Edel W. Crane, contemptuous eyes turning away from the still-life, reached a bony hand for the approval slip. "I will let you know what I find." * * * * * Donovan stood up, and when the C.D. agent left he frantically sent out a conscious call to Blascomb's thought-frequency number. "By the Komitet!" Blascomb's wave-induced voice rang in Donovan's ears, "I told you never to call me unless it was most urgent." "This is urgent," Donovan thought desperately, "Crane, a C.D. agent, was here a minute ago. He's going to look over the books of the Trust." "He won't find a thing," Blascomb's thoughts were confident in Donovan's mind, "They haven't caught a single one of the men I've sent back into the 17th century; just be patient and we'll cyclic you out within a week." "Then hurry. My heart's in bad shape and I can't last much longer. I'm practically being kept alive by that rotten Callistan serum." "Stay alive for one more week," Blascomb thought encouragingly, "and you'll be young for centuries." _Turn backward, turn backward, O Time in thy flight!_ The song sped through Donovan's mind, lifting his spirits. To be young again, and to be free from the constant supervision and threat of the terrifying C.D.! "As for Crane," Blascomb went on, "It's part of the service I'm giving you. We've arranged a false-lead case in your office. Crane has his talons set for your brother-in-law. Shortly before the C.D. annihilates him your escape will be arranged to throw suspicion upon him. We will make it seem that your brother-in-law killed you for denouncing him to the C.D. Crane will never see through the subterfuge; you'll be safe--perhaps forever." His brother-in-law's life was a cheap price to pay for youth. Donovan stared at his stiff, corpse-like hands. All he needed was one more week. He would make one more effort to secure a Life-Extension--and then.... * * * * * The Examiner for the Board of Life waited while Donovan dressed. The answer could already be seen in the official's eyes. "No?" "I'm sorry," the Examiner said, "but the laws of the Komitet are fairly stringent. Only those whose social value is above Par 195 may be rejuvenated. Not much value is placed upon engineers and Trust managers who can easily be replaced from each year's Birth Quota. The application is denied, and there's no use appealing it." "It's unjust!" Donovan exclaimed, ignoring the alarming pain in his failing heart. "All I want is ten more years--not even a full return to youth! If there's no room on Home Planet, let me go the extra-terrestials or even some asteroid. I'll make any contribution required to...."