"It _is_ a sad thing, isn't it? Well, the years get us all one way or the other, don't they?" "I guess so," said Lowen, "but, Mr. Pres--." Collins perked up. "Tell you what, though--he's liable to get a clear period any time and we really should have his thinking on this. I'll have that niece of his notify my office as soon as it happens and we'll go right over." "He's in very bad shape," Lowen hastened to say. "It would just wear him down more." "That bad, heh? Then I'd better make certain we get to see him very soon." Lowen glared at the floor, ready to kick himself for aggravating an already touchy situation. The intervideo snapped on. "Could you come out for a moment?" his secretary whispered on screen. She looked very upset. "Certainly, Helen, I'll be right there." President Collins turned to them. "I hope you gentlemen will excuse me." "Of course, Mister President." They all rose and bowed slightly in his direction. "Maps," President Collins smiled just before he went out. "That's his big hobby now, isn't it? Wonder what I'll go in for when I reach the intermittent senile phase?" He grinned. "Oh well, I still have a century before that." As soon as the door shut, Lowen whirled on his associates. "What the hell's the matter with you two? You looked as if you were going to spill the whole beans about the old man. We have to watch our step." "But the implication about his reaction was somewhat distorted," Fitzhugh protested. "_Somewhat distorted!_ Well, what of it? The most innocent little distortion I ever heard! We don't even know what Huddleston really means, do we?" "That's what I mean by distorted, Lowen. You didn't convey that impression--." Lowen exploded. "You're making me sick! You too, Crane, you looked qualmish." He leaned forward, spitting his words through clenched teeth. "The hypocrisy of it--you'd lie to your own soul if anything got in the way of this project. But now you can make nice prissy postures because I'm doing the so-called dirty work for you." Fitzhugh waved for calm. "Agreed, agreed, Lowen, it is much more important than a squeamish little point." "Much more important," seconded Crane. * * * * * Collins made a grim-faced return. "I have news from Huddleston's niece." The three men tensed. "What--," asked Lowen. "Gentlemen, you were right about the seriousness of his condition. He's dead. She said he became so excited about something you had told him that he had a serious relapse. He started to babble incoherently and never returned to articulate speech." They leaned back, more relaxed. "A terrible blow," said Crane. "The least we can do is carry forward his work." "You're absolutely right." Tired, he rubbed his silver eye-brows for a moment. "Gentlemen, I'll see to it that the Expedition gets every bit of support it needs." * * * * *