b of the inner door again. He could
hear the bell notes lower in pitch as he pressed against the door.

"LET ME SEE THE THING AGAIN, YOUNG MAN. HONEST TO GOODNESS, WHAT
DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE WHETHER OR NOT I KNOW WHAT IT IS? IT LOOKS
LIKE A HAIRBRUSH WITH SOME DO-JIGGER ON THE TOP."

He jumped back to the center of the hall. "This brush is the essential
feature of our sensational Hair Relustrifier Kit. The tube screwed to
the top feeds the specially developed Brilliancette directly through
each hollow bristle to reach every part of the hair." He ran or rather
scrubbed the brush through the right side of his long fair pompadour
with small rotary motions. When he removed the brush, that side of his
head was covered with crisp yellow ringlets which shone under the
light like sculptured gold.

"THAT'S SOME SORT OF A TRICK! DO IT ON THE OTHER...." Her voice was
interrupted by a syncopated clicking. A telephone signal. "JUST A
MOMENT, YOUNG MAN." The hum of the speaker cut off and the sudden
silence seemed full of the echoes of the bells.

* * * * *

Instantly the man dropped the gadget into the case and grabbed a
handful of cleansing tissues from a box in it. He snapped down the top
of the case and whipped the straps through the buckles. Then he shoved
the case against one of the side walls and sat on it to flip off his
shoes and socks. Shoving his back tightly against the wall, he bent
his knees up and pushed his bare feet flat against the other. After
placing the wad of tissues in his lap, he put his hands against the
wall below his buttocks and, like an experienced mountain climber,
inched his way rapidly up the 'chimney' of the hall. When his head
touched the ceiling, he braced himself firmly with his left hand and
reached with his right for the tissues in his lap. Protecting his hand
with several of the white papers, he felt above him for the base of
the light bulb, unscrewed it, and dropped it gently onto the rest of
the tissues still in his lap. The sudden blackness was smothering.

Heat seeped through the tissues more rapidly than he had expected; and
the effort to keep his knees from contracting and spilling him in the
utter darkness to the floor fifteen feet below was agony.

When he finally reached the floor, he placed the bulb on it beside the
sample case. Then he opened the front door and closed it again,
leaving the door caught open a fraction of an inch by the latch
aga