nd every one of
you knows it--it's an old wives' tale. I wouldn't touch this little
lady with a ten-foot pole if I really thought she had the Stigma. I
have a living to make around this town--and you can't handle Stigma
business and get any decent trade, too."

I looked back at Mary. "How _did_ you work your swindle at the bank?"
I asked quietly.

She sighed. "Sleight of hand," she said. "A damned fool stunt. I
figured to put the money back in a day or so. If somebody else hadn't
been working the same racket, they'd never have caught me. But they
had set a trap--"

"I _thought_ it was some light-finger stuff," I grinned. "Well, it
will take me a while to set up a real test of your Psi Powers. Where
can I reach you--or are you spending the night here?"

"Certainly not!" she said, casting an annoyed glance at Elmer. She
looked at her watch. "Would it be much longer than an hour? I might
still be here, if Elmer--"

"Jes' fine," T-shirt said. "Unless yo' mine watching Keys and me
practice." He grinned at me. "Keys is he'ping me build up mah TK," he
explained.

"That'll make you popular," I sneered, as I wrote down Elmer's phone
number. They let me out. It had been a pretty room, and in a way I
hated to leave it. Still, by the time a cruising 'copter had taken me
halfway back to my office up-town, I could relax the shield over my
thoughts--and that was worth getting out of that Stigma hideaway.

* * * * *

It was a little after nine when I walked into the lobby and rang for
the elevator. A man lounging against the wall over near the building
directory raised a wrist-phone to his mouth and spoke quietly into it
as I waited for the car to come. He didn't seem to be interested in
me--but then, he wouldn't want to show it if he were. Fool around with
the Stigma, would I?

The building was mostly dark--in our circle we make too much dough to
be interested in overtime. I keyed myself into our waiting room,
turned on the ceiling, and went into my private office. There was
enough light leaking in from our foyer, so I added none.

I found Lindstrom at home--after all, he should have been by nine
o'clock. "Maragon!" he said. "Kill your focus. I have guests!"

I reached up to twist the 'scope so that my image would be a blur on
his screen. Nice beginning. I was as welcome as a thriving case of
leprosy.

"I want you to make a test for me, Professor," I said. "Tonight."

He shook his head.