"If security was involved, I'd keep still. But the Air Force and the
Navy swear they haven't any such things."

Steele looked at me thoughtfully.

"You know, True might force something into the open that would be
better left secret." He smiled ironically. "I realize that sounds
peculiar, since I suggested the Russian angle. But if it isn't
Russian--though I still think it is--then we have nothing to worry
about."

I was almost sure now that he was a plant. During the rest of the
luncheon, I tried to draw him out, but Steele was through talking.
When we parted, he gave me a sober warning.

"You and True should consider your moral responsibility, no matter
what you find. Even if it's not actual security, there may be reasons
to keep still."

After he left me, I tried to figure it out. If the Air Force was back
of this, they must not think much of my intelligence. Or else they had
been in such a hurry to get a line on True's investigation that they
had no choice but

{p. 48}

to use Steele. Of course, it was still possible he was doing this on
his own,