id.

"Of course you do," Gloria said. "I want to help him, too."

Mrs. Francis stood up and swallowed hard. "I appreciate that," she said.

"It's my job, that's all," Gloria said, feeling unaccountably shy. As
the woman left she thought about that embarrassment and finally decided
that she felt she had no right to be complimented. She was doing a job;
it needed to be done; that was all.

True, she had special talents for the job--but Mrs. Francis didn't know
that, and she hadn't made the talents anyhow, but been born with them.

Congratulations?

Don't be silly.

As a matter of fact, Gloria thought, she deserved a good talking-to. She
hadn't had enough experience, and that was the simple truth. It was all
very well to work on a boy like Rudi, or another one like Tom Francis,
when they didn't have any idea who you were or even that you were trying
to do something. That was easy.

But a woman like Mrs. Wladek--

She was suspicious from the start, and Gloria thought that perhaps she
shouldn't have done anything. But it was obvious that the woman needed
help to become a functioning member of society.

The only trouble was that Gloria hadn't been quite expert enough. Oh,
given enough time, the command would work, and eventually become part of
the personality. But, because Mrs. Wladek had been afraid and a little
forewarned, she'd been able to fight off the command a little.

_Practice_, Gloria told herself, _makes perfect._ And it wasn't her
fault that she couldn't do any better. Next time, she'd have a little
more practice and she'd be able to do a clearer and more complete job.

And, in the meantime, there was no real harm done. Mrs. Wladek would
come round, before long, and then everything would be all right.

Why, after all, there was Rudi, too. And Rudi undoubtedly had a job by
now, or at least a good chance of one through an employment agency.

There was no reason to be depressed.

* * * * *

Her son was waiting for her when she arrived at her home once more. Mrs.
Wladek looked at the boy with relief and some suspicion. It was not
natural for Rudi to be at home during such an hour; he was out with his
friends through the day, and this was good for a boy.

"Ma," Rudi said, "guess what?"

"You are in trouble," Mrs. Wladek said at once, in a heavy voice.

"Trouble? I got no troubles, ma," Rudi said. He stood before her in the
dusty living room, self-assured and proud, a