e
getting too wrapped up in this thing. And forget about the telepathers."

Rynason looked at her and grinned. "Why?" he said quietly. "There's no
harm in wishing."

"Because," she said, "we've got three telepathers coming in the day
after tomorrow."

THREE

Rynason continued to smile at her for several seconds, until her words
penetrated. Then he abruptly sat up and steadied himself with one hand
against the edge of the table.

"Can you get one for me?"

She gave a reluctant shrug. "If you insist, and if Manning okays it. But
is it a good idea? Direct contact with a mind so alien?"

As a matter of fact, now that he was faced with the actual possibility
of it, he wasn't so sure. But he said, "We'll only know once we've tried
it."

Mara dropped her eyes and swirled her drink, watching the tiny red spots
form inside the glass and rise to the surface. There was a brief silence
between them.

"_Repent_, Lee Rynason!" The words burst upon his ears over the waves of
sound that filled the room. He turned, half-rising, to find Rene
Malhomme hovering over him, his wide grin showing a tooth missing in the
bottom row.

Rynason settled back into his chair. "Don't shout. I'm going to have a
headache soon enough."

Malhomme took the chair which Manning had vacated and sat in it heavily.
He set his hand-lettered placard against the edge of the table and
leaned forward, waving a thick finger.

"You consort with men who would enslave the pure in heart!" he rumbled,
but Rynason didn't miss the laughter in his eye.

"Manning?" he nodded. "He'd enslave every pure heart on this planet, if
he could find one. As a matter of fact, I think he's already working on
Mara here."

Malhomme turned to her and sat back, appraising her boldly. Mara met his
gaze calmly, raising her eyebrows slightly as she waited for his
verdict.

Malhomme shook his head. "If she's pure, then it's a sin," he said. "A
thrice-damned sin, Lee. Have I ever expostulated to you upon the
Janus-coin that is good and evil?"

"Often," Rynason said.

Malhomme shrugged and turned again to the girl. "Nevertheless," he said,
"I greet you with pleasure."

"Mara, this is Rene Malhomme," Rynason said wearily. "He imagines that
we're friends, and I'm afraid he's right."

Malhomme dipped his shaggy head. "The name is from the Old French of
Earth--badman. I have a long and dishonorable family history, but the
earliest of my ancestors whom I've been able t