of that you cannot, you mustn't approach anybody with
the matter. All you can do is carry on and build up a strong case 100%
with solid facts. Don't forget that The Brain constitutes a
three-billion-dollar investment of taxpayers' money; besides The Brain
is the heart of our national defenses; never forget your "Oath of the
Brain." You cannot be too careful. Make the slightest mistake, and
believe me, it would be suicide. Promise, please, promise that you won't
do anything rash?"

Lee looked at her in frank amazement.

"You're right," he murmured, "these things never occurred to me before.
But you've got something there; good lord, what a complex world we're
living in."

The face she turned toward his suddenly was wet with tears.

"Forget it," she cried, "oh please, forget everything I said about
staying in this country and seeing this thing through to the end. Go, go
away, back to the never-never land, stay there and be safe. You cannot
cope with this thing, its too big and it's too involved with all those
politics behind. Get out of it as long as there's still time. You're a
child, you're a Don Quixote riding against windmills and it's going to
kill you--you--you innocent."

Anger and contempt were in her voice as she flung this last at him. She
hastily withdrew her hand from Lee; now it fingered for something in her
bag. He sat appalled; this was so unexpected, this was a different woman
from the composed and balanced Oona he had known. What had he done to
provoke this sudden reversal of opinion, this contempt, this tearing
away the king's purple from his shoulder, the purple which had been her
hand.

"She must think I'm a coward," he thought.

"This is awful." Aloud he said:

"Oh no; believe me, I never would have gone back to the never-never in
any case, Oona. Not without you that is. You said you couldn't follow me
there for some reasons which have nothing to do with me. Does that mean,
could I hope perhaps that you would--be my wife--later, when The Brain
problem is all done and over with?" He paused: "It wouldn't necessarily
mean to bury you in any desert, Oona," he added eagerly.

"No, Semper," she cried. "It's very good of you and I'm proud you asked
me, but it cannot be, never." Almost violently she repeated: "Never--it
is too late. Some day, I promise I'm going to explain; right now I
cannot, Semper. Please understand at least this one thing that right now
I cannot explain."

"It's horrid," Lee