crop of babies grows up. Clee, aren't you sorry you got mad and
blew your top and wanted to pick up your marbles and go home? _Three_
such intuitions in one man's lifetime beats par, even for the genius
course."

"It sure does," Garlock admitted, ruefully. "I should have studied these
minds--particularly his--before jumping at conclusions."

"May I say a few words?" the president asked.

"You may indeed, sir. I was hoping you would."

"We have been discouraged; faced with an insoluble problem. Sovig and
Lingonor, knowing that their own lives were forfeit anyway, were
perfectly willing to destroy all the life on this world to make us
yield. Now, however, with the insight and the encouragement you
Galaxians have given us, the situation has changed. Reduced to ordinary
high explosives, they cannot conquer us...."

"Especially without an airforce," Lola put in. "I, personally, will see
to it that every bomber and fighter plane they now have goes to the
third moon. It will be your responsibility to see to it that they do not
rebuild."

"Thank you, Miss Montandon. We will see to it. As for our internal
difficulties--I think, under certain conditions, they can be handled.
Our lawless element," he glanced at the gangster, "can be made impotent.
The corrupt practices of both capital and labor can be stopped. We have
laws," here he looked at the members of Congress and the judge, "which
can be enforced. The conditions I mentioned would be difficult at the
moment, since so few of us are here and it is manifest that few if any
of our people will believe that such people as you Galaxians really
exist. Would it be possible for you, Miss Montandon, to spend a few
days--or whatever time you can spare--in showing our Congress, and as
many other groups as possible, what humanity may hope to become?"

"Of course, sir. I was planning on it."

"I'm afraid that is impossible," the Chief of Staff said.

"Why, General Cardeen?" Lola asked.

"Because you'd be shot," Cardeen said, bluntly. "We have a very good
Secret Service, it is true, and we would give you every protection
possible; but such an all-out effort as would be made to assassinate you
would almost certainly succeed."

"Shot?" Garlock asked in surprise. "What with? You haven't anything that
could even begin to crack an Operator's Shield."

"With this, sir." Cardeen held out his automatic pistol for inspection.

"Oh, I hadn't studied it ... a pellet-projector...."

"