lp me, dear. You're so kind. And these FBI men really don't mean
any harm. But Dr. Harman didn't know that. He just thinks I'm crazy and
that's all."

"Please, Miss Thompson--" Dr. Harman began.

"Just crazy, that's all," the little old lady said. She turned away for
a second and nobody said anything. Then she turned back. "Do you all
know what he's thinking now?" she said. Dr. Harman turned a dull purple,
but she ignored him. "He's wondering why I didn't take the trouble to
prove all this to you years ago. And besides that, he's thinking
about--"

[Illustration]

"Miss Thompson," Dr. Harman said. His bedside manner had cracked through
and his voice was harsh and strained. "Please."

"Oh, all right," she said, a little petulantly. "If you want to keep all
that private."

Malone broke in suddenly, fascinated. "Why didn't you prove you were
telepathic before now?" he said.

The little old lady smiled at him. "Why, because you wouldn't have
believed me," she said. She dropped her knitting neatly in her lap and
folded her hands over it. "None of you _wanted_ to believe me," she
said, and sniffed. Miss Wilson moved nervously and she looked up. "And
don't tell me it's going to be all right. I know it's going to be all
right. I'm going to make sure of that."

Malone felt a sudden chill. But it was obvious, he told himself, that
the little old lady didn't mean what she was saying. She smiled at him
again, and her smile was as sweet and guileless as the smile on the face
of his very own sainted grandmother.

Not that Malone remembered his grandmother; she had died before he'd
been born. But if he'd had a grandmother, and if he'd remembered her, he
was sure she would have had the same sweet smile.

So she couldn't have meant what she'd said. Would Malone's own
grandmother make things difficult for him? The very idea was ridiculous.

Dr. Harman opened his mouth, apparently changed his mind, and shut it
again. The little old lady turned to him.

"Were you going to ask why I bothered to prove anything to Mr. Malone?"
she said. "Of course you were, and I shall tell you. It's because Mr.
Malone _wanted_ to believe me. He _wants_ me. He _needs_ me. I'm a
telepath, and that's enough for Mr. Malone. Isn't it?"

"Gur," Malone said, taken by surprise. After a second he added: "I guess
so."

"You see, doctor?" the little old lady said.

"But you--" Dr. Harman began.

"I read minds," the little old lady said. "That's rig