telepath shook his head. "Still got yo' mind closed," he said. Hesounded bitter about it.
"You're right," I told him. "Something that few can do, and that _notelepath can do_! How can we let you wander around Washington leakingout thoughts of every secret your mind might accidentally have overheardfrom some ranking official? How many Russian telepaths have beenaccredited to their Embassy? How many crypto-telepaths have the Reds gotin town? How many secrets have you _already_ given away? How big atraitor have you been?"
That was the one that got him. "Traitor!" he yelled at me, startingacross the office to where I stood leaning against my desk. Fred grabbedhim and twisted his arm cruelly to stop all movement.
"Cut that out!" he snapped.
"Cut it out yourself, Fred," I said. "Just because you're sore at me,you don't have to take it out on the snake."
The telepath was not to be silenced. "My folks been in this country overthree hundred years," he stormed at me. "And it takes someone like youto call me a traitor!"
I am very dark, and my hair is black and curly. I don't mind. With myheredity, it should be.
"Under the power vested in me--" I started.
"Aw, shet up," he said, turning to walk to the door. "I reckon I knowthe rest!"
Anita stayed behind after Fred Plaice dragged the snake out with him."Better get me George Kelly on the 'visor," I said to her.
"Right away," Anita said, coming over to my desk. "But first--"
I looked up. "Yes?"
"Fred Plaice is throwing you a curve, Gyp."
The instant she used my nickname, _I_ knew Anita felt that it wasimportant. She never did that unless we were alone and talkingseriously.
"What the devil!"
"Fred caught _another_ telepath last night, at the same time he got thesnake you just saw," Anita said. "You didn't know that, did you, Gyp?"
"Hell, no," I growled. "Does George Kelly know?"
"No," she said.
"How did you find out, Anita?"
She shrugged. "I stand pretty good with a couple of the guys in Fred'ssection. One of them tipped me on the 'visor at home before I came towork. That's how I knew to be down here, actually."
I scowled over that one. "What did your buddy tell you?"
"Fred had said he'd have your O.K. to execute the second snake by noonand that everything about her was top-secret."
That was enough. "Get Fred and this top-secret snake in here, Anita, andright now! Forget about that call to the Director."
"Yes, _sir_!" she said, and went out with a swish of skirts.
* * * * *
But Fred came in alone. I decided it was about time to get him back onhis heels. "Don't you give a damn about my orders?" I growled at him.His eyebrows shot up. "I distinctly told Anita I wanted you to bringthat other snake in _with_ you. I know Anita got the message to you."
But it didn't shake him up. Fred Plaice came right toward my desk,leaned over and put his hands on it, and looked me in the eye. "Gyp," hesaid. "Gyp, this is once you're going to let me have _my_ way."
"Not that it makes any difference," I snapped. "But why?"
"That's exactly what I'm not going to tell you," he said. "Listen, Gyp,have I ever tried to stick it in you, in any form?"
Fred's a hot-shot. He's the hardest-charger among my Section Chiefs. ButI had never found his ambitions extending to my own job as head of theDivision of Psychic Investigation. "You're still here," I conceded. "Iguess I never caught you at it, Fred."
"And you never will, Gyp," he said. "You've given me the greatest breaksa guy ever got. This time I'm returning the favor."
"By _executing_ a telepath?" I demanded. "And a woman, at that!"
He didn't ask me how I knew, but I could see it annoyed him.
"The biggest break you ever got," he insisted. "This thing is so hot itwill burn you to death. Another crypto-telepath, right here in theDistrict. I want to make summary disposition of her, and I don't wantyou to so much as look at the papers. Just give me instructions to usemy own discretion."
Talk about a blank check. "Fred," I said, searching for words thatwouldn't offend him. "I have more confidence in you than in any man I'veever worked with. But _execution_! Sure, three years ago, when thePresident declared the psychic emergency, we were killing the mostfatally dangerous ones. But that's a couple years behind us. I justcan't go that far without more reason than you've given me."
"It's perfectly legal," Fred said sullenly and beside the point."Congress has given you summary--"
"Of course," I cut in. "What F.B.I. man would suggest an illegal courseof action? But why should I delegate? If this is so touchy, I shouldhandle it myself. Why delegate?"
"Simply because, I ask it," he said. "And because you trust me. Listen,Gyp," he added, almost passionately. "Don't ask me any more questions.I've said too much already. If you know _why_, it wouldn't be right foryou to delegate. Do as I ask. Trust me. I'm saving you a world oftrouble."
"Boy, oh boy!" I said. "This doesn't sound like the way to stay out oftrouble. What is so dangerous about this telepath?"
"Nothing doing," Fred said. "I know I'm asking for a blank check.There's no other way for me to help you play it."
"This is your own idea, Fred?"
"Sure."
"Talked it over with Anita?"
He shook his head furiously. "I wouldn't compromise you, Gyp, and notwith _her_!"
That settled it. I would trust Anita with the crown jewels.
"No dice, Fred," I said. "Give me the facts."
"Gyp," he pleaded. "_Don't_ ask for them!"
"The facts!"
He straightened up from where he had hung over my desk during the wholeargument. "This cuts my guts right out," he said. "Suspect apprehendedaround two o'clock this morning and now in detention at the City Jail.Native white female, age fifty-eight. Named Maude Tinker." He stopped.
I couldn't start. Maude Tinker! My given name is Joseph Tinker--althoughthey all call me Gyp. "What ..." I got out at last. "What did shelook...?"
He nodded, looking sick. "She's a gypsy, if that's what you mean, Gyp,"he said to me. "I'm sorry. You _know_ I'm sorry."
"Has she made any statement, Fred?" I asked softly, staring at thesurface of my desk.
"She demanded to be taken at once to the Chief of the Division ofPsychic Investigation, Mr. Joseph Tinker," he said.
"Give any reason?"
He was quiet for a while, until I looked up. "She said," Fred told me,"she said Gyp Tinker was her son."
I smiled wanly at him. "Obviously I can't let a statement like that gounchallenged, not in my position as the man charged with extirpating thedanger of the snakes," I said.
"Obviously," Fred agreed. "Now that you know about it. If you had doneas I asked, Gyp ..."
"Get her over here, Fred," I said. "I'll see her at once. And send Anitain as you leave."
"Sure, Gyp," he said, starting for the door.
"And thanks, Fred," I said. "But it never would have worked."
"Maybe not," he conceded from the door. "But the guy in the jam wouldhave been me, not you."
* * * * *
I turned my swivel around and stared out the window at the Mall anddidn't move until the light scent of Anita's perfume reminded me that Ihad asked her to come in.
I swung around. "You watch out for that Fred Plaice," Anita said, almostscoldingly.
"You mean, start watching my back, like I never did before? How did Iget this far?"
Her frown softened a little. "You don't miss many bets," she said. "Notmy Gypper. But this thing of Fred's holding back on the other telepathhe picked up last night has all the earmarks of a real slippery move."
"Did Fred tell you anything about it on the way out?"
"Just that he was bringing the telepath from the City Jail right backwith him, and that you wanted to see her at once."
"This snake is a woman, aged fifty-eight, Anita," I told her. "She gaveth
e name of Maude Tinker and says she's my mother," I added, without anyparticular expression.
Anita laughed. "Oh, _no_!" she said. "What they won't