, Mr. Foley. I have to know." "You have to?" "Now that you have avoided death the first three times, I'm going to hire you." "To hire me? What for?" I must have sounded so amazed that my visitor said: "You do hire yourself out as a private detective? Don't you? That is your function, isn't it?" "Yeah, but--" "But how did I know? That's a long story. Too long and too involved for you and probably you wouldn't believe it anyhow. Look, Mr. Foley. I would like to hire you. I am an inventor. Your job will be to protect me and my invention against harm--for as long as necessary. Perhaps the rest of my life." "The rest of your life!" "Oh, that isn't very long. You see, I die of a heart attack in 1959." "I'm sorry to hear that," I said. "You mean, your doctor told you you only have three more years to live?" "My doctor?" the chunky fat man said. "Dear me, no. My great great great great grandchild told me. And he, of course, knows." "Your great great great great grandchild," I said. "Yes, of course. Naturally the dear boy--if you can call a man your own age a boy--is very upset. He's marooned here, you see." "This--uh--great great great great grandson is your own age, you say?" "Perhaps a little older. I never asked him." "But he won't be born for a hundred years!" I gasped. There was a silence. Then I smiled at my visitor. I had to smile. He was pulling my leg. He did it the best, the soberest way possible--but he was pulling my leg. There would be a place for him on TV, I thought, and said so. "But I'm not joking," he insisted. "Everything I told you is true, Mr. Foley. Here is what I want you to do. For as long as necessary, perhaps until my death in 1959, I want you to protect me and my invention. I'll pay you a hundred dollars a week for as long as I live, plus expenses." * * * * * A hundred and expenses was more than I averaged, but I didn't say that. I said, "What do I have to protect you against?" "Why, didn't I say? My great great--" "Great great," I said for him, "grandson. Look, jack. You're talking in riddles. Why don't you spit straight out whatever you want to say? Your great great great great grandson can't possibly want to harm you because, damn it, he hasn't been born yet. Which leaves us where?"