ecause they made mistakes, and nobody can afford guys
being killed all the time."

"It does run into expense," Malone said.

"And time, and hiring guys to do the killing, and then they goof up,
too," Manelli said. "It's terrible. Some guys have even been killed
without they made any mistakes at all. Just by accident, sort of."

"Well," Malone said carefully, "you can depend on the government to do
everything in its power to straighten things out."

Manelli frowned. "You mean that, Mr. Malone?"

"Of course I do," Malone said honestly. He hadn't, he reminded
himself, promised to help Manelli. He had only promised to straighten
things out. And he could figure out what that might mean later, when
he had the time.

"All I say is, it's funny," Manelli said. "It's crazy."

"That's the way it is," Malone said.

Manelli looked at him narrowly. "Mr. Malone," he said at last, "maybe
you mean it at that. Maybe you do."

"Sure I do," Malone said. "After all, the government is supposed to
help its citizens."

Manelli shook his head. "Mr. Malone," he said, "you can call me
Cesare. Everybody does."

"No, they don't," Malone said. "They call you Cheese. I've got a
research staff too."

"So call me Cheese," Manelli said. "I don't mind."

"There's only one little trouble," Malone said. "If I called you
Cheese, you'd call me Ken. And word would get around."

"I see what you mean," Manelli said.

"I don't think either one of us wants his associates to think we're
friends," Malone said.

"I guess not," Manelli said. "It would cause uneasiness."

"And a certain lack of confidence," Malone said. "So suppose I go on
calling you Mr. Manelli?"

"Fine," Manelli said. "And I'll call you Mr. Malone, like always."

Malone smiled and stood up. "Well, then," he said, "good-bye, Mr.
Manelli."

Manelli rose, too. "Goodbye, Mr. Malone," he said. "And good luck, if
you really mean what you said."

"Oh, I do," Malone said.

"Because things are terrible," Manelli said. "And they're getting
worse every day. You should only know."

"Don't worry," Malone said. "Things will be straightened out pretty
soon." He hoped, as he went out the door and down the corridor, that
he was telling the truth there, at least. He'd sounded fairly
confident, he thought, but he didn't feel quite so confident. The
secretary was busy on the switchboard when he came out into the
anteroom, and he went by without a greeting, his mind busy, churning
and co