last he brought his mind back into his own brain, and gave a mental
shrug, then rose from the bench.

"You're just stalling, you know," he scolded himself. "Get to the hotel,
check in, then go look in the bank vault. You've got a job to do, so get
doing it!"

From the hotel he went to the bank and signed up for a box. There was
nothing yet for him in box 1044, so he left a note addressed "To Any SS
Man," stating he was here and ready to begin his work.

Back at the hotel he unpacked, took a shower, and then a short nap.
There was no telling what the night might bring forth, and he wanted all
his strength and powers.

New Athens was a beautiful city, as befitted the capitol of the richest
planet in the Federation. For Simonides Four had become just that, even
outstripping Terra in the wealth from her manufacturers and exports. Her
shipments of ores, jewels, unusual furs, manufactured goods, precision
tools and art products, as well as foodstuffs raw and processed, ran
into trillions of credits every year.

The great square showed plainly that some architect or city planner with
a love of classic lines had been in charge here. The buildings were all
modern representations of the great temples and public buildings of the
Golden Age of Greece on Terra. They were widely spaced, with magnificent
lawns and gardens surrounding each.

Thousands of lights artfully concealed accentuated the beauty of those
wonderful buildings, and Hanlon caught his breath in pleasure at his
first sight of the marvelous square by night. He had thought it
wonderful by day--now he admitted without reservation that it was the
most magnificent sight he had ever seen.

He finally signalled a ground-cab--New Athens had no slideways--to go to
the Bacchus. It was several blocks from the square, but each of the
streets he travelled were almost as beautiful.

The tavern was housed in a large though one-storied building with a
pillared facade. The main room was level with a gardened terrace five
steps above the street.

Inside, the tavern was tastefully decorated in subdued colors. It was
dimly lighted by representations of flambeaus, stuck at angles in the
walls. The center of the room was occupied by dozens of tables of
varying sizes, while along one side and part of the back were curtained
booths. Along the other side ran an ornate bar.

Hanlon made his way to the latter, and sat on one of the upholstered
stools. The bar girls, he noted with in