"One might admire the tenacity and ability of a pet dog who is working its way through a maze toward a hunk of steak," he said quietly. "Yet one does not consider the dog our equal." Rhinegallis shook her head. "Would it please you to know that you are a threat to us?" "I've known that," he returned quickly. "And so is a dog a threat to man. Dogs can kill. They do not because they know that they are dependent for life upon becoming man's friend." "And you?" He smiled sourly. "Again the question of ethics," he said. "For no matter what I say you know that I shall do anything I find necessary to defeat you." "We will never accept your word as bond," she told him. "Were it a simple matter of personal integrity and honor we could take it and be satisfied. But there is too much at stake. A man would be a complete fool to give his word and keep it when his future hangs in the balance." "I'd not give it," he said simply. And then he turned to her with a cryptic smile. "So my future and the future of Sol are really at stake?" "Yes," she replied. "Then you are a threat." Rhinegallis smiled at him. "Is one a threat that does not permit the child to play with fire?" she said coolly. "May I point out that I am not a child," he said crossly. "_Ros nile ver tan si vol klys_," she said in her own tongue. "And if you know what I said you'd know what you studied last night." "When a child is deprived of matches, he is told why--in many cases he is shown mildly what happens. So go ahead, Rhinegallis, treat me as a child--and tell me, Rhinegallis, why I must not play with the Lawson Radiation." "It is dangerous," she replied. "In my lifetime," he said, "I have been responsible for the direction of many children. I have yet to turn away a curious--honestly curious--child. Mankind is always curious--providing we know why." "It is dangerous," she repeated. "Dangerous," he echoed. "Dangerous, Rhinegallis, to whom? You?" "Mr. Carroll," she said quietly, "you think you have trapped me into an admission. You have not. Tell me, do you honestly think you can take the position of demanding an answer?" "I think so." "You cannot. You have not." "No?" he said with a bitter laugh, "then if your race has no evil intent it could stop a lot of trouble, suspicion and labor by guiding us instead of blocking our efforts. Add to that your own refusal to tell me one thing that would frighten me away. I come up with a rather unhappy answer, Rhinegallis." The girl turned away and left. Her offer to join him for breakfast was forgotten. Carroll watched her back as she went down the hallway and considered himself lucky. Even considering that their way of life was alien to Terran thinking, no advancing race could ever deny honest curiosity unless it had some ulterior motive. Ergo, they were suppressing the truth about the Lawson Radiation because they were afraid that Terra would find the answer! From behind him he heard Kingallis chuckling.