"But why does it have to be so hard? Why can't one of the big corporations help you? They'll profit from your success!" "At least I had no competition in the fulfillment of my dream." They were silent for a time; then Myra said, "But now you can rest. We'll go away. We don't need much money. We'll have a garden. You can lie in the sun." He laughed softly; not with humor; rather from a quiet, new-welling courage. "We're talking as though it were all over--finished, done with. That isn't right." She glanced at him quickly. "But you just said--" "I know. But I didn't really mean it that way. We aren't through yet." "You know where you can raise--more money?" "I know where it is. I'm going to see Lee Gorman tomorrow." "Lee Gorman! You aren't serious." "There's no place else to go." "You'll be wasting your time, Joshua. He'll--he'll humiliate you." "He probably will. And I may not get the money. But there's no place else to go." Tears came into Myra's eyes. "Don't do it, Joshua. Please don't do it." "It won't be as bad as you think, dear. I guess Lee is entitled to crow a little." * * * * * Lee Gorman looked at the intercom on his desk as though it had snapped at him. "Who?" he barked. But there had been no mistake. Gorman sat in puzzled silence for a few moments. Then he said, "All right, show him in." Joshua Lake entered the office with his hat in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He paused halfway to Gorman's desk. "You haven't changed much, Lee." "You have," Gorman answered. "You look like the devil." "I've been working hard." Joshua Lake covered the intervening distance and stood before the desk. Gorman surveyed him coldly--up and down. Joshua looked around the office as Gorman sat silent, not inviting him to sit down. "You've done very well, Lee. This is the first time I've seen your plant." "I've expanded a little since my basement days. You remember my basement days, don't you Joshua?" Joshua winced. "Yes, I remember." "And now you might tell me the purpose of this visit." "I came to you because I need money." Gorman's eyes snapped open--wide. He opened his mouth to speak. He failed, tightened his throat and tried again. "You came here after _what_?" "Money. I'm broke, Lee. I haven't enough to meet my payroll." "You expect me to bail you out--clean up your debts--put you clear?" "I came after more than that. Merely bailing me out wouldn't help a bit. I need three hundred thousand to put my rocket in the air." Gorman collapsed gently back into his chair like a balloon mercifully relieved of some of its content. When he spoke, it was with a slow, controlled viciousness. "I've heard of guts, Joshua. I've heard of gall--plain unmitigated nerve. But this tops anything--why, man, you threw me out! You robbed me! You left me standing in the street with a bookful of names and addresses under my arm--nothing more. Now you come here and ask for money!"