den, sharp pain tore at Gerda's throat, and blinding light seemed to
strike back of his eyes. Through the glare, he dimly saw the Baron raise
a hand threateningly.

"You claim to have no idea at all how the money was taken, or which of
your men may have been the thief? This is not a sensible attitude."

_You know something. You must know something. Tell it!_

Gerda shook his head miserably, entirely unable to speak. Somehow,
nothing was clear. He remembered that something had gone wrong. Somehow,
he had failed his duty. But how? The room was hazy. Snatches of his last
tour of duty rose to his consciousness, then were abruptly blotted
out--gone. The faces of his clerk and of the men-at-arms came out of the
haze for an instant. Then, they, too, were gone.

The room seemed to spin and an irresistible force bore him to the floor.
As he slowly was pressed downward, he wondered who he was--why he was
here--what had happened. Then, the floor came at him with blinding speed
and he ceased to wonder. The haze about him scintillated and became
impenetrable darkness.

The Baron looked down at the crumpled form.

"Take this man away, Weron," he ordered. "He knew nothing." He stroked
his hair. "When he recovers, assign him to some unimportant duty in the
castle. Something, of course, that will demand little thought or
spirit."

"And the others, Excellency?"

"Oh, bring them in, one at a time. One of them managed to make a
complete fool of his officer, of course. But I'll find him."

Bel Menstal waved his hand in dismissal, then leaned back in his chair,
watching as his steward directed a pair of men-at-arms. They carried the
limp form from the room.

* * * * *

"There. That'll pick up any power radiation from the castle." Konar
straightened, looking at the small panel.

"Good enough." Meinora leaned over, checking the dials. "See you've set
it for average power."

"Yes, sir. It'll give a flicker indication for low levels and it'll fail
to trip for unaided thought. Not too much chance of an overload,
either."

"That's right. You're learning." Meinora nodded casually. "Well, let's
keep watch on it." He sat down. "Audio alarm on?"

Konar glanced at the panel again. "I remembered it this time." He
grinned, then looked curiously at his superior's cut cheek. The wound
was healing nicely. In an hour or so, there would be no visible trace of
the injury.

"Say, Chief," he asked, "how'd you h