"Nick," she said, "How much have you had to drink? What's wrong?" Martin shut his eyes and lay back against the cushions. "Let me have a few minutes, Erika," he pleaded. "I'll be all right as soon as I recover from stress. It's only when I'm under stress that Ivan--" "You can accept your contract release from Watt, can't you? Surely you'll be able to manage that." "Of course," Martin said with feeble bravery. He thought it over and reconsidered. "If I can hold your hand," he suggested, taking no chances. This disgusted Erika so much that for two miles there was no more conversation within the cab. Erika had been thinking her own thoughts. "You've certainly changed since this morning," she observed. "Threatening to make love to me, of all things. As if I'd stand for it. I'd like to see you try." There was a pause. Erika slid her eyes sidewise toward Martin. "I said I'd like to see you try," she repeated. "Oh, you would, would you?" Martin said with hollow valor. He paused. Oddly enough his tongue, hitherto frozen stiff on one particular subject in Erika's presence, was now thoroughly loosened. Martin wasted no time on theory. Seizing his chance before a new stress might unexpectedly arise, he instantly poured out his heart to Erika, who visibly softened. "But why didn't you ever say so before?" she asked. "I can't imagine," Martin said. "Then you'll marry me?" "But why were you acting so--" "Will you marry me?" "Yes," Erika said, and there was a pause. Martin moistened his lips, discovering that somehow he and Erika had moved close together. He was about to seal the bargain in the customary manner when a sudden thought struck him and made him draw back with a little start. Erika opened her eyes. "Ah--" said Martin. "Um. I just happened to remember. There's a bad flu epidemic in Chicago. Epidemics spread like wildfire, you know. Why, it could be in Hollywood by now--especially with the prevailing westerly winds." "I'm damned if I'm going to be proposed to and not kissed," Erika said in a somewhat irritated tone. "You kiss me!" "But I might give you bubonic plague," Martin said nervously. "Kissing spreads germs. It's a well-known fact." "Nick!" "Well--I don't know--when did you last have a cold?" Erika pulled away from him and went to sit in the other corner. "Ah," Martin said, after a long silence. "Erika?" "Don't talk to me, you miserable man," Erika said. "You monster, you." "I can't help it," Martin cried wildly. "I'll be a coward for twelve hours. It's not my fault. After eight tomorrow morning I'll--I'll walk into a lion-cage if you want, but tonight I'm as yellow as Ivan the Terrible! At least let me tell you what's been happening." Erika said nothing. Martin instantly plunged into his long and improbable tale.