motif, as you can see--updated knee breeches and shirt
waists, a modified stock for the men, the daring low bodices of that
era, the full skirts treated in a modern way by using sheer materials
for the women, bright colors and sheens, buckled shoes of spun
synthetics. Very gay, very ornamental, very comfortable, and
thoroughly suitable to our time."

"But everybody I saw was dressed like me!" I protested.

"Only to keep you from feeling more conspicuous and anxious than you
already were. It was quite a project, I can tell you--your styles
varied so greatly from decade to decade, especially those for
women--and the materials were a genuine problem; they'd gone out of
existence long ago. We had the textile and tailoring cities working a
full six months to clothe the inhabitants of this city, including, of
course, the children. Everybody had to be clad as your contemporaries
were, because we knew only that you would arrive in this vicinity, not
where you might wander through the city."

"There was one small difference you didn't notice," added a handsome
mature woman. "You were the only man in a gray suit. We had a full
description of what you were wearing, you see, and we made sure nobody
else was dressed that way. Naturally, everyone knew who you were,
and so we were kept informed of your movements."

[Illustration]

"What for?" I demanded in alarm. "What's this all about?"

* * * * *

Pulling up chairs, they sat down, looking to me like a witchcraft jury
from some old painting.

"I'm Leo Blundell," said a tall man in plum-and-gold clothes. "As
chairman of--of the Mark Weldon Committee, it's my responsibility to
handle this project correctly."

"Project?"

"To make certain that history is fulfilled, I have to tell you as much
as you must know."

"I wish _somebody_ would!"

"Very well, let me begin by telling you much of what you undoubtedly know
already. In a sense, you are more a victim of Dr. Anthony Roberts than his
daughter. Roberts was a brilliant physicist, but because of his eccentric
behavior, he was ridiculed for his theories and hated for his arrogance.
He was an almost perfect example of self-defeat, the way in which a man
will hamper his career and wreck his happiness, and then blame the world
for his failure and misery. To get back to his connection with you,
however, he invented a time machine--unfortunately, its secret has since
been lost and never re-discover