The boy, on the other screen, slumped back in his chair, his face
relaxing into its customary expression of vacancy.

"Will you accept my offer of service, Lady Dallona?" Dirzed asked.
"It's as Garnon said; you've made enemies."

Dallona smiled at him. "I've not been too deep in my work to know
that. I'm glad to accept your offer, Dirzed."

* * * * *

Nirzav of Shonna had already turned away from the group and was
hurrying from the room, to call his home for confirmation on the
notches made on the underside of his dining table. As he went out the
door, he almost collided with the upper-servant, who was rushing in
with a book in his hand.

"Here it is," the latter exclaimed, holding up the book. "Larnov's
'Splendor of Space,' just where he said it would be. I had a couple of
servants with me as witnesses; I can call them in now, if you wish."
He handed the book to Harnosh of Hosh. "See, a strip of message tape
in it, at the tenth verse of the Fourth Canto."

Nirzav of Shonna re-entered the room; he was chewing his mustache and
muttering to himself. As he rejoined the group in front of the now
dark visiplates, he raised his voice, addressing them all generally.

"My butler found the notches, just as the communication described," he
said. "This settles it! Garnon, if you're where you can hear me,
you've won. I can't believe in the Statisticalist doctrines after