e either inside the Code or a free agent outside it. Which?"

"I have made my position clear."

"To me, yes. To Jim and Lola, decidedly unclear."

"Unclear, then. You can _not_ coerce me!"

"If you follow the Code, no. If you don't, I can and will. If you make
any kind of a pass at Jim James from now on, I'll lock you into your
room with a Gunther block."

"_You wouldn't dare_!" she breathed. "Besides, you couldn't, not to
another prime."

"Don't bet on it," he advised.

After a full minute of silence Garlock's attitude changed suddenly to
his usual one of casual friendliness. "Why not let this one drop right
here, Belle? I can marry them, with all the official trimmings. Why not
let 'em really enjoy their honeymoon?"

"Why not?" Belle's manner changed to match Garlock's and she smiled
warmly. "I confirm, Jim. You two are really serious, aren't you?
Marriage, declarations, registration, and everything? I wish--I
sincerely and really wish you--every happiness possible."

"We really _are_ serious," James said, putting his arm around Lola's
waist. "And you won't ... won't interfere?"

"Not a bit. I couldn't, now, even if I wanted to." Belle grinned wryly.
"You see, you kids missed the main feature of the show, since you can't
know exactly what a Prime Operator is. Especially you can't know what
Cleander Simmsworth Garlock really is--he's an out-and-out tiger on
wheels. The three of us could have smacked him bow-legged, but of course
all chance of that blew up just now. So if you two want to take the big
jump you can do it with my blessing as well as Clee's. I'll clear the
table."

* * *

That small chore taken care of--a quick folding-up of everything into
the tablecloth and a heave into the chute did it--Belle set up the
recorder.

"Are you both fully certain that you want the full treatment?" Garlock
asked.

Both were certain, and Garlock read the brief but solemn marriage lines.

As the newlyweds left the room, Belle turned to Garlock with a quizzical
smile. "Are you going to ask me to pair with you, Clee?"

"I certainly am." He grinned back at her. "I owe you that much revenge,
at least. But seriously, I'd like it immensely and we fit like Grace and
Poise. Look at that mirror. Did you ever see a better-matched couple?
Will you give me a try, Belle?"

"I will not," she said, emphatically. I'll take back what I said a while
ago--if you were really the only man left, I wou