id now, "Also at
present, expelled from participation in future fracases on any level
of rank, and fined his complete resources beyond the basic common
stock issued him as a Mid-Middle." His voice was bitter.

Philip Holland said briskly, "The risks run by the ambitious."

* * * * *

The office door opened and a tall stranger entered. He had a strange
gait, one shoulder held considerably lower than the other, to the
point that Joe would have thought it the result of a wound hadn't the
other obviously never been a soldier. The newcomer, office pallor
heavily upon him, but his air of languor obviously assumed and
artificial, darted his eyes around the room, to Holland, Nadine, and
then to Joe where they rested for a moment.

He murmured some banality to Nadine, indicative of a long acquaintance
and then approached Joe, who had automatically come to his feet, and
extended a hand to be shaken. "I'm Frank Hodgson. You're Joe Mauser.
I'm not fracas buff, but I know enough about current developments to
know that. Welcome aboard, Joe."

Joe shook the hand offered, in some surprise.

"Welcome aboard?" he said.

Hodgson looked to Philip Holland, his eyebrows raised in question.

Holland said crisply, "You're premature, Frank. Dr. Haer and Mauser
have just arrived."

"Oh." The newcomer found himself a chair, crossed his legs and fumbled
in his pocket for a pipe, leaving it to the others to resume the
conversation he had interrupted.

Philip Holland said to Joe, "Frank is assistant to Wallace Pepper." He
looked at Hodgson and frowned. "I don't believe you have any other
title do you, Frank?"

"I don't think so," Frank yawned. "Can't think of any."

Joe Mauser looked from one to the other, confusion adding to confusion
within him. Wallace Pepper was the long time head of the North
American Bureau of Investigation, having held that position under at
least four administrations.

Nadine said dryly, "Which goes to show you, Joe, just how much titles
mean. Commissioner Pepper has been all but senile for the past five
years. Frank, here, is the true head of the bureau."

Frank Hodgson said mildly, "Why, Nadine, that's a rather strong
statement."

Joe blurted, "Head of the Bureau of Investigation! I had gathered the
impression I was being taken to meet some members of an underground,
organized for the purpose of, as it was put, changing the present
rules of government."

[Illustration]