Harman, I'll call Judge Dunning."

"Go right ahead," Dr. Harman said. "Go right ahead."

The little old lady smiled softly without looking at anybody at all.
"Won't it be wonderful," she whispered. "At last I've been recognized.
My country is about to pay me for my services. My loyal subjects...."
She stopped and wiped what Malone thought was a tear from one
cornflower-blue eye.

"Now, now, Miss Thompson," Barbara said.

"I'm not sad," the little old lady said, smiling up at her. "I'm just
so very happy. I am about to get my reward, my well-deserved reward at
last, from all of my loyal subjects. You'll see." She paused and
Malone felt a faint stirring of stark, chill fear.

"Won't it be wonderful?" said the little old lady.

4

"You're _where_?" Andrew J. Burris said.

Malone looked at the surprised face on the screen and wished he hadn't
called. He had to report in, of course--but, if he'd had any sense,
he'd have ordered Boyd to do the job for him.

Oh, well, it was too late for that now. "I'm in Las Vegas," he said.
"I tried to get you last night, but I couldn't, so I--"

"Las Vegas," Burris said. "Well, well. Las Vegas." His face darkened
and his voice became very loud. "Why aren't you in Yucca Flats?" he
screamed.

"Because she insisted on it," Malone said. "The old lady. Miss
Thompson. She says there's another telepath here."

Burris closed his eyes. "Well, that's a relief," he said at last.
"Somebody in one of the gambling houses, I suppose. Fine, Malone." He
went right on without a pause: "The boys have uncovered two more in
various parts of the nation. Not one of them is even close to sane."
He opened his eyes. "Where's this one?" he said.

Malone sighed. "In the looney bin," he said.

Burris' eyes closed again. Malone waited in silence. At last Burris
said: "All right. Get him out."

"Right," Malone said.

"Tell me," Burris said. "Why did Miss Thompson insist that you go to
Las Vegas? Somebody else could have done the job. You could have sent
Boyd, couldn't you?"

"Chief," Malone said slowly, "what sort of mental condition are those
other telepaths in?"

"Pretty bad," Burris said. "As a matter of fact, very bad. Miss
Thompson may be off her trolley, but the others haven't even got any
tracks." He paused. "What's that got to do with it?" he said.

"Well," Malone said, "I figured we'd better handle Miss Thompson with
kid gloves--at least until we find