whole like a perfect golden helmet. She looked like a girl in her
early twenties, but Dr. Joachim knew for a fact that she'd been born
in 1955, which made her thirty-two next January.

"Reasonably well, all things considered," Dr. Joachim admitted. "I'm
not starving to death, at least."

She looked around at the room--the heavy drapes, the signs of the
zodiac in gold and silver, the big, over-stuffed chairs, all designed
to make the "clients" feel comfortable and yet slightly awed by the
ancient atmosphere of mysticism. In the dim light, they looked fairly
impressive, but she knew that if the lights were brighter the
shabbiness would show.

* * * * *

"Maybe you could use a redecorating job, then, Doc," she said. With a
gesture born of sudden impulse, she reached into her purse and pulled
out an envelope and pressed it into the man's hands. He started to
protest, but she cut him off. "No, Doc; I want you to have it. You
earned it.

"That San Juan-New York flight, remember?" she went on hurriedly. "You
said not to take it, remember? Well, I ... I sort of forgot about what
you'd said. You know. Anyway, I got a ticket and was ready to go when
the flight was suddenly delayed. Routine, they said. Checking the
engines. But I'd never heard of any such routine as that. I remembered
what you told me, Doc, and I got scared.

"After an hour, they put another plane into service; they were still
working on the other one. I was still worried, so I decided to wait
till the next day.

"I guess you read what happened."

He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "I read."

"Doc, I'd've been on that flight if you hadn't warned me. All the
money in the world isn't enough to pay for that." The oddly worried
look had come back into her eyes. "Doc, I don't know how you knew that
ship was going to go, and I won't ask. I don't want to know. But, ...
one thing: Was it _me_ they were after?"

_She thinks someone blew up the ship_, he thought. _She thinks I heard
about the plot some way._ For an instant he hesitated, then:

"No, Susan; they weren't after you. No one was trying to kill you.
Don't worry about it."

Relief washed over her face. "O.K., Doc; if you say so. Look, I've got
to run now, but we've got to sit down and have a few drinks together,
now that I'm back. And ... Doc--"

"Yes?"

"Anytime you need anything--if I can ever help you--you let me know,
huh?"

"Certainly, my dear. And don't y