l," Malone said, "I figured we'd better handle Miss Thompson with
kid gloves--at least until we find a better telepath to work with." He
didn't mention Barbara Wilson. The chief, he told himself, didn't want
to be bothered with details.

[Illustration]

"Doggone right you'd better," Burris said. "You treat that old lady as
if she were the Queen herself, understand?"

"Don't worry," Malone said unhappily. "We are." He hesitated. "She says
she'll help us find our spy, all right, but we've got to do it her
way--or else she won't co-operate."

"Do it her way, then," Burris said. "That spy--"

"Chief, are you sure?"

Burris blinked. "Well, then," he said, "what _is_ her way?"

Malone took a deep breath. "First," he said, "we had to come here and
pick this guy up. This William Logan, who's in a private sanitarium just
outside of Las Vegas. That's number one. Miss Thompson wants to get all
the telepaths together, so they can hold mental conversations or
something."

"And all of them batty," Burris said.

"Sure," Malone said. "A convention of nuts--and me in the middle.
Listen, chief--"

"Later," Burris said. "When this is over we can all resign, or go
fishing, or just plain shoot ourselves. But right now the national
security is primary, Malone. Remember that."

"O.K.," Malone sighed. "O.K. But she wants all the nuts here."

"Go along with her," Burris snapped. "Keep her happy. So far, Malone,
she's the only lead we have on the guy who's swiping information from
Yucca Flats. If she wants something, Malone, you do it."

"But, chief--"

"Don't interrupt me," Burris said. "If she wants to be treated like a
queen, you treat her like one. Malone, that's an order!"

"Yes, sir," Malone said sadly. "But, chief, she wants us to buy her some
new clothes."

Burris exploded: "Is that all? New clothes? Get 'em. Put 'em on the
expense account. New clothes are a drop in the bucket."

"Well ... she thinks we need new clothes, too."

"Maybe you do," Burris said. "Put the whole thing on the expense
account. You don't think I'm going to quibble about a few dollars, do
you?"

"Well--"

"Get the clothes. Just don't bother me with details like this. Handle
the job yourself, Malone--you're in charge out there. And get to Yucca
Flats as soon as possible."

Malone gave up. "Yes, sir," he said.

"All right, then," Burris said. "Call me tomorrow. Meanwhile--good luck,
Malone. Chin up."

Malone said: "Yes, sir," and reache