brams!" his voice rang out commandingly, and
he himself jumped in front of the Secretary while others on the platform
sprang up to completely surround the Simonidean, and hide him from
possible further danger.

Hanlon raised one of the tassel-whistles and blew a piercing blast. Now
he could see several local policemen running toward the platform, and in
moments Abrams, surrounded by an armed and alert escort, was hustled
into a waiting police car, which sped back to the Embassy.

The Simonidean was white and shaking, upset by the episode.

"Why?" he kept asking, but no one had any answers. "I'm not important
enough for anyone to want to kill," Abrams shook his head. "The people
of Simonides like the empire status--why should anyone here on Terra
object?"

"There's always crackpots in every crowd," a police captain said. "We
get riots like this one almost every time there's a public ceremony.
Most of 'em're plain nuts--once in a while only is there one who feels
he's got a real grievance, personal."

"But with so many participating, this one looked planned," Hanlon
objected. "I was higher and watching, and I could see at least a dozen
men shouting at the beginning, starting all at the same time, although a
lot more took it up. It must have been a plot of some kind."

His mind was racing. Was this part of what he was being sent to
Simonides to investigate? He had tried to probe the crowd minds, but
there were so many conflicting thought-emanations, such a welter of
sensations he wasn't able to isolate any single, individual moods or
thoughts.

Safely back inside the Embassy, Abrams seemed to relax a bit. He turned
now to Hanlon.

"My very sincere thanks, young man, for your quickness and alertness in
saving my life. I shall be eternally grateful."

Hanlon waved his hand deprecatingly. "It was my job, sir. I'm sorry your
day was spoiled that way."

"I still can't make out why?" The Simonidean said slowly, and Hanlon,
probing, could sense that his mind was full of question marks. "I'm not
that important. If it had been the emperor"--Hanlon caught an impression
of loyalty and love for that dignitary--"or even the Minister"--here he
caught a feeling of doubt and some dislike--"it might make sense. Just
as I cannot figure out why I should have been sent here for this
purpose. It's almost ..." he was silent, and Hanlon's probes found only
puzzlement.

"Nuts!" the young Corpsman felt frustrated. "If only I could re