*

"Honest" John Krasnow was a crooked District Attorney who wanted to be
Governor and then President. He had the Machine, but he didn't have
the People. And, because he needed the People, he needed me. I had
been to this other dimension--the one on the farthest branch of the
time-tree--and I could give him what he wanted.

Krasnow found out about it after I was hauled up in front of him on a
check-kiting charge. I'd had something of a reputation before I got
into difficulties and, in trying to live up to the reputation, I had
done some plain and fancy financing. Nothing that fifteen to twenty
grand wouldn't have fixed--but while I scrounged around, trying to get
cash, I kited a few checks. They pyramided me right into the D.A.'s
office, where Krasnow was properly sympathetic.

"How," he asked, "could a man of your standing in the scientific world
stoop so low?" It developed into quite a lecture and, even coming from
Krasnow, it made me feel pretty low.

So I began explaining. I told him where I was born, and where I went
to school, and where I had taken my sabbaticals--including this other
dimension. And Krasnow believed me. I can't account for it, except
possibly because he knew he was a crook and knew I wasn't
one--exactly. Anyway, he believed me, and we made the deal and I did
the side-shuffle, as agreed.

The journey to that other dimension is not a pleasant one. It does
disturbing things to the stomach, and you see everything thin and
elongated, as if you're sitting too far to the side in a movie
theater.

I got there, however, and waited for the hiccups to subside. _Hiccupi
laterali_, I had called them when I considered writing an article for
the _Medical Journal_ after my first trip. With the hiccupi gone, I
stole some clothing--which was one of the riskiest parts of the
program--and waited for morning. I didn't have any money, of course,
so I had to hitchhike into town.

I could have stolen myself a better fit, but people aren't
clothes-conscious in that dimension. They're more interested in what
you are and what you can do. The driver of the car that gave me a lift
asked, "And what is your field of endeavor?"

I told him, "I am able to eliminate the long wait in ivory production
by accelerating the growth cycle of elephants."

He was deeply impressed and tipped me handsomely. I was less impressed
with his talent for growing cobless corn, and therefore had to return
only a small part of the sum h