Captain Lacey was scowling. “That’s damned funny,” he muttered.

“What is?” asked Thorn, wondering why the naval officer had interrupted his story.

“What you’ve been telling me,” Lacey said. “I’ll swear I’ve heard—” He stopped and snapped his fingers suddenly. “Sure! By golly!” He stood up from the table. “Would you excuse me for a minute? I want to see if a friend of mine is here. If he is, he has a story you ought to hear. Damned funny coincidence.” And he was off in a hurry, leaving Thorn staring somewhat blankly after him.

Three minutes later, while Thorn was busily pouring himself a second helping of Five-Star Hennessy, Captain Lacey returned to the table with an army officer wearing the insignia of a bird colonel.

“Colonel Dower,” the captain said, “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine—Mr. Richard Thorn, the top research man with North American Carbide & Metals. Mr. Thorn, this is Colonel Edward Dower.” The men shook hands. A third brandy snifter was brought and a gentleman’s potation was poured for the colonel.

“Ed,” said Captain Lacey as soon as his fellow officer had inhaled a goodly lungful of the heady fumes, “do you remember you were telling me a couple of years ago about some test you were in on out in the Mojave Desert?”

Colonel Dower frowned. “Test? Something to do with cars?”

“No, not that one. Something to do with a power supply.”

“Power supply. Oh!” His frown faded and became a smile. “You mean the crackpot with his little suitcase.”

Thorn looked startled, and Captain Lacey said: “That’s the one.”

“Sure I remember,” said the colonel. “What about it?”

“Oh, nothing,” Lacey said with elaborate unconcern, “I just thought Mr. Thorn, here, might like to hear the story—that is, if it isn’t classified.”

Colonel Dower chuckled. “Nothing classified about it. Just another crackpot inventor. Had a little suitcase that he claimed was a marvelous new power source. Wanted a million dollars cash for it, tax free, no strings attached, but he wouldn’t show us what was in it. Not really very interesting.”

“Go ahead, colonel,” said Thorn. “I’m interested. Really 

 Prev. P 10/17 next