bout schooling, Mr. Rush? The teaching of handicapped children is
not something that can be done by a person untrained in the field."

"I have three degrees, Mr. North. When my wife became ill and I began to
care for them I taught them to read braille. They picked it up very
quickly, though they showed little continued interest in it. I read a
number of books in the field of teaching handicapped children ..." He
let it trail off.

"Your degrees were in physics, were they not, Mr. Rush?" Now the touch
of malice came.

"That is correct." He sat down in one of the wooden chairs. "I quit
working long before the witch hunts came. I was never indicted."

"Nevertheless your degrees are no longer bona fide. All such degrees
have been stricken from the records." He looked down and John saw that
his eyes no longer hid the hate. "If your wife dies I doubt that any
court would allow you to keep custody of these children."

A year before--even six months and John would not have protested. Now he
had to make the effort. "They are my children--such as they are--and I
will fight any attempt to take them from me."

The Juvenile Man smiled without humor. "My wife and I had a child last
year, Mr. Rush. Or perhaps I should say that a child was born to us. I
am glad that child was born dead--I think my wife is even glad. Perhaps
we should try again--I understand that you and your kind have left us an
even chance on a normal birth." He paused for a moment. "I shall file a
petition with the circuit court asking that the Juvenile Office be
appointed guardians of your children, Mr. Rush. I hope you do not choose
to resist that petition--feeling would run pretty high against an
ex-physicist who tried to prove he _deserved_ children." He turned away
stiffly and went out the front door. In a little while Rush heard the
car door slam decisively.

The doctor was replacing things in the black bag. "I'm sorry, John. He
said he was going to come out here anyway so I invited him to come with
me."

John nodded. "My wife?"

"There is no change."

"And no chance."

"There never has been one. The brain tumor is too large and too
inaccessible for treatment or surgery. It will be soon now. I am
surprised that she has lasted this long. I am prolonging a sure
process." He turned away. "That's all I can do."

"Thank you for coming, doctor--I appreciate that." Rush smiled bitterly,
unable to stop himself. "But aren't you afraid that your other pati