[Illustration]

 TINKER'S DAM

By JOSEPH TINKER

 _There is something very fundamental indeed about the ancient showman's trick--divert their attention from the thing you're really doing ... _

Illustrated by Schoenherr

The call on the TV-phone came right in the middle of my shaving. Theyhave orders not to call me before breakfast for anything less than anational calamity. I pressed "Accept, " too startled to take the latherfrom my face. 

"Hi, Gyp, " George Kelly said to me from the screen. "Hurry it up, boy. "He made no reference to my appearance on his screen. "Quit draggin' yourfeet!"

This I take from George Kelly. First of all, he's Director of the F. B. I. Even more important, he's my boss. "Hey, George, " I protested, knowinghe would not have called on a routine matter. "I got up before breakfastas it is. What's up?" I hardly needed to ask. When they call me, it'salways the same sickening kind of trouble. 

"Fred Plaice and his gang got their hands on a telepath in the Districtlast night, " George told me. "It's been on the newscast already. There'll be a damned ugly mob at the office--a lynch mob. Listen, Gyp, Iwant you to go through the main entrance this morning. "

I nodded my willingness to fight my way through the crowd that would begathering at the office. Usually I have my taxi drop me on the roof ofthe building. Call it a petty vanity if you want. It's one of theperquisites of being Washington brass. 

"Swell, Gyp, " George Kelly said, as if there had been any question aboutwhether I'd come in through the main entrance. "The public has a worldof confidence in you. Now, damn it, Gyp, if they want to make a fussover you this morning, let them. We've got to get that snake out of thebuilding alive!"

"Oh, no, " I protested. "You don't mean Fred took a telepath to theoffice?"

"I'm afraid so, " George said, his tone so neutral that I couldn't takeit as personal criticism. "See you down there. " His rugged featuresfaded from the screen as he cut the image. 

I had my driver drop the skim-copter to the street when we got toPennsylvania Avenue within a block of the building, and he skimmed tothe outskirts of the crowd that was pressing around the entrance. Therewere four or five hundred people there, milling around like a herd ofrestless cattle. Tighter knots of humanity were pressed around the usualfour or five firebrands who were ranting and yelling forblood--telepathic blood. 

The guards around the entrance, apparently tipped by George Kelly, started yelling, "Let him through!" They charged the mob to open a lanefor me. The crowd drew back sullenly. As I pressed toward the guards, Icould see the fear and panic on the faces around me. 

Then a man recognized me. "God bless Gyp Tinker!" he bellowed in a voiceloud enough to conjure an echo out of a prairie. People started jumpinglike so many animated pogo sticks, trying to get a sight of me over theheads of others. By the time I reached the steps, the whole mob wascheering and yelling, "Gyp!"

As George Kelly had asked, I paused on the steps and held up my handsfor a chance to speak. It's flattering when they give you silence. Inthe space of two breaths it was like the inside of a morgue. 

"Thanks, friends, " I called out to them. "George Kelly and I havealready gotten the facts on the telepath who was captured here inWashington last night. There is absolutely no cause for alarm. I hopeyou'll go to your homes and offices promptly. Let's not give theRussians any more satisfaction than we have to. And rest easy, friends. We'll use the full summary powers conferred by Congress. "

They gave me a terrific cheer. You'd think I had said something. Atleast they were reminded of the summary powers granted the F. B. I. Todeal with telepaths, because of the gruesome danger they are to all ofus. 

 * * * * *

Anita Hadley, my secretary, was waiting for me in the outer office, although it was a good hour before we were supposed to open. 

"He's in there, " she said, pointing to the door to my private office. 

"The snake?" I asked, startled. 

"Fred Plaice, " she said. "And he's got the snake in there with him. " Hergray eyes flashed. She could guess how I felt about that. 

"Come along, " I said to her, and went into my office. 

"Hi, Gyp, " Fred Plaice greeted me, grinning. "Got a present for you. " Hegave his prisoner a shove, making him stumble a couple steps toward me. The telepath was a stoop-shouldered balding gent with large feet. Hecertainly didn't look like a walking bubonic plague, but then, theynever do. Instinctively I closed my thoughts to him. 

"What's this snake doing here, Fred?" I asked my Section Chief quietly. 

He flushed. He knew my policies. "What did you expect me to do withhim?" he said hotly. "This isn't some common snake we picked up out inthe country. We snagged this viper right here in Washington, Gyp! Isuppose I should have spirited him out of town on the midnight jet!"

"Yes, " I said. "That would have been my idea. Do you realize that allthis publicity has gotten us a mob of five hundred people around ourdoors, a mob that's waiting to lynch this prisoner of yours?"

The man gulped and started to say something, but Fred hit him hardbetween the shoulder blades. "Shut up, " he said. "Nobody cares what youthink. " He walked up close to me. "Sure I know there's a mob downthere, " he said. "And I know why they're there. Plain scared to death ofwhat it means to have had a telepath loose in Washington. You're wrongto hustle this guy out of town, Gyp. Look at this pathetic case--does helook like a superman?"

I looked at the snake. "No, " I agreed. "He looks like they roped himsomewhere in West Virginia a few months ago, put shoes on him, andbrought him to town. "

"Right, " Fred snapped. "Let the mob get a look at him. The contrast ofyou dragging him along by the ear and him stumbling along behind you isthe sort of thing the public laps up. It'll put you right in thedriver's seat. "

"I thought Congress had already done that, " I reminded him coldly. Nobureaucrat could want powers more absolute than mine. "Unfortunately, " Igrowled at him. "I gave orders that no snakes were to be brought intothis building without my prior consent. This ineffective-lookinghill-billy has possibly read a thousand minds since you dragged him inhere. How much of what he has picked up around here this morning will bepeeped by some Russian telepath before you get him out of town?"

"Relax, " Fred scoffed. "He's a short-range punk. "

That was too much. "I'll do my own thinking, Fred, " I said. "From nowon, you follow orders. "

 * * * * *

I turned on the telepath. "Before I sentence you, " I said. "What haveyou got to say?"

"I never hurt nothin', " he grumbled. 

They're all alike, so help me. "You are a telepath?" I asked him. 

"Shoah. "

"Prove it, " I demanded, opening a chink in my mind. 

His long red face twisted in a crooked grin, showing poorly-cared-forteeth scattered here and there in his gums. 

"Yo' think I never had no orthodonture, whatever _thet_ is, " he said. 

I shut my mind like a clam. If there's anything I detest, it's theghastly creeping of a telepath into my own thoughts. "Hello, Pete!" heexclaimed. "Yo' done shet yo' mind!" He shook his head. "Ain't neverseen a body could do _thet_!" I'll bet he hadn't. There are only a fewof us who can keep telepaths out of our thoughts. It takes a world ofpractice. Well, I'd had that. 

"Can you do that?" I asked the snake. 

He shook his head. "No, suh, " he admitted. 

"So here you are, " I said, more heatedly. "Wandering around in a townfull of _secrets_--Washington, the capital of your country, where themilitary, the diplomatic people, the security people, all of them havelocked in their heads the things that keep us one step ahead of theRussians. Isn't that true?"

"I reckon. But--"

"But nothing, " I snapped, getting sore about it for the thousandth time. "And you, you miserable snake, you _can't_ keep your thoughts from beingread by another telepath. No telepath can. Your mind is open _two_ways--to let thoughts in but, damn it, equally to leak out anything youknow. " I smiled coldly at him. "Can you get my thoughts now?"

The 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. "

[Illustration]

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 gavethe 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 think of next!"But her face sobered in an instant, and she bent forward, almostwhispering the rest: "Gyp! You mean that Fred Plaice took her seriously!That he was trying to get _rid_ of her?"

"He felt it would be better if I never knew about it, " I admitted. "Whatdo you think I should do, Anita?"

Her heart-shaped face grew more solemn. "I think it would be bad to tryto cover it up, " she decided. "And I'm glad you didn't let Fred do thatto you. Some newscast would be sure to get hold of the story and there'dbe snide accusations. All this talk recently about the heredity of psipowers is bad, too. That's what she's trying to cash in on. And if thepublic thought that the man in charge of catching and pulling the fangsof all the snakes was a hereditary telepath, they'd be after your scalpin no time. "

"So?"

"Scotch it. See her, face her down, prove her charge is ridiculous, andship her west. "

I smiled a little dimly. "Just one complication. "

"Yes, Gyp?"

"This Maude Tinker, says Fred, is a gypsy. "

Anita's face did the most abrupt change. I had never seen her furiouslyangry. She's a typical high echelon Washington secretary, cool, extremely well-mannered, cheerful without being bumptious. But this timeshe was downright mad. 

"I told you, " Anita said. 

"What?"

"I told you to watch out for Fred Plaice!"

"It's not his fault, " I protested. "Catching telepaths is his job. "

"Within limits, " she said scornfully. "I thought it was just one more ofhis screwball ideas! He had his whole Section concentrating on gypsies, for a couple of months. He had a long story to go with it, Gyp! How allthe soothsayers and clairvoyants and finders were really short-rangetelepaths or pre-cogs. "

"I don't believe it, " I said. "You mean that Fred started with mynickname, and has been on this campaign of looking for telepaths amonggypsies just in hopes he could embarrass me?"

"Yes!"

You have to like loyalty, no matter what the circumstances that inciteit. 

"I can't believe that of one of my boys, Anita, " I said. "Fred was allbroken up about it. "

"I bet I can call the turn, " Anita said, starting back for her own desk. "Fred's next move is to tell you that no one can blame you fordisqualifying yourself from this case. After all, your own mother!"

Well, the political implications _were_ deep. "I think I would agree, " Isaid at length. "Let's see what happens. Send this Maude Tinker in assoon as she gets here. "

"Aren't you going to take any precautions, Gyp?" Anita demanded. 

"Against what?"

"You're impossible, " she snapped. "I'll take care of the precautiondepartment myself. And don't you dare let Fred get that woman in hereuntil I get back. "

"No what... ?"

"Joseph Tinker!" she cried. "Be quiet!" She stormed out. 

 * * * * *

In about twenty minutes the buzzer on my pix-box sounded, and Idepressed the key. Anita's face was tense on the small screen. 

"Just got a flash, " she said. "Fred has her in his 'copter and will letdown on the roof in about four or five minutes. I'll need a coupleminutes more than that. Now don't you let him in with her before I getthere, do you hear me?"

I said I heard her. She beat Fred at that. For all I know she hadbooby-trapped them in getting down from the roof. Anita has drag witheverybody in the building, and that could have included the elevatorservice man, who quite easily could have loused service to the roofenough to delay Fred. 

Anita came in. "Mr. Tinker, " she said crisply. "Meet Tony Carlucci. "

I stood up. Tony was a darned good-looking chap, about my age, with verydark hair, somewhat curly, and a flash of white teeth for a smile. Itold him I was pleased to meet him. 

"Move over, " Anita directed, stepping smartly around my desk and givingmy elbow a sharp yank. "You sit behind the desk, Tony. Now try to looklike a big wheel, for heaven's sake. "

"I _am_ a big wheel, " Tony protested. "In the used 'copter racket. "

Anita was already reaching up to push down on my shoulders. "Won't yousit down?" she demanded. She had me in one of the comfortable chairs Ihave in my office for callers, rather off to one side. She put herselfdown in the chair across my desk from Tony Carlucci, as though she weregetting instructions. 

He didn't need much hinting. "Tell the bulls we're gonna clean up theDistrict, " he started, waving his hands around. "No more poker. No moredice. No more Sneaky Pete. " I'd never heard of that. 

"Shut up!" Anita said. "He'll be here any instant. "

Fred was as good as her word. He was holding the door for his telepathwithin seconds. Tony Carlucci stopped hamming it up and straightenedimportantly in my chair. I had to admit that Anita had found a guy who, superficially, resembled me more than a little. No one who knew eitherof us would ever mistake one for the other, but our general descriptionswere quite similar. 

The woman who came in not only was a gypsy, she was dressed as a gypsy. Her blouse was white, and quite frilly. She had on a billowing redskirt, liberally encrusted with embroidered beads of a darker red. Thetattered hem of a petticoat hung below it. Her hair had been dark once, but it was shot with threads of silver. There was a lot of it, and piledup high so that her ears were exposed. They had pierced lobes, and heavygold rings hung from them. 

Instinctively I closed my mind as tight as a clam. The mere sight of atelepath triggers that reaction. Fred closed the door behind him, continuing to stand just behind his captive. She glanced briefly at meand then looked for a longer moment at Tony Carlucci, behind my desk. 

"Joe, " she said to him. "Joe, don't let them do this to me!"

I don't know how much coaching Anita had given Carlucci, but he knewenough to call her "mother. " And I knew enough to watch Fred Plaice theinstant Tony said: "Oh, mother! Why the devil couldn't you keep out ofsight!"

Fred was one mighty confused looking boy. The two-bit word isconsternation. He had it. Anita had given him the business. 

"I'm sorry, madame, " I said standing and walking over to where Tony wasemoting, with the back of his hand pressed to his eyes. "We threw you acurve. Meet Mr. Tony Carlucci. " Her eyebrows rose in surprise. "And I, madame, am Joseph Tinker. "

"Joe!" she cried, or wailed is a better word, and threw herself aroundthe desk to seize me in her arms. She smelled faintly of garlic, oreganoand some kind of incense, maybe sandalwood. A nice clean gypsy smell. Cleaner than a lot of gypsies I can think of. 

Fred pulled her off me, not too gently. I'd say he was a little soreabout something. Anita's eyes were slits of fury. 

"Thanks, Tony, " I said. "See you around. "

"Honest Tony Carlucci, " he said. "If you need a used 'copter, Joe, jeton down to my dock. Nothing down. Listen, I got one that was never usedexcept in the spring by a little old lady who gave up walking for Lent. I'll tell you what I'll do--"

"Wasting your time, " Anita told him. "The Government provides Mr. Tinkerwith any kind of transportation he needs. A thousand thanks, Tony. Iwon't forget--" The rest was cut off as she gave him one of the morepolite bum's rushes. I think he would have liked to hang around to seethe rest of our little amateur theatrical. 

 * * * * *

Fred had his grin going. "Couldn't get the drift for a minute, Gyp, " hesaid, clapping me on the shoulder. "Nice work! Now I know why I get sucha kick out of working for you!" He whirled on Maude Tinker. "And you, you foolish old biddy! How far do you think you would get with an actlike this against another telepath?"

She spat a curse at him in Romany. "So smart!" she sneered. "There isn'tanother telepath in the city of Washington!"

That was a laugh. For its own safety the F. B. I. Has its own gang of tameTP's--they are all, of course, exceptionally short-range telepaths, andwe practically keep them under lock and key to make sure some importantthoughts don't leak in and out of their diseased minds. 

"Send in Freeda Sayer, " I said, leaning down to press the intercommute. Freeda is a thick-ankled, thick-headed telepath. But stupid or not, sheis telepathic, and _is_ an acid test in these cases. 

"Is this woman a telepath?" I asked Freeda, when she stumped in. 

Freeda looked at Maude Tinker, her mouth hanging a little open. Shesnuffled and walked quite close to the gypsy woman. "Yeah, " she said. "She knows I'm thinking her hem is torn. " She turned her head with thatlow-thyroid slowness to me. "Is that all, Mr. Tinker?" she asked. 

Fred answered. "Swell, Freeda. That's all. "

Freeda wandered out. 

Fred said: "O. K. , Gyp. What'll I do with her?"

"Sit down, Mrs. ... It is Mrs. , isn't it? ... Mrs. Tinker, won't youplease?" I said in answer to his question. She took the chair Anita hadbeen using when Tony was pretending to be me, and I sat down in myswivel across the desk from her. 

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Tinker, " I said. "It's bad enough that you havedeliberately stayed in the District after all telepaths were moststringently warned to register with us so that we could move them toless sensitive areas. But I take it quite hard that you have tried toembarrass me. "

"That would take a little doing, " she said. "You've got a heart like apiece of flint. Let me see your palm!" she demanded, reachingimperatively across my desk. Fred started to protest, but I passed myhand across to her, leaning forward so that she could reach it. 

Maude Tinker smoothed out my palm, rubbing her thumb over it as if toclear away a veil of mystery, and bent close over it, her dark faceintense. She traced a line or two with her fingernail, and dropped myhand to the walnut. "You have no mercy, " she said. "You will use theexcuse that I tried to hinder the work of your department as a reason topunish me severely--and your real reason is that you feel I might havedamaged you personally. "

Fred was moving around the desk. He spoke softly in my ear while I keptmy eye on the gypsy. That was silly. He can't close his mind the way Ican. She could read his thoughts just as well as if he were screamingthem out loud. 

[Illustration]

"That's a charge she may repeat, Gyp, " he said. "Nobody could blame you, if you disqualified yourself from this decision. I think we could getthe newscasts to see it as impeccable public behavior. We'll paint youas the administrator so devoted to pure justice that even potentialresentment will be a barrier to your personal decision. How's that soundto you, Gyp?"

"The day you have to start painting a picture for them, I've had it, Fred, " I said. I felt sure Anita had overheard his soft words in my ear, but to be sure, I added, "I think it would be suicide to disqualifymyself from this case. That's just the first step to disqualifyingmyself from the job. If there's any hint of telepathic heredity in mycase, ducking this decision would be a public admission that I'msensitive in that area. No. I'll handle it. "

Anita nodded slowly to me. Well, she had called it. Maybe she _was_right about Fred. "Tell you what, " I said. "Several things about thiscase interest me. If we are to believe her, this woman has hadabsolutely no contact with any other telepath in Washington--she thoughtshe was the only one who had escaped our dragnet. Why don't all of youshoo--I want to do a little survey in depth here--a little motivationalwork. I think I can get more frankness out of her if there are nowitnesses. Beat it, kids. "

Anita left with Fred. Maude Tinker and I were alone in my office. Ilooked at her with a smile. 

 * * * * *

"Hello, Joe, " she said. 

"Hello, Mother, " I said. "You look just wonderful. "

Mother smiled at me and reached across the desk again to take both myhands. "_Yosip_, " she said in Romany. "What a wonderful long way youhave come since you ran away. A lawyer, and now a big man, a _very_ bigman, in Washington. I am a very proud gypsy. "

What I might have said to her was interrupted by a racket outside myoffice. Voices were raised. I thought I heard what could only be Anitayelling. That's another thing that had never happened before. 

Fred burst back into the office, with Anita right on his heels. His facewas livid. Mother turned in her chair and looked coldly at him. A gypsywoman can give you the snootiest look in the world, right down heraquiline nose, when she feels like it. It stopped Fred Plaice in histracks. 

"Yes, Fred?" I said quietly. 

"If you don't mind, Tinker, " he said brusquely. "I'd like to be presentfor this interview. "

"Tinker?"

"I'm sorry, Gyp, " he said. "I'm ... I'm upset. "

"I'll bet you are, you sneak, " Anita said. "Chief, " she told me. "He wasfit to be tied when you chased us out. The first thing he wanted to knowwas whatever had made you decide to get Tony Carlucci in here to trickhis gypsy snake. I was so mad that I flipped and told him it was _my_idea. "

"Is that why you're back?" I asked him. 

"Get this calf-eyed girl Friday of yours off my back, " he said stonily. "Our security certainly doesn't permit your confidential assistant to bein love with you. We're supposed to be checking each other constantly. "

I hardly knew which of his two ideas to blast the hardest. I looked atAnita first. She simply raised her head and looked me straight in theeye. It could mean almost anything. 

I tried Fred: "And you consider it's your job to check on me?"

"Of course. Goes without saying, " he said. I shrugged. "At any rate, " headded, calming down. "I'm staying. Nothing outside of a direct order, which I will protest to George Kelly, will get me to leave. " The lastthing I wanted was trouble with the Director. 

"Stay, Fred, " I said. "But we'll have some things to settle afterwards. "

"Maybe, " he smiled. "It will depend. Right now I'd like to get a load ofthis motivational research you've got cooked up. "

"Don't bother, " Mother said. "I've got more sense than to tie the ropearound my own neck. I'm not saying a word. " She crossed her arms and satback in her chair with a granitic finality. 

"So much the quicker, " Fred said. "You can sentence her right now, Gyp!"

"Sure, " I said. "Sure I can. " I wish I could say that my mind raced to aquick decision. No--I _couldn't_ think. Or almost couldn't. One ideapercolated through. Mother had made no "mistake" in calling Tony by myname. She had read Fred's mind in the 'copter on the way from the jail, and Anita's as she was ushered in. Her "mistake" could only mean onething--_Fred Plaice was not sure she was my mother_. 

This much thought took time. Fred knew I was stalling. "Come on, " hesnapped in a tone he had never dared to use to me before. "Let's havethe sentence!"

He was right in one thing. He had me over a barrel. I squeezed myeyelids shut and did something I hadn't done since that day twenty yearsbefore when I had run away from home. I opened my mind to my mother. 

 * * * * *

Unless you have had the experience, you can't imagine what it is like tolive with a telepath. It is disquieting in the extreme. One of theconcomitants of consciousness is that it is _private_ consciousness. Andwhen this isn't true, when someone, even a loved one, can creep intoyour mind and know what you think, your insides writhe. Caterpillarscourse around under your skin. And you resent. Sooner or later you willhate. I ran away from home because I couldn't stand Mother in my mind, and couldn't bear the thought of hating her. 

But now I _had_ to know what I should do to her. I let her into mythoughts. _Give me some sign_, I thought, as I waved a hand at Fred forquiet. _Mother, tell me what to do!_

_Poor Joe_, she thought. _He loves me in spite of it all. He can't bearto do what he has to do. Joe!_ her mind shrieked at me. _You read mymind!_

I snapped upright in my chair and grabbed its arms until I could hear myknuckles crack. My mind snapped shut with an almost audible crack. _Iwas a damned snake!_

I could dimly hear Fred yammering at me. With a sick fear I slowlyopened my mind again. His thoughts surged into it. Well, Anita had beenright. And Anita!

_Yes_, Mother thought. _She does love you, Joe. A lovely girl. You luckyman. _

Fred had me by the shoulder, yelling at me, shaking me, trying to get meto speak. He was almost slavering in his greed. I paid him no heed. _All right_, I thought. _What's to be done, Mother?_

_Throw the book at me_, Mother thought. 

"Shut up, Fred. And sit down. " He kept his tight grip on my shoulder. "Sit down!" I yelled at him. "Three strikes and out, Fred. This is thethird order you've resisted today!"

"Now hear this, " I said. "Under the powers vested in me ... " I sentencedMother to indefinite detention in Oklahoma. I threatened her withworse--face it, the only worse thing was death--if she were found in arestricted area again. 

"Take her out, Fred, " I said. He hadn't counted on my being able to doit, and it left him without a plan. "Four times?" I asked him. 

"No. No, Gyp. On my way, " he said, taking Mother by the arm. 

Anita started to follow him. I stopped her and waited until the door hadclosed behind Fred and Mother. 

"You were right about Fred, Anita, " I said. "Thank you for saving mylife. "

"Oh, Gyp, " she said, tears trying to brim over her eyelids. "He's such acutthroat!"

"Sure, " I said. "But now we know it. Get me an appointment with GeorgeKelly, will you, Anita?"

She compressed her lips. "That's more like it!" she said angrily. "GetFred kicked clear out of the Bureau. George Kelly is a great Director, Gyp, and he'll do it if you insist. "

"Maybe, " I said. I stewed over what to tell the boss until Anita cameback in. 

"Mr. Kelly can see you now, Mr. Tinker, " she said, all calmed downagain. 

I got up and came around the desk and took her by the elbow, standing atmy door. "Just in case, " I said, leaning down to kiss her lightly on thelips. "I love you, too. "

"Too?" she said. 

I froze. It was the kind of slip that sooner or later trips up everysnake. My grin was a sick one. I walked out without another word. 

 * * * * *

The Director's office is on the fourth floor, I climbed the singleflight, and his girl let me in. George affects long slim cigars. I sayaffects. He seldom lights them, but he waves them like batons, conducting some kind of a symphony of words and ideas all day. 

"Welcome, stranger, " he said, calling on the fiddles for a littlepizzicato. "What's up, Gyp?"

I sat down across from him at his desk and tried to put a smile on myface. "I want to submit my resignation, George, " I said. "Effectiveimmediately. "

"Not accepted, " he said, without a second thought. Then his face grewsolemn. "What's this about?" he demanded. "I can't lose _you_, Gyp. Myright bower!"

"One favor, " I said, not answering him. "Don't move Fred Plaice up to myold spot. Any of the other Section Chiefs, but not Fred. "

"Well, well, " George said, whipping up the brasses with his cigar. "This begins to sound like cause and effect. " He hushed the wholeorchestra to a whisper. "I thought Fred was your fair-haired boy, Gyp. You two get in a hassle?"

I shook my head. "Not directly, George, " I told him. "I want you to knowtwo things. They'll explain why I'm quitting. My mother is a telepath. We arrested her early this morning, here in the District. I justsentenced her to transportation and detention in Oklahoma. "

"Good heavens, " he gasped. "Your own mother! Gyp, no wonder you'reupset. Didn't you know she was a snake?"

My smile was a little tired. "Of course I knew, " I told him. "I ran awayfrom home at thirteen to get away from having her inside my head all thetime. That's how I learned to close my mind--closing her out as much asI could. The power got stronger as I grew older. "

"It's embarrassing, " George said, turning away from me to look out thewindow. "To have you, of all people, Gyp, with telepathic heredity. Still, if no one knows, and since you've never had the slightestmanifestation of psi powers yourself, there may be some way we canpreserve your usefulness. "

"Today, within the last half hour, George, my latent telepathic abilitybecame manifest. George, I'm a snake. "

His face froze. Then the batonlike cigar stopped its movement. He waslike a statue. The pose broke, and he pressed a button. 

"Send Carol Lundgren in, " he ordered. I knew Carol, another short-rangetelepath that George used as his private lie-detector. 

Carol was at my elbow in a moment or so. George wasted no words. "Carol, is there a telepath in this room?" he asked. 

Carol grinned. "Yep, " he said to the enforced silence. "There is. "George Kelly's face fell. "His name is Carol Lundgren, " the kid went on. "Next question?"

George looked as though he could have brained him. "All right, youPhiladelphia lawyer, " he grumbled. "Besides yourself, Carol, is there atelepath in this room?"

"No, Mr. Kelly, there is not. "

"Get out, and don't scare me like that again. " George told him. 

I didn't get it. I said so: "George, I don't get it. I read my mother'sthoughts, and for that matter, Fred Plaice's thoughts, too. That's why Iasked you not to give him my job. I swear to you I can read thoughts. "

"So?"

"If I _know_ I'm a telepath, Carol should be able to read the thoughtthat I know it, " I protested. 

"You're like me, " George Kelly said. "You automatically close your mindin the presence of a telepath. It's pure reflex now. Carol couldn't reada thing because you clammed your thoughts the instant he walked in. "

"That was _then_!" I yelled at him. "_Before_ my psi powers becamemanifest. You know that a telepath can't close his mind! Why couldn'tCarol read my thoughts?"

_Well_, George thought, _he couldn't read mine either, could he?_

_No_, I thought. _He couldn't. He ... George!_ my mind shrieked at him. 

Somebody kicked the props out from under my world. _George Kelly was asnake!_

_Don't be silly_, he thought. _I'm no more a snake than you are, Gyp. _

_But you're a telepath!_

_So are you, Gyp_, he thought. _The only kind of telepath that reallycounts. You can read minds, but others can't read yours. _

I fell back on words, closing my mind--it was rattling so I didn't wantGeorge to read my thoughts: "But a telepath _can't_ close his mind!" Iprotested. 

"I hope the Russians are as sure of that as you are, Gyp, " Georgegrinned. "The only agents we have in Russia are closed-mindtelepaths--telepaths who don't automatically give themselves away. Now_that_ kind of a telepath really _is_ a usable espionage agent or a safelink in a communications net. "

"How long has this been going on?"

"About three years, Gyp. When we discovered that certain training couldmake some telepaths closed-mind operators, we got the President topromulgate the Executive Orders that Congress later made into law. Wegot all ordinary telepaths out of circulation and put to work those thatwe could train to closed-mind operation. Now you know why I won't takeyour resignation. "

I sputtered. "George, how can I conscientiously crack down on these poorpeople, if I'm a TP myself?"

He grinned. "You won't. You'll still be doing just what you've alwaysbeen doing, except now you'll _know_ that you're doing it. You'll berecruiting telepaths for us. Where do you think we train them?"

"Oklahoma? The Detention area?"

"Sure. Where else? Now relax. But for heaven's sake, don't ever leakthis. We feel sure the Russians haven't discovered this business ofclosed-mind telepaths yet. Some day, I suppose, they will. It may take along time. The self-realized closed-mind telepath like you, Gyp, is ararity. Mostly we have to train people rigorously for it. It took yourmother over two years to learn it. "

"My mother!"

"Sure. Why did you think she was in Washington? She's part of theSevastopol, Teheran and Cairo communications network. "

"George, " I insisted. "Something is shaky. If she's on the inside, howdid she ever get picked up?"

He laughed. "Just part of her cover. Fred Plaice got too close. We knowwhat he is, Gyp. But we didn't dare to have him guess what your motherwas. She's on her way to a nice California vacation. New assignmentafter that. Maybe middle Europe. After all, she _is_ a gypsy. Ought togo well, say, in Bulgaria!"

THE END

Transcriber's Note:

 This etext was produced from _Analog_ July 1961. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U. S. Copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.