y say. _I_ never
expected a thing from a con ... and cons have lied to him, politicians
have broken their promises ... but the liars have loved him and the
dumbest dope in the legislature has respected him."

"Will he ... be all right?" Lansing asked.

Court shrugged. "Who knows? You handled this very badly," he said
dispassionately. "Five minutes after you stepped through the main gate
every inmate in the place knew you were here and started wondering. Why
didn't you write--make arrangements to see the warden outside?"

"I'm sorry," Lansing said. "We know very little about prisons."

Court laughed shortly. "You'd better learn," he said grimly.

"Anyway we can see what's going on?" rumbled Knox. "And how about that
speaker business?"

"There's a window in the next office. Come along."

* * * * *

They crouched at the window, the fat Knox whizzing a little, because
Court had ordered them to keep out of sight of the rioters. They saw
Halloran, Slade and Goldsmid at his heels, walking out into the small
courtyard that lay between them and safety. Over the wall speaker came a
sullen roar, something very like the ragged blast of a rocket whose
timing is off. A few gray-clad men in the courtyard saw the approaching
warden, surged toward him, screaming at their fellows in the big yard
behind them.

Halloran ignored the clutching hands. He held the mike up and they heard
him say, "There's no point in my talking with you unless you will be
quiet and listen." He paused. The roar slowly subsided into an angry
mutter. "Thanks. That's better."

Now, they could see Slade's head but both Halloran and the rabbi were
hidden by the swirl of gray figures that swept around the three prison
officials.

"Now," the warden went on, "it seems that you have something to say to
me. Good enough. But why didn't you send word through your council,
instead of roughing up guards, damaging property, yelling your heads off
and generally behaving like a bunch of spoiled brats. Go on, tell me!
Why?"

Someone's scream came clearly over the mike. "The world's coming to an
end! They're leaving us here to die!"

"Yeah!" the mike picked up another voice. "How about that?"

Before the wordless, mindless roar could rise again, the warden barked,
"Oh, hush up!" And they were quiet.

"My God," breathed Lansing.

"Now," Halloran's voice was easy, assured, "I want to make sure that all
of you hear me. So, I'm comin