He asked DuBarry to give me their file of historic reports. While John
was getting it, Purdy went on:

"Be careful about this man Steele. After what he said about 'moral
responsibility' I'm sure he's planted."

I thought back to Steele's warning. I told Purdy: "If he had the space
thing in mind, maybe he's right. It could set off a panic that would
make that Orson Welles thing look like a picnic."

"Certainly it could," Purdy said. "We'd have to handle it carefully-if
it turned out to be the truth. But I think the Air Force is making a
mistake, if that's what they're hiding. It could break the wrong way
and be serious."

John DuBarry came back with the file of old reports.

"It might interest you to know," he said, "that the Air Force checked
all these old sightings too."

The idea was still a difficult one for me to believe.

"Those space-travel suggestions might be a trick," I said. "The Air
Force may be hinting at that to hide the guided-missile secret."

"Yes, but later on they deny the space thing," said Purdy. "It looks
as if they're trying to put people on guard and then play it down, so
they won't get scared."