if
I am to believe the books I've read on the subject. You are told this
much of the truth so that you won't go off half-cocked with a fine
collection of rather dangerous untruths. Understand?"

"I'm beginning to."

"Well, whether Mrs. Bagley accepts your offer of marriage or not,
remember one thing: If she were working for the A.E.C. you'd be proud of
her, and you'd also be quite careful not to ask questions that would
cause her embarrassment."

Tim Fisher looked at Mrs. Bagley. "Well?" he asked.

Mrs. Bagley looked bleak. "Please don't ask me until I've had a chance to
discuss all of the angles with Mr. Maxwell, Tim."

"Maxwell, again."

"Tim," she said in a quiet voice, "remember--he's an employer, not an
emotional involvement."

James Holden looked at Tim Fisher. "And if you'll promise to keep this
thing as close a secret as you would some information about atomic
energy, I'll go to bed and let you settle your personal problems in
private. Good night!"

He left, reasonably satisfied that Tim Fisher would probably keep their
secret for a time, at least. The hinted suggestion that this was as
important a government project as the Atomic Energy Commission's works
would prevent casual talk. There was also the slim likelihood that Tim
Fisher might enjoy the position of being on the inside of a big secret,
although this sort of inner superiority lacks true satisfaction. There
was a more solid chance that Tim Fisher, being the ambitious man that he
was, would keep their secret in the hope of acquiring for himself some
of the superior knowledge and the advanced ability that went with it.

But James was certain that the program that had worked so well with Mrs.
Bagley would fail with Tim Fisher. James had nothing material to offer
Tim. Tim was the kind of man who would insist upon his wife being a
full-time wife, physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

And James suddenly realized that Tim Fisher's own ambition and character
would insist that Mrs. Bagley, with Martha, leave James Holden to take up
residence in a home furnished by Tim Fisher upon the date and at time she
became Mrs. Timothy Fisher.

He was still thinking about the complications this would cause when he
heard Tim leave. His clock said three-thirty.

* * * * *

James Holden's mechanical educator was a wonderful machine, but there
were some aspects of knowledge that it was not equipped to impart. The
glandula