diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:13:56 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:13:56 -0700 |
| commit | ccc48b9a7f6ac6d2492dd3a6a2e05830247dc101 (patch) | |
| tree | 5967af67b27bf5f679bb686f21859a8e129add64 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 127248 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h/24655-h.htm | 2016 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h/images/001.png | bin | 0 -> 40419 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h/images/002.png | bin | 0 -> 15484 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h/images/003.png | bin | 0 -> 44157 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655-h/images/004.png | bin | 0 -> 757 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655.txt | 1400 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 24655.zip | bin | 0 -> 24195 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
11 files changed, 3432 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24655-h.zip b/24655-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..56dd285 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h.zip diff --git a/24655-h/24655-h.htm b/24655-h/24655-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dcd47d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h/24655-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2016 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Tinker's Dam, by Joseph Tinker + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1 {text-align: left; clear: both; padding-left: 4.5em; text-indent: -4.5em; margin-top: 0;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-size: large;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 1em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figcenter {margin: 1em auto; width: 600px;} + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 139px;} + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin: 0 .75em .1em 0; padding: 0; width: 51px;} + .figleft img {border: double 3px;} + .fgcap {text-indent: -.5em;} + .trans1 {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: justify;} + img {border: none;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .illo {font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-align: right;} + .tease {font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + .theend {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; margin-top: 2em;} + .titl {background: url("images/001.png") top left no-repeat; width: 401px; height: 600px; margin: 0 auto 4em;} + .bk1 {padding: 225px 0 0 190px;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinker's Dam, by Joseph Tinker + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tinker's Dam + +Author: Joseph Tinker + +Illustrator: John Schoenherr + +Release Date: February 20, 2008 [EBook #24655] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKER'S DAM *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="titl"> +<div class="bk1"><h1>TINKER'S<br /> +DAM</h1> + +<h2>By JOSEPH TINKER</h2> + +<p class="tease">There is something very fundamental +indeed about the ancient showman's +trick—divert their attention from +the thing you're really doing ...</p> +<p class="illo">Illustrated by Schoenherr</p></div></div> + +<div class="figleft"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="45" height="45" alt="T" title="T" /> +</div><p class="fgcap"><span class="dcap">he</span> call on the TV-phone +came right in the middle +of my shaving. They +have orders not to call +me before breakfast for +anything less than a national calamity. +I pressed "Accept," too startled +to take the lather from my face.</p> + +<p>"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' your feet!"</p> + +<p>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, +knowing he would not have +called on a routine matter. "I got up +before breakfast as it is. What's +up?" I hardly needed to ask. When +they call me, it's always the same +sickening kind of trouble.</p> + +<p>"Fred Plaice and his gang got +their hands on a telepath in the District +last 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, I want you to go through the +main entrance this morning."</p> + +<p>I nodded my willingness to fight +my way through the crowd that +would be gathering at the office. +Usually I have my taxi drop me on +the roof of the building. Call it a +petty vanity if you want. It's one of +the perquisites of being Washington +brass.</p> + +<p>"Swell, Gyp," George Kelly said, +as if there had been any question +about whether I'd come in through +the main entrance. "The public has a +world of confidence in you. Now, +damn it, Gyp, if they want to make +a fuss over you this morning, let +them. We've got to get that snake +out of the building alive!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," I protested. "You don't +mean Fred took a telepath to the +office?"</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid so," George said, his +tone so neutral that I couldn't take +it as personal criticism. "See you +down there." His rugged features +faded from the screen as he cut the +image.</p> + +<p>I had my driver drop the skim-copter +to the street when we got to +Pennsylvania Avenue within a block +of the building, and he skimmed to +the outskirts of the crowd that was +pressing around the entrance. There +were four or five hundred people +there, milling around like a herd of +restless cattle. Tighter knots of humanity +were pressed around the +usual four or five firebrands who +were ranting and yelling for blood—telepathic +blood.</p> + +<p>The guards around the entrance, +apparently tipped by George Kelly, +started yelling, "Let him through!" +They charged the mob to open a +lane for me. The crowd drew back +sullenly. As I pressed toward the +guards, I could see the fear and panic +on the faces around me.</p> + +<p>Then a man recognized me. "God +bless Gyp Tinker!" he bellowed in a +voice loud enough to conjure an +echo out of a prairie. People started +jumping like so many animated pogo +sticks, trying to get a sight of me +over the heads of others. By the time +I reached the steps, the whole mob +was cheering and yelling, "Gyp!"</p> + +<p>As George Kelly had asked, I +paused on the steps and held up my +hands for a chance to speak. It's +flattering when they give you silence. +In the space of two breaths it +was like the inside of a morgue.</p> + +<p>"Thanks, friends," I called out to +them. "George Kelly and I have already +gotten the facts on the telepath +who was captured here in +Washington last night. There is absolutely +no cause for alarm. I hope +you'll go to your homes and offices +promptly. Let's not give the Russians +any more satisfaction than we +have to. And rest easy, friends. We'll +use the full summary powers conferred +by Congress."</p> + +<p>They gave me a terrific cheer. +You'd think I had said something. +At least they were reminded of the +summary powers granted the F.B.I. +to deal with telepaths, because of +the gruesome danger they are to all +of us.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Anita Hadley, my secretary, was +waiting for me in the outer office, +although it was a good hour before +we were supposed to open.</p> + +<p>"He's in there," she said, pointing +to the door to my private office.</p> + +<p>"The snake?" I asked, startled.</p> + +<p>"Fred Plaice," she said. "And he's +got the snake in there with him." +Her gray eyes flashed. She could +guess how I felt about that.</p> + +<p>"Come along," I said to her, and +went into my office.</p> + +<p>"Hi, Gyp," Fred Plaice greeted +me, grinning. "Got a present for +you." He gave his prisoner a shove, +making him stumble a couple steps +toward me. The telepath was a +stoop-shouldered balding gent with +large feet. He certainly didn't look +like a walking bubonic plague, but +then, they never do. Instinctively I +closed my thoughts to him.</p> + +<p>"What's this snake doing here, +Fred?" I asked my Section Chief +quietly.</p> + +<p>He flushed. He knew my policies. +"What did you expect me to do with +him?" he said hotly. "This isn't some +common snake we picked up out in +the country. We snagged this viper +right here in Washington, Gyp! I +suppose I should have spirited him +out of town on the midnight jet!"</p> + +<p>"Yes," I said. "That would have +been my idea. Do you realize that +all this publicity has gotten us a mob +of five hundred people around our +doors, a mob that's waiting to lynch +this prisoner of yours?"</p> + +<p>The man gulped and started to +say something, but Fred hit him +hard between the shoulder blades. +"Shut up," he said. "Nobody cares +what you think." He walked up close +to me. "Sure I know there's a mob +down there," he said. "And I know +why they're there. Plain scared to +death of what it means to have had +a telepath loose in Washington. +You're wrong to hustle this guy out +of town, Gyp. Look at this pathetic +case—does he look like a superman?"</p> + +<p>I looked at the snake. "No," I +agreed. "He looks like they roped +him somewhere in West Virginia a +few months ago, put shoes on him, +and brought him to town."</p> + +<p>"Right," Fred snapped. "Let the +mob get a look at him. The contrast +of you dragging him along by the +ear and him stumbling along behind +you is the sort of thing the public +laps up. It'll put you right in the +driver's seat."</p> + +<p>"I thought Congress had already +done that," I reminded him coldly. +No bureaucrat could want powers +more absolute than mine. "Unfortunately," +I growled at him. "I gave +orders that no snakes were to be +brought into this building without +my prior consent. This ineffective-looking +hill-billy has possibly read +a thousand minds since you dragged +him in here. How much of what he +has picked up around here this +morning will be peeped by some +Russian telepath before you get him +out of town?"</p> + +<p>"Relax," Fred scoffed. "He's a +short-range punk."</p> + +<p>That was too much. "I'll do my +own thinking, Fred," I said. "From +now on, you follow orders."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>I turned on the telepath. "Before +I sentence you," I said. "What have +you got to say?"</p> + +<p>"I never hurt nothin'," he grumbled.</p> + +<p>They're all alike, so help me. +"You are a telepath?" I asked him.</p> + +<p>"Shoah."</p> + +<p>"Prove it," I demanded, opening +a chink in my mind.</p> + +<p>His long red face twisted in a +crooked grin, showing poorly-cared-for +teeth scattered here and there in +his gums.</p> + +<p>"Yo' think I never had no orthodonture, +whatever <i>thet</i> is," he said.</p> + +<p>I shut my mind like a clam. If +there's anything I detest, it's the +ghastly creeping of a telepath into +my own thoughts. "Hello, Pete!" he +exclaimed. "Yo' done shet yo' +mind!" He shook his head. "Ain't +never seen a body could do <i>thet</i>!" +I'll bet he hadn't. There are only a +few of us who can keep telepaths +out of our thoughts. It takes a world +of practice. Well, I'd had that.</p> + +<p>"Can you do that?" I asked the +snake.</p> + +<p>He shook his head. "No, suh," he +admitted.</p> + +<p>"So here you are," I said, more +heatedly. "Wandering around in a +town full of <i>secrets</i>—Washington, +the capital of your country, where +the military, the diplomatic people, +the security people, all of them have +locked in their heads the things that +keep us one step ahead of the Russians. +Isn't that true?"</p> + +<p>"I reckon. But—"</p> + +<p>"But nothing," I snapped, getting +sore about it for the thousandth +time. "And you, you miserable +snake, you <i>can't</i> keep your thoughts +from being read by another telepath. +No telepath can. Your mind is open +<i>two</i> ways—to let thoughts in but, +damn it, equally to leak out anything +you know." I smiled coldly at +him. "Can you get my thoughts +now?"</p> + +<p>The telepath shook his head. +"Still got yo' mind closed," he said. +He sounded bitter about it.</p> + +<p>"You're right," I told him. "Something +that few can do, and that <i>no +telepath can do</i>! How can we let you +wander around Washington leaking +out thoughts of every secret your +mind might accidentally have overheard +from some ranking official? +How many Russian telepaths have +been accredited to their Embassy? +How many crypto-telepaths have +the Reds got in town? How many +secrets have you <i>already</i> given +away? How big a traitor have you +been?"</p> + +<p>That was the one that got him. +"Traitor!" he yelled at me, starting +across the office to where I stood +leaning against my desk. Fred +grabbed him and twisted his arm +cruelly to stop all movement.</p> + +<p>"Cut that out!" he snapped.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>The telepath was not to be silenced. +"My folks been in this country +over three hundred years," he +stormed at me. "And it takes someone +like you to call me a traitor!"</p> + +<p>I am very dark, and my hair is +black and curly. I don't mind. With +my heredity, it should be.</p> + +<p>"Under the power vested in me—" +I started.</p> + +<p>"Aw, shet up," he said, turning to +walk to the door. "I reckon I know +the rest!"</p> + +<p>Anita stayed behind after Fred +Plaice dragged the snake out with +him. "Better get me George Kelly +on the 'visor," I said to her.</p> + +<p>"Right away," Anita said, coming +over to my desk. "But first—"</p> + +<p>I looked up. "Yes?"</p> + +<p>"Fred Plaice is throwing you a +curve, Gyp."</p> + +<p>The instant she used my nickname, +<i>I</i> knew Anita felt that it was +important. She never did that unless +we were alone and talking seriously.</p> + +<p>"What the devil!"</p> + +<p>"Fred caught <i>another</i> telepath +last night, at the same time he got +the snake you just saw," Anita said. +"You didn't know that, did you, +Gyp?"</p> + +<p>"Hell, no," I growled. "Does +George Kelly know?"</p> + +<p>"No," she said.</p> + +<p>"How did you find out, Anita?"</p> + +<p>She shrugged. "I stand pretty +good with a couple of the guys in +Fred's section. One of them tipped +me on the 'visor at home before I +came to work. That's how I knew to +be down here, actually."</p> + +<p>I scowled over that one. "What +did your buddy tell you?"</p> + +<p>"Fred had said he'd have your +O.K. to execute the second snake by +noon and that everything about her +was top-secret."</p> + +<p>That was enough. "Get Fred and +this top-secret snake in here, Anita, +and right now! Forget about that +call to the Director."</p> + +<p>"Yes, <i>sir</i>!" she said, and went out +with a swish of skirts.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>But Fred came in alone. I decided +it was about time to get him +back on his 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 +bring that other snake in <i>with</i> you. +I know Anita got the message to +you."</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="139" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>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," +he said. "Gyp, this is once you're going +to let me have <i>my</i> way."</p> + +<p>"Not that it makes any difference," +I snapped. "But why?"</p> + +<p>"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?"</p> + +<p>Fred's a hot-shot. He's the +hardest-charger among my Section +Chiefs. But I had never found his +ambitions extending to my own job +as head of the Division of Psychic +Investigation. "You're still here," I +conceded. "I guess I never caught +you at it, Fred."</p> + +<p>"And you never will, Gyp," he +said. "You've given me the greatest +breaks a guy ever got. This time +I'm returning the favor."</p> + +<p>"By <i>executing</i> a telepath?" I demanded. +"And a woman, at that!"</p> + +<p>He didn't ask me how I knew, but +I could see it annoyed him.</p> + +<p>"The biggest break you ever got," +he insisted. "This thing is so hot it +will burn you to death. Another +crypto-telepath, right here in the +District. I want to make summary +disposition of her, and I don't want +you to so much as look at the papers. +Just give me instructions to use +my own discretion."</p> + +<p>Talk about a blank check. "Fred," +I said, searching for words that +wouldn't offend him. "I have more +confidence in you than in any man +I've ever worked with. But <i>execution</i>! +Sure, three years ago, when +the President declared the psychic +emergency, we were killing the most +fatally dangerous ones. But that's a +couple years behind us. I just can't +go that far without more reason +than you've given me."</p> + +<p>"It's perfectly legal," Fred said +sullenly and beside the point. "Congress +has given you summary—"</p> + +<p>"Of course," I cut in. "What +F.B.I. man would suggest an illegal +course of action? But why should I +delegate? If this is so touchy, I +should handle it myself. Why delegate?"</p> + +<p>"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 <i>why</i>, it wouldn't +be right for you to delegate. Do as I +ask. Trust me. I'm saving you a +world of trouble."</p> + +<p>"Boy, oh boy!" I said. "This doesn't +sound like the way to stay out of +trouble. What is so dangerous about +this telepath?"</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"This is your own idea, Fred?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"Talked it over with Anita?"</p> + +<p>He shook his head furiously. "I +wouldn't compromise you, Gyp, and +not with <i>her</i>!"</p> + +<p>That settled it. I would trust Anita +with the crown jewels.</p> + +<p>"No dice, Fred," I said. "Give me +the facts."</p> + +<p>"Gyp," he pleaded. "<i>Don't</i> ask for +them!"</p> + +<p>"The facts!"</p> + +<p>He straightened up from where he +had hung over my desk during the +whole argument. "This cuts my guts +right out," he said. "Suspect apprehended +around two o'clock this +morning and now in detention at the +City Jail. Native white female, age +fifty-eight. Named Maude Tinker." +He stopped.</p> + +<p>I couldn't start. Maude Tinker! +My given name is Joseph Tinker—although +they all call me Gyp. +"What ..." I got out at last. +"What did she look...?"</p> + +<p>He nodded, looking sick. "She's a +gypsy, if that's what you mean, +Gyp," he said to me. "I'm sorry. +You <i>know</i> I'm sorry."</p> + +<p>"Has she made any statement, +Fred?" I asked softly, staring at the +surface of my desk.</p> + +<p>"She demanded to be taken at +once to the Chief of the Division of +Psychic Investigation, Mr. Joseph +Tinker," he said.</p> + +<p>"Give any reason?"</p> + +<p>He was quiet for a while, until I +looked up. "She said," Fred told me, +"she said Gyp Tinker was her son."</p> + +<p>I smiled wanly at him. "Obviously +I can't let a statement like that go +unchallenged, not in my position as +the man charged with extirpating +the danger of the snakes," I said.</p> + +<p>"Obviously," Fred agreed. "Now +that you know about it. If you had +done as I asked, Gyp ..."</p> + +<p>"Get her over here, Fred," I said. +"I'll see her at once. And send Anita +in as you leave."</p> + +<p>"Sure, Gyp," he said, starting for +the door.</p> + +<p>"And thanks, Fred," I said. "But +it never would have worked."</p> + +<p>"Maybe not," he conceded from +the door. "But the guy in the jam +would have been me, not you."</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>I turned my swivel around and +stared out the window at the Mall +and didn't move until the light scent +of Anita's perfume reminded me +that I had asked her to come in.</p> + +<p>I swung around. "You watch out +for that Fred Plaice," Anita said, almost +scoldingly.</p> + +<p>"You mean, start watching my +back, like I never did before? How +did I get this far?"</p> + +<p>Her frown softened a little. "You +don't miss many bets," she said. "Not +my Gypper. But this thing of Fred's +holding back on the other telepath +he picked up last night has all the +earmarks of a real slippery move."</p> + +<p>"Did Fred tell you anything about +it on the way out?"</p> + +<p>"Just that he was bringing the +telepath from the City Jail right +back with him, and that you wanted +to see her at once."</p> + +<p>"This snake is a woman, aged +fifty-eight, Anita," I told her. "She +gave the name of Maude Tinker +and says she's my mother," I added, +without any particular expression.</p> + +<p>Anita laughed. "Oh, <i>no</i>!" she said. +"What they won't think of next!" +But her face sobered in an instant, +and she bent forward, almost whispering +the rest: "Gyp! You mean +that Fred Plaice took her seriously! +That he was trying to get <i>rid</i> of +her?"</p> + +<p>"He felt it would be better if I +never knew about it," I admitted. +"What do you think I should do, +Anita?"</p> + +<p>Her heart-shaped face grew more +solemn. "I think it would be bad to +try to cover it up," she decided. +"And I'm glad you didn't let Fred +do that to you. Some newscast +would be sure to get hold of the story +and there'd be snide accusations. +All this talk recently about the +heredity of psi powers is bad, too. +That's what she's trying to cash in +on. And if the public thought that +the man in charge of catching and +pulling the fangs of all the snakes +was a hereditary telepath, they'd be +after your scalp in no time."</p> + +<p>"So?"</p> + +<p>"Scotch it. See her, face her +down, prove her charge is ridiculous, +and ship her west."</p> + +<p>I smiled a little dimly. "Just one +complication."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Gyp?"</p> + +<p>"This Maude Tinker, says Fred, +is a gypsy."</p> + +<p>Anita's face did the most abrupt +change. I had never seen her furiously +angry. She's a typical high +echelon Washington secretary, cool, +extremely well-mannered, cheerful +without being bumptious. But this +time she was downright mad.</p> + +<p>"I told you," Anita said.</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"I told you to watch out for Fred +Plaice!"</p> + +<p>"It's not his fault," I protested. +"Catching telepaths is his job."</p> + +<p>"Within limits," she said scornfully. +"I thought it was just one +more of his 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 all the soothsayers and clairvoyants +and finders were really +short-range telepaths or pre-cogs."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it," I said. "You +mean that Fred started with my +nickname, and has been on this campaign +of looking for telepaths among +gypsies just in hopes he could embarrass +me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes!"</p> + +<p>You have to like loyalty, no matter +what the circumstances that incite +it.</p> + +<p>"I can't believe that of one of my +boys, Anita," I said. "Fred was all +broken up about it."</p> + +<p>"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 for disqualifying +yourself from this case. After +all, your own mother!"</p> + +<p>Well, the political implications +<i>were</i> deep. "I think I would agree," +I said at length. "Let's see what happens. +Send this Maude Tinker in as +soon as she gets here."</p> + +<p>"Aren't you going to take any +precautions, Gyp?" Anita demanded.</p> + +<p>"Against what?"</p> + +<p>"You're impossible," she snapped. +"I'll take care of the precaution department +myself. And don't you +dare let Fred get that woman in +here until I get back."</p> + +<p>"No what...?"</p> + +<p>"Joseph Tinker!" she cried. "Be +quiet!" She stormed out.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>In about twenty minutes the buzzer +on my pix-box sounded, and I +depressed the key. Anita's face was +tense on the small screen.</p> + +<p>"Just got a flash," she said. "Fred +has her in his 'copter and will let +down on the roof in about four or +five minutes. I'll need a couple minutes +more than that. Now don't you +let him in with her before I get there, +do you hear me?"</p> + +<p>I said I heard her. She beat Fred +at that. For all I know she had +booby-trapped them in getting down +from the roof. Anita has drag with +everybody in the building, and that +could have included the elevator +service man, who quite easily could +have loused service to the roof +enough to delay Fred.</p> + +<p>Anita came in. "Mr. Tinker," she +said crisply. "Meet Tony Carlucci."</p> + +<p>I stood up. Tony was a darned +good-looking chap, about my age, +with very dark hair, somewhat curly, +and a flash of white teeth for a smile. +I told him I was pleased to meet +him.</p> + +<p>"Move over," Anita directed, +stepping smartly around my desk +and giving my elbow a sharp yank. +"You sit behind the desk, Tony. +Now try to look like a big wheel, for +heaven's sake."</p> + +<p>"I <i>am</i> a big wheel," Tony protested. +"In the used 'copter racket."</p> + +<p>Anita was already reaching up to +push down on my shoulders. "Won't +you sit down?" she demanded. She +had me in one of the comfortable +chairs I have in my office for callers, +rather off to one side. She put herself +down in the chair across my +desk from Tony Carlucci, as though +she were getting instructions.</p> + +<p>He didn't need much hinting. +"Tell the bulls we're gonna clean up +the District," he started, waving his +hands around. "No more poker. +No more dice. No more Sneaky Pete." +I'd never heard of that.</p> + +<p>"Shut up!" Anita said. "He'll be +here any instant."</p> + +<p>Fred was as good as her word. +He was holding the door for his telepath +within seconds. Tony Carlucci +stopped hamming it up and straightened +importantly 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 +either of us would ever mistake one +for the other, but our general descriptions +were quite similar.</p> + +<p>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 +red skirt, liberally encrusted with +embroidered beads of a darker red. +The tattered 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 piled +up high so that her ears were exposed. +They had pierced lobes, and +heavy gold rings hung from them.</p> + +<p>Instinctively I closed my mind as +tight as a clam. The mere sight of a +telepath triggers that reaction. Fred +closed the door behind him, continuing +to stand just behind his captive. +She glanced briefly at me and +then looked for a longer moment at +Tony Carlucci, behind my desk.</p> + +<p>"Joe," she said to him. "Joe, don't +let them do this to me!"</p> + +<p>I don't know how much coaching +Anita had given Carlucci, but he +knew enough to call her "mother." +And I knew enough to watch Fred +Plaice the instant Tony said: "Oh, +mother! Why the devil couldn't you +keep out of sight!"</p> + +<p>Fred was one mighty confused +looking boy. The two-bit word is +consternation. He had it. Anita had +given him the business.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, madame," I said +standing and walking over to where +Tony was emoting, with the back of +his hand pressed to his eyes. "We +threw you a curve. Meet Mr. Tony +Carlucci." Her eyebrows rose in surprise. +"And I, madame, am Joseph +Tinker."</p> + +<p>"Joe!" she cried, or wailed is a +better word, and threw herself +around the desk to seize me in her +arms. She smelled faintly of garlic, +oregano and some kind of incense, +maybe sandalwood. A nice clean +gypsy smell. Cleaner than a lot of +gypsies I can think of.</p> + +<p>Fred pulled her off me, not too +gently. I'd say he was a little sore +about something. Anita's eyes were +slits of fury.</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Tony," I said. "See you +around."</p> + +<p>"Honest Tony Carlucci," he said. +"If you need a used 'copter, Joe, jet +on down to my dock. Nothing down. +Listen, I got one that was never used +except in the spring by a little old +lady who gave up walking for Lent. +I'll tell you what I'll do—"</p> + +<p>"Wasting your time," Anita told +him. "The Government provides +Mr. Tinker with any kind of transportation +he needs. A thousand +thanks, Tony. I won't forget—" The +rest was cut off as she gave him one +of the more polite bum's rushes. I +think he would have liked to hang +around to see the rest of our little +amateur theatrical.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Fred had his grin going. "Couldn't +get the drift for a minute, Gyp," +he said, clapping me on the shoulder. +"Nice work! Now I know why I get +such a 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 +act like this against another telepath?"</p> + +<p>She spat a curse at him in Romany. +"So smart!" she sneered. "There +isn't another telepath in the city of +Washington!"</p> + +<p>That was a laugh. For its own +safety the F.B.I. has its own gang of +tame TP's—they are all, of course, +exceptionally short-range telepaths, +and we practically keep them under +lock and key to make sure some important +thoughts don't leak in and +out of their diseased minds.</p> + +<p>"Send in Freeda Sayer," I said, +leaning down to press the intercommute. +Freeda is a thick-ankled, +thick-headed telepath. But stupid or +not, she is telepathic, and <i>is</i> an acid +test in these cases.</p> + +<p>"Is this woman a telepath?" I +asked Freeda, when she stumped in.</p> + +<p>Freeda looked at Maude Tinker, +her mouth hanging a little open. She +snuffled 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 that +low-thyroid slowness to me. "Is that +all, Mr. Tinker?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Fred answered. "Swell, Freeda. +That's all."</p> + +<p>Freeda wandered out.</p> + +<p>Fred said: "O.K., Gyp. What'll I +do with her?"</p> + +<p>"Sit down, Mrs. ... it is Mrs., +isn't it? ... Mrs. Tinker, won't +you please?" I said in answer to his +question. She took the chair Anita +had been using when Tony was pretending +to be me, and I sat down in +my swivel across the desk from her.</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Mrs. Tinker," I said. +"It's bad enough that you have deliberately +stayed in the District after +all telepaths were most stringently +warned to register with us so that we +could move them to less sensitive +areas. But I take it quite hard that +you have tried to embarrass me."</p> + +<p>"That would take a little doing," +she said. "You've got a heart like a +piece of flint. Let me see your +palm!" she demanded, reaching imperatively +across my desk. Fred +started to protest, but I passed my +hand across to her, leaning forward +so that she could reach it.</p> + +<p>Maude Tinker smoothed out my +palm, rubbing her thumb over it as +if to clear away a veil of mystery, +and bent close over it, her dark face +intense. She traced a line or two +with her fingernail, and dropped my +hand to the walnut. "You have no +mercy," she said. "You will use the +excuse that I tried to hinder the +work of your department as a reason +to punish me severely—and your +real reason is that you feel I might +have damaged you personally."</p> + +<p>Fred was moving around the desk. +He spoke softly in my ear while I +kept my eye on the gypsy. That was +silly. He can't close his mind the way +I can. She could read his thoughts +just as well as if he were screaming +them out loud.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="600" height="330" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"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 +get the newscasts to see it as impeccable +public behavior. We'll paint +you as the administrator so devoted +to pure justice that even potential +resentment will be a barrier to your +personal decision. How's that sound +to you, Gyp?"</p> + +<p>"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 disqualify myself +from this case. That's just the first +step to disqualifying myself from +the job. If there's any hint of telepathic +heredity in my case, ducking +this decision would be a public admission +that I'm sensitive in that +area. No. I'll handle it."</p> + +<p>Anita nodded slowly to me. Well, +she had called it. Maybe she <i>was</i> +right about Fred. "Tell you what," I +said. "Several things about this case +interest me. If we are to believe her, +this woman has had absolutely no +contact with any other telepath in +Washington—she thought she was +the only one who had escaped our +dragnet. Why don't all of you shoo—I +want to do a little survey in +depth here—a little motivational +work. I think I can get more frankness +out of her if there are no witnesses. +Beat it, kids."</p> + +<p>Anita left with Fred. Maude +Tinker and I were alone in my office. +I looked at her with a smile.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>"Hello, Joe," she said.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Mother," I said. "You +look just wonderful."</p> + +<p>Mother smiled at me and reached +across the desk again to take both +my hands. "<i>Yosip</i>," she said in Romany. +"What a wonderful long way +you have come since you ran away. +A lawyer, and now a big man, a <i>very</i> +big man, in Washington. I am a very +proud gypsy."</p> + +<p>What I might have said to her +was interrupted by a racket outside +my office. Voices were raised. I +thought I heard what could only be +Anita yelling. That's another thing +that had never happened before.</p> + +<p>Fred burst back into the office, +with Anita right on his heels. His +face was livid. Mother turned in her +chair and looked coldly at him. A +gypsy woman can give you the snootiest +look in the world, right down +her aquiline nose, when she feels like +it. It stopped Fred Plaice in his +tracks.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Fred?" I said quietly.</p> + +<p>"If you don't mind, Tinker," he +said brusquely. "I'd like to be present +for this interview."</p> + +<p>"Tinker?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Gyp," he said. "I'm +... I'm upset."</p> + +<p>"I'll bet you are, you sneak," +Anita said. "Chief," she told me. "He +was fit to be tied when you chased +us out. The first thing he wanted to +know was whatever had made you +decide to get Tony Carlucci in here +to trick his gypsy snake. I was so +mad that I flipped and told him it +was <i>my</i> idea."</p> + +<p>"Is that why you're back?" I +asked him.</p> + +<p>"Get this calf-eyed girl Friday of +yours off my back," he said stonily. +"Our security certainly doesn't permit +your confidential assistant to be +in love with you. We're supposed to +be checking each other constantly."</p> + +<p>I hardly knew which of his two +ideas to blast the hardest. I looked +at Anita first. She simply raised her +head and looked me straight in the +eye. It could mean almost anything.</p> + +<p>I tried Fred: "And you consider +it's your job to check on me?"</p> + +<p>"Of course. Goes without saying," +he said. I shrugged. "At any +rate," he added, calming down. "I'm +staying. Nothing outside of a direct +order, which I will protest to George +Kelly, will get me to leave." The +last thing I wanted was trouble with +the Director.</p> + +<p>"Stay, Fred," I said. "But we'll +have some things to settle afterwards."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," he smiled. "It will depend. +Right now I'd like to get a +load of this motivational research +you've got cooked up."</p> + +<p>"Don't bother," Mother said. +"I've got more sense than to tie the +rope around my own neck. I'm not +saying a word." She crossed her +arms and sat back in her chair with +a granitic finality.</p> + +<p>"So much the quicker," Fred said. +"You can sentence her right now, +Gyp!"</p> + +<p>"Sure," I said. "Sure I can." I +wish I could say that my mind raced +to a quick decision. No—I <i>couldn't</i> +think. Or almost couldn't. One idea +percolated through. Mother had +made no "mistake" in calling Tony +by my name. 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 one thing—<i>Fred Plaice +was not sure she was my mother</i>.</p> + +<p>This much thought took time. +Fred knew I was stalling. "Come +on," he snapped in a tone he had +never dared to use to me before. +"Let's have the sentence!"</p> + +<p>He was right in one thing. He had +me over a barrel. I squeezed my +eyelids shut and did something I +hadn't done since that day twenty +years before when I had run away +from home. I opened my mind to +my mother.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>Unless you have had the experience, +you can't imagine what it is +like to live with a telepath. It is disquieting +in the extreme. One of the +concomitants of consciousness is +that it is <i>private</i> consciousness. And +when this isn't true, when someone, +even a loved one, can creep into +your mind and know what you +think, your insides writhe. Caterpillars +course around under your skin. +And you resent. Sooner or later you +will hate. I ran away from home because +I couldn't stand Mother in my +mind, and couldn't bear the thought +of hating her.</p> + +<p>But now I <i>had</i> to know what I +should do to her. I let her into my +thoughts. <i>Give me some sign</i>, I +thought, as I waved a hand at Fred +for quiet. <i>Mother, tell me what to +do!</i></p> + +<p><i>Poor Joe</i>, she thought. <i>He loves +me in spite of it all. He can't bear to +do what he has to do. Joe!</i> her mind +shrieked at me. <i>You read my mind!</i></p> + +<p>I snapped upright in my chair and +grabbed its arms until I could hear +my knuckles crack. My mind snapped +shut with an almost audible crack. +<i>I was a damned snake!</i></p> + +<p>I could dimly hear Fred yammering +at me. With a sick fear I slowly +opened my mind again. His thoughts +surged into it. Well, Anita had been +right. And Anita!</p> + +<p><i>Yes</i>, Mother thought. <i>She does +love you, Joe. A lovely girl. You +lucky man.</i></p> + +<p>Fred had me by the shoulder, yelling +at me, shaking me, trying to get +me to speak. He was almost slavering +in his greed. I paid him no heed. +<i>All right</i>, I thought. <i>What's to be +done, Mother?</i></p> + +<p><i>Throw the book at me</i>, Mother +thought.</p> + +<p>"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 the +third order you've resisted today!"</p> + +<p>"Now hear this," I said. "Under +the powers vested in me ..." I +sentenced Mother to indefinite detention +in Oklahoma. I threatened her +with worse—face it, the only worse +thing was death—if she were found +in a restricted area again.</p> + +<p>"Take her out, Fred," I said. He +hadn't counted on my being able to +do it, and it left him without a plan. +"Four times?" I asked him.</p> + +<p>"No. No, Gyp. On my way," he +said, taking Mother by the arm.</p> + +<p>Anita started to follow him. I +stopped her and waited until the +door had closed behind Fred and +Mother.</p> + +<p>"You were right about Fred, +Anita," I said. "Thank you for saving +my life."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Gyp," she said, tears trying +to brim over her eyelids. "He's such +a cutthroat!"</p> + +<p>"Sure," I said. "But now we know +it. Get me an appointment with +George Kelly, will you, Anita?"</p> + +<p>She compressed her lips. "That's +more like it!" she said angrily. "Get +Fred kicked clear out of the Bureau. +George Kelly is a great Director, +Gyp, and he'll do it if you insist."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," I said. I stewed over +what to tell the boss until Anita +came back in.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Kelly can see you now, Mr. +Tinker," she said, all calmed down +again.</p> + +<p>I got up and came around the desk +and took her by the elbow, standing +at my door. "Just in case," I +said, leaning down to kiss her lightly +on the lips. "I love you, too."</p> + +<p>"Too?" she said.</p> + +<p>I froze. It was the kind of slip +that sooner or later trips up every +snake. My grin was a sick one. I +walked out without another word.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p>The Director's office is on the +fourth floor, I climbed the single +flight, and his girl let me in. George +affects long slim cigars. I say affects. +He seldom lights them, but he waves +them like batons, conducting some +kind of a symphony of words and +ideas all day.</p> + +<p>"Welcome, stranger," he said, +calling on the fiddles for a little pizzicato. +"What's up, Gyp?"</p> + +<p>I sat down across from him at his +desk and tried to put a smile on my +face. "I want to submit my resignation, +George," I said. "Effective immediately."</p> + +<p>"Not accepted," he said, without a +second thought. Then his face grew +solemn. "What's this about?" he demanded. +"I can't lose <i>you</i>, Gyp. My +right bower!"</p> + +<p>"One favor," I said, not answering +him. "Don't move Fred Plaice +up to my old spot. Any of the other +Section Chiefs, but not Fred."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," George said, whipping +up the brasses with his cigar. +"This begins to sound like cause and +effect." He hushed the whole orchestra +to a whisper. "I thought +Fred was your fair-haired boy, Gyp. +You two get in a hassle?"</p> + +<p>I shook my head. "Not directly, +George," I told him. "I want you to +know two things. They'll explain +why I'm quitting. My mother is a +telepath. We arrested her early this +morning, here in the District. I just +sentenced her to transportation and +detention in Oklahoma."</p> + +<p>"Good heavens," he gasped. +"Your own mother! Gyp, no wonder +you're upset. Didn't you know she +was a snake?"</p> + +<p>My smile was a little tired. "Of +course I knew," I told him. "I ran +away from home at thirteen to get +away from having her inside my +head all the time. That's how I +learned to close my mind—closing +her out as much as I could. The +power got stronger as I grew older."</p> + +<p>"It's embarrassing," George said, +turning away from me to look out +the window. "To have you, of all +people, Gyp, with telepathic heredity. +Still, if no one knows, and since +you've never had the slightest manifestation +of psi powers yourself, +there may be some way we can preserve +your usefulness."</p> + +<p>"Today, within the last half hour, +George, my latent telepathic ability +became manifest. George, I'm a +snake."</p> + +<p>His face froze. Then the batonlike +cigar stopped its movement. He was +like a statue. The pose broke, and +he pressed a button.</p> + +<p>"Send Carol Lundgren in," he ordered. +I knew Carol, another short-range +telepath that George used as +his private lie-detector.</p> + +<p>Carol was at my elbow in a moment +or so. George wasted no +words. "Carol, is there a telepath in +this room?" he asked.</p> + +<p>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?"</p> + +<p>George looked as though he could +have brained him. "All right, you +Philadelphia lawyer," he grumbled. +"Besides yourself, Carol, is there a +telepath in this room?"</p> + +<p>"No, Mr. Kelly, there is not."</p> + +<p>"Get out, and don't scare me like +that again." George told him.</p> + +<p>I didn't get it. I said so: "George, +I don't get it. I read my mother's +thoughts, and for that matter, Fred +Plaice's thoughts, too. That's why I +asked you not to give him my job. +I swear to you I can read thoughts."</p> + +<p>"So?"</p> + +<p>"If I <i>know</i> I'm a telepath, Carol +should be able to read the thought +that I know it," I protested.</p> + +<p>"You're like me," George Kelly +said. "You automatically close your +mind in the presence of a telepath. +It's pure reflex now. Carol couldn't +read a thing because you clammed +your thoughts the instant he walked +in."</p> + +<p>"That was <i>then</i>!" I yelled at him. +"<i>Before</i> my psi powers became +manifest. You know that a telepath +can't close his mind! Why couldn't +Carol read my thoughts?"</p> + +<p><i>Well</i>, George thought, <i>he couldn't +read mine either, could he?</i></p> + +<p><i>No</i>, I thought. <i>He couldn't. He +... George!</i> my mind shrieked at +him.</p> + +<p>Somebody kicked the props out +from under my world. <i>George Kelly +was a snake!</i></p> + +<p><i>Don't be silly</i>, he thought. <i>I'm no +more a snake than you are, Gyp.</i></p> + +<p><i>But you're a telepath!</i></p> + +<p><i>So are you, Gyp</i>, he thought. <i>The +only kind of telepath that really +counts. You can read minds, but +others can't read yours.</i></p> + +<p>I fell back on words, closing my +mind—it was rattling so I didn't +want George to read my thoughts: +"But a telepath <i>can't</i> close his +mind!" I protested.</p> + +<p>"I hope the Russians are as sure +of that as you are, Gyp," George +grinned. "The only agents we have +in Russia are closed-mind telepaths—telepaths +who don't automatically +give themselves away. Now <i>that</i> +kind of a telepath really <i>is</i> a usable +espionage agent or a safe link in a +communications net."</p> + +<p>"How long has this been going +on?"</p> + +<p>"About three years, Gyp. When +we discovered that certain training +could make some telepaths closed-mind +operators, we got the President +to promulgate the Executive +Orders that Congress later made +into law. We got all ordinary telepaths +out of circulation and put to +work those that we could train to +closed-mind operation. Now you +know why I won't take your resignation."</p> + +<p>I sputtered. "George, how can I +conscientiously crack down on these +poor people, if I'm a TP myself?"</p> + +<p>He grinned. "You won't. You'll +still be doing just what you've always +been doing, except now you'll +<i>know</i> that you're doing it. You'll be +recruiting telepaths for us. Where +do you think we train them?"</p> + +<p>"Oklahoma? The Detention area?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. Where else? Now relax. +But for heaven's sake, don't ever +leak this. We feel sure the Russians +haven't discovered this business of +closed-mind telepaths yet. Some day, +I suppose, they will. It may take a +long time. The self-realized closed-mind +telepath like you, Gyp, is a +rarity. Mostly we have to train people +rigorously for it. It took your +mother over two years to learn it."</p> + +<p>"My mother!"</p> + +<p>"Sure. Why did you think she was +in Washington? She's part of the +Sevastopol, Teheran and Cairo communications +network."</p> + +<p>"George," I insisted. "Something +is shaky. If she's on the inside, how +did she ever get picked up?"</p> + +<p>He laughed. "Just part of her +cover. Fred Plaice got too close. We +know what he is, Gyp. But we didn't +dare to have him guess what your +mother was. She's on her way to a +nice California vacation. New assignment +after that. Maybe middle +Europe. After all, she <i>is</i> a gypsy. +Ought to go well, say, in Bulgaria!"</p> + +<p class="theend">THE END</p> + +<div class="trans1"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br /> +This etext was produced from <i>Analog</i> 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.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinker's Dam, by Joseph Tinker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKER'S DAM *** + +***** This file should be named 24655-h.htm or 24655-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/5/24655/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/24655-h/images/001.png b/24655-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..270800c --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h/images/001.png diff --git a/24655-h/images/002.png b/24655-h/images/002.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..265d7fe --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h/images/002.png diff --git a/24655-h/images/003.png b/24655-h/images/003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c6a2248 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h/images/003.png diff --git a/24655-h/images/004.png b/24655-h/images/004.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c69e566 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655-h/images/004.png diff --git a/24655.txt b/24655.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1033361 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1400 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinker's Dam, by Joseph Tinker + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tinker's Dam + +Author: Joseph Tinker + +Illustrator: John Schoenherr + +Release Date: February 20, 2008 [EBook #24655] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKER'S DAM *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[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. They +have orders not to call me before breakfast for anything less than a +national calamity. I pressed "Accept," too startled to take the lather +from 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' your +feet!" + +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, knowing +he would not have called on a routine matter. "I got up before breakfast +as it is. What's up?" I hardly needed to ask. When they call me, it's +always the same sickening kind of trouble. + +"Fred Plaice and his gang got their hands on a telepath in the District +last 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, I +want you to go through the main entrance this morning." + +I nodded my willingness to fight my way through the crowd that would be +gathering at the office. Usually I have my taxi drop me on the roof of +the building. Call it a petty vanity if you want. It's one of the +perquisites of being Washington brass. + +"Swell, Gyp," George Kelly said, as if there had been any question about +whether I'd come in through the main entrance. "The public has a world +of confidence in you. Now, damn it, Gyp, if they want to make a fuss +over you this morning, let them. We've got to get that snake out of the +building alive!" + +"Oh, no," I protested. "You don't mean Fred took a telepath to the +office?" + +"I'm afraid so," George said, his tone so neutral that I couldn't take +it as personal criticism. "See you down there." His rugged features +faded from the screen as he cut the image. + +I had my driver drop the skim-copter to the street when we got to +Pennsylvania Avenue within a block of the building, and he skimmed to +the outskirts of the crowd that was pressing around the entrance. There +were four or five hundred people there, milling around like a herd of +restless cattle. Tighter knots of humanity were pressed around the usual +four or five firebrands who were ranting and yelling for +blood--telepathic blood. + +The guards around the entrance, apparently tipped by George Kelly, +started yelling, "Let him through!" They charged the mob to open a lane +for me. The crowd drew back sullenly. As I pressed toward the guards, I +could see the fear and panic on the faces around me. + +Then a man recognized me. "God bless Gyp Tinker!" he bellowed in a voice +loud enough to conjure an echo out of a prairie. People started jumping +like so many animated pogo sticks, trying to get a sight of me over the +heads of others. By the time I reached the steps, the whole mob was +cheering and yelling, "Gyp!" + +As George Kelly had asked, I paused on the steps and held up my hands +for a chance to speak. It's flattering when they give you silence. In +the space of two breaths it was like the inside of a morgue. + +"Thanks, friends," I called out to them. "George Kelly and I have +already gotten the facts on the telepath who was captured here in +Washington last night. There is absolutely no cause for alarm. I hope +you'll go to your homes and offices promptly. Let's not give the +Russians 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. At +least they were reminded of the summary powers granted the F.B.I. to +deal with telepaths, because of the gruesome danger they are to all of +us. + + * * * * * + +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." Her +gray 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." He +gave his prisoner a shove, making him stumble a couple steps toward me. +The telepath was a stoop-shouldered balding gent with large feet. He +certainly didn't look like a walking bubonic plague, but then, they +never 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 with +him?" he said hotly. "This isn't some common snake we picked up out in +the country. We snagged this viper right here in Washington, Gyp! I +suppose 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 all +this publicity has gotten us a mob of five hundred people around our +doors, a mob that's waiting to lynch this prisoner of yours?" + +The man gulped and started to say something, but Fred hit him hard +between the shoulder blades. "Shut up," he said. "Nobody cares what you +think." He walked up close to me. "Sure I know there's a mob down +there," he said. "And I know why they're there. Plain scared to death of +what it means to have had a telepath loose in Washington. You're wrong +to hustle this guy out of town, Gyp. Look at this pathetic case--does he +look like a superman?" + +I looked at the snake. "No," I agreed. "He looks like they roped him +somewhere in West Virginia a few months ago, put shoes on him, and +brought him to town." + +"Right," Fred snapped. "Let the mob get a look at him. The contrast of +you dragging him along by the ear and him stumbling along behind you is +the sort of thing the public laps up. It'll put you right in the +driver's seat." + +"I thought Congress had already done that," I reminded him coldly. No +bureaucrat could want powers more absolute than mine. "Unfortunately," I +growled at him. "I gave orders that no snakes were to be brought into +this building without my prior consent. This ineffective-looking +hill-billy has possibly read a thousand minds since you dragged him in +here. How much of what he has picked up around here this morning will be +peeped 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 now +on, you follow orders." + + * * * * * + +I turned on the telepath. "Before I sentence you," I said. "What have +you 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-for +teeth 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 the +ghastly creeping of a telepath into my own thoughts. "Hello, Pete!" he +exclaimed. "Yo' done shet yo' mind!" He shook his head. "Ain't never +seen a body could do _thet_!" I'll bet he hadn't. There are only a few +of us who can keep telepaths out of our thoughts. It takes a world of +practice. 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 town +full of _secrets_--Washington, the capital of your country, where the +military, the diplomatic people, the security people, all of them have +locked in their heads the things that keep us one step ahead of the +Russians. 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 being +read by another telepath. No telepath can. Your mind is open _two_ +ways--to let thoughts in but, damn it, equally to leak out anything you +know." I smiled coldly at him. "Can you get my thoughts now?" + +The telepath shook his head. "Still got yo' mind closed," he said. He +sounded bitter about it. + +"You're right," I told him. "Something that few can do, and that _no +telepath can do_! How can we let you wander around Washington leaking +out thoughts of every secret your mind might accidentally have overheard +from some ranking official? How many Russian telepaths have been +accredited to their Embassy? How many crypto-telepaths have the Reds got +in town? How many secrets have you _already_ given away? How big a +traitor have you been?" + +That was the one that got him. "Traitor!" he yelled at me, starting +across the office to where I stood leaning against my desk. Fred grabbed +him 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 over +three hundred years," he stormed at me. "And it takes someone like you +to call me a traitor!" + +I am very dark, and my hair is black and curly. I don't mind. With my +heredity, 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 know +the 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 was +important. She never did that unless we were alone and talking +seriously. + +"What the devil!" + +"Fred caught _another_ telepath last night, at the same time he got the +snake 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's +section. One of them tipped me on the 'visor at home before I came to +work. 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 noon +and that everything about her was top-secret." + +That was enough. "Get Fred and this top-secret snake in here, Anita, and +right 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 on +his 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 bring +that 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," he +said. "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. But +I had never found his ambitions extending to my own job as head of the +Division of Psychic Investigation. "You're still here," I conceded. "I +guess I never caught you at it, Fred." + +"And you never will, Gyp," he said. "You've given me the greatest breaks +a 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 it +will burn you to death. Another crypto-telepath, right here in the +District. I want to make summary disposition of her, and I don't want +you to so much as look at the papers. Just give me instructions to use +my own discretion." + +Talk about a blank check. "Fred," I said, searching for words that +wouldn't offend him. "I have more confidence in you than in any man I've +ever worked with. But _execution_! Sure, three years ago, when the +President declared the psychic emergency, we were killing the most +fatally dangerous ones. But that's a couple years behind us. I just +can'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 course +of action? But why should I delegate? If this is so touchy, I should +handle 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 for +you to delegate. Do as I ask. Trust me. I'm saving you a world of +trouble." + +"Boy, oh boy!" I said. "This doesn't sound like the way to stay out of +trouble. 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 not +with _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 whole +argument. "This cuts my guts right out," he said. "Suspect apprehended +around 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--although +they all call me Gyp. "What ..." I got out at last. "What did she +look...?" + +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 the +surface of my desk. + +"She demanded to be taken at once to the Chief of the Division of +Psychic 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 go +unchallenged, not in my position as the man charged with extirpating the +danger of the snakes," I said. + +"Obviously," Fred agreed. "Now that you know about it. If you had done +as I asked, Gyp ..." + +"Get her over here, Fred," I said. "I'll see her at once. And send Anita +in 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 would +have been me, not you." + + * * * * * + +I turned my swivel around and stared out the window at the Mall and +didn't move until the light scent of Anita's perfume reminded me that I +had asked her to come in. + +I swung around. "You watch out for that Fred Plaice," Anita said, almost +scoldingly. + +"You mean, start watching my back, like I never did before? How did I +get this far?" + +Her frown softened a little. "You don't miss many bets," she said. "Not +my Gypper. But this thing of Fred's holding back on the other telepath +he 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 back +with him, and that you wanted to see her at once." + +"This snake is a woman, aged fifty-eight, Anita," I told her. "She gave +the name of Maude Tinker and says she's my mother," I added, without any +particular 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, almost +whispering 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. "What +do you think I should do, Anita?" + +Her heart-shaped face grew more solemn. "I think it would be bad to try +to cover it up," she decided. "And I'm glad you didn't let Fred do that +to you. Some newscast would be sure to get hold of the story and there'd +be snide accusations. All this talk recently about the heredity of psi +powers is bad, too. That's what she's trying to cash in on. And if the +public thought that the man in charge of catching and pulling the fangs +of all the snakes was a hereditary telepath, they'd be after your scalp +in no time." + +"So?" + +"Scotch it. See her, face her down, prove her charge is ridiculous, and +ship 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 furiously +angry. She's a typical high echelon Washington secretary, cool, +extremely well-mannered, cheerful without being bumptious. But this time +she 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 of +his 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 all +the soothsayers and clairvoyants and finders were really short-range +telepaths or pre-cogs." + +"I don't believe it," I said. "You mean that Fred started with my +nickname, and has been on this campaign of looking for telepaths among +gypsies just in hopes he could embarrass me?" + +"Yes!" + +You have to like loyalty, no matter what the circumstances that incite +it. + +"I can't believe that of one of my boys, Anita," I said. "Fred was all +broken 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 for +disqualifying yourself from this case. After all, your own mother!" + +Well, the political implications _were_ deep. "I think I would agree," I +said at length. "Let's see what happens. Send this Maude Tinker in as +soon 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 precaution +department myself. And don't you dare let Fred get that woman in here +until 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 I +depressed 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 let +down on the roof in about four or five minutes. I'll need a couple +minutes more than that. Now don't you let him in with her before I get +there, do you hear me?" + +I said I heard her. She beat Fred at that. For all I know she had +booby-trapped them in getting down from the roof. Anita has drag with +everybody in the building, and that could have included the elevator +service man, who quite easily could have loused service to the roof +enough 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 very +dark hair, somewhat curly, and a flash of white teeth for a smile. I +told him I was pleased to meet him. + +"Move over," Anita directed, stepping smartly around my desk and giving +my elbow a sharp yank. "You sit behind the desk, Tony. Now try to look +like 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 you +sit down?" she demanded. She had me in one of the comfortable chairs I +have in my office for callers, rather off to one side. She put herself +down in the chair across my desk from Tony Carlucci, as though she were +getting instructions. + +He didn't need much hinting. "Tell the bulls we're gonna clean up the +District," he started, waving his hands around. "No more poker. No more +dice. 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 telepath +within seconds. Tony Carlucci stopped hamming it up and straightened +importantly 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 either +of us would ever mistake one for the other, but our general descriptions +were 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 red +skirt, liberally encrusted with embroidered beads of a darker red. The +tattered 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 piled +up high so that her ears were exposed. They had pierced lobes, and heavy +gold rings hung from them. + +Instinctively I closed my mind as tight as a clam. The mere sight of a +telepath triggers that reaction. Fred closed the door behind him, +continuing to stand just behind his captive. She glanced briefly at me +and 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 knew +enough to call her "mother." And I knew enough to watch Fred Plaice the +instant Tony said: "Oh, mother! Why the devil couldn't you keep out of +sight!" + +Fred was one mighty confused looking boy. The two-bit word is +consternation. He had it. Anita had given him the business. + +"I'm sorry, madame," I said standing and walking over to where Tony was +emoting, with the back of his hand pressed to his eyes. "We threw you a +curve. 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 around +the desk to seize me in her arms. She smelled faintly of garlic, oregano +and 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 sore +about 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, jet +on down to my dock. Nothing down. Listen, I got one that was never used +except 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. Tinker +with any kind of transportation he needs. A thousand thanks, Tony. I +won't forget--" The rest was cut off as she gave him one of the more +polite bum's rushes. I think he would have liked to hang around to see +the rest of our little amateur theatrical. + + * * * * * + +Fred had his grin going. "Couldn't get the drift for a minute, Gyp," he +said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Nice work! Now I know why I get such +a 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 act +like this against another telepath?" + +She spat a curse at him in Romany. "So smart!" she sneered. "There isn't +another telepath in the city of Washington!" + +That was a laugh. For its own safety the F.B.I. has its own gang of tame +TP's--they are all, of course, exceptionally short-range telepaths, and +we practically keep them under lock and key to make sure some important +thoughts 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, she +is 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. She +snuffled 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 that +low-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 you +please?" I said in answer to his question. She took the chair Anita had +been using when Tony was pretending to be me, and I sat down in my +swivel across the desk from her. + +"I'm sorry, Mrs. Tinker," I said. "It's bad enough that you have +deliberately stayed in the District after all telepaths were most +stringently warned to register with us so that we could move them to +less sensitive areas. But I take it quite hard that you have tried to +embarrass me." + +"That would take a little doing," she said. "You've got a heart like a +piece of flint. Let me see your palm!" she demanded, reaching +imperatively across my desk. Fred started to protest, but I passed my +hand across to her, leaning forward so that she could reach it. + +Maude Tinker smoothed out my palm, rubbing her thumb over it as if to +clear away a veil of mystery, and bent close over it, her dark face +intense. She traced a line or two with her fingernail, and dropped my +hand to the walnut. "You have no mercy," she said. "You will use the +excuse that I tried to hinder the work of your department as a reason to +punish me severely--and your real reason is that you feel I might have +damaged you personally." + +Fred was moving around the desk. He spoke softly in my ear while I kept +my eye on the gypsy. That was silly. He can't close his mind the way I +can. She could read his thoughts just as well as if he were screaming +them 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 get +the newscasts to see it as impeccable public behavior. We'll paint you +as the administrator so devoted to pure justice that even potential +resentment will be a barrier to your personal decision. How's that sound +to 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 disqualify +myself from this case. That's just the first step to disqualifying +myself from the job. If there's any hint of telepathic heredity in my +case, ducking this decision would be a public admission that I'm +sensitive 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 this +case interest me. If we are to believe her, this woman has had +absolutely no contact with any other telepath in Washington--she thought +she was the only one who had escaped our dragnet. Why don't all of you +shoo--I want to do a little survey in depth here--a little motivational +work. I think I can get more frankness out of her if there are no +witnesses. Beat it, kids." + +Anita left with Fred. Maude Tinker and I were alone in my office. I +looked 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 my +hands. "_Yosip_," she said in Romany. "What a wonderful long way you +have come since you ran away. A lawyer, and now a big man, a _very_ big +man, in Washington. I am a very proud gypsy." + +What I might have said to her was interrupted by a racket outside my +office. Voices were raised. I thought I heard what could only be Anita +yelling. That's another thing that had never happened before. + +Fred burst back into the office, with Anita right on his heels. His face +was livid. Mother turned in her chair and looked coldly at him. A gypsy +woman can give you the snootiest look in the world, right down her +aquiline nose, when she feels like it. It stopped Fred Plaice in his +tracks. + +"Yes, Fred?" I said quietly. + +"If you don't mind, Tinker," he said brusquely. "I'd like to be present +for 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 was +fit to be tied when you chased us out. The first thing he wanted to know +was whatever had made you decide to get Tony Carlucci in here to trick +his 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 be +in 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 at +Anita first. She simply raised her head and looked me straight in the +eye. 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," he +added, calming down. "I'm staying. Nothing outside of a direct order, +which I will protest to George Kelly, will get me to leave." The last +thing 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 of +this motivational research you've got cooked up." + +"Don't bother," Mother said. "I've got more sense than to tie the rope +around my own neck. I'm not saying a word." She crossed her arms and sat +back 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 a +quick decision. No--I _couldn't_ think. Or almost couldn't. One idea +percolated through. Mother had made no "mistake" in calling Tony by my +name. 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 one +thing--_Fred Plaice was not sure she was my mother_. + +This much thought took time. Fred knew I was stalling. "Come on," he +snapped in a tone he had never dared to use to me before. "Let's have +the sentence!" + +He was right in one thing. He had me over a barrel. I squeezed my +eyelids shut and did something I hadn't done since that day twenty years +before 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 to +live with a telepath. It is disquieting in the extreme. One of the +concomitants of consciousness is that it is _private_ consciousness. And +when this isn't true, when someone, even a loved one, can creep into +your mind and know what you think, your insides writhe. Caterpillars +course around under your skin. And you resent. Sooner or later you will +hate. 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 my +thoughts. _Give me some sign_, I thought, as I waved a hand at Fred for +quiet. _Mother, tell me what to do!_ + +_Poor Joe_, she thought. _He loves me in spite of it all. He can't bear +to do what he has to do. Joe!_ her mind shrieked at me. _You read my +mind!_ + +I snapped upright in my chair and grabbed its arms until I could hear my +knuckles crack. My mind snapped shut with an almost audible crack. _I +was a damned snake!_ + +I could dimly hear Fred yammering at me. With a sick fear I slowly +opened my mind again. His thoughts surged into it. Well, Anita had been +right. And Anita! + +_Yes_, Mother thought. _She does love you, Joe. A lovely girl. You lucky +man._ + +Fred had me by the shoulder, yelling at me, shaking me, trying to get me +to 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 the +third order you've resisted today!" + +"Now hear this," I said. "Under the powers vested in me ..." I sentenced +Mother to indefinite detention in Oklahoma. I threatened her with +worse--face it, the only worse thing was death--if she were found in a +restricted area again. + +"Take her out, Fred," I said. He hadn't counted on my being able to do +it, 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 had +closed behind Fred and Mother. + +"You were right about Fred, Anita," I said. "Thank you for saving my +life." + +"Oh, Gyp," she said, tears trying to brim over her eyelids. "He's such a +cutthroat!" + +"Sure," I said. "But now we know it. Get me an appointment with George +Kelly, will you, Anita?" + +She compressed her lips. "That's more like it!" she said angrily. "Get +Fred 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 came +back in. + +"Mr. Kelly can see you now, Mr. Tinker," she said, all calmed down +again. + +I got up and came around the desk and took her by the elbow, standing at +my door. "Just in case," I said, leaning down to kiss her lightly on the +lips. "I love you, too." + +"Too?" she said. + +I froze. It was the kind of slip that sooner or later trips up every +snake. My grin was a sick one. I walked out without another word. + + * * * * * + +The Director's office is on the fourth floor, I climbed the single +flight, and his girl let me in. George affects long slim cigars. I say +affects. 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 little +pizzicato. "What's up, Gyp?" + +I sat down across from him at his desk and tried to put a smile on my +face. "I want to submit my resignation, George," I said. "Effective +immediately." + +"Not accepted," he said, without a second thought. Then his face grew +solemn. "What's this about?" he demanded. "I can't lose _you_, Gyp. My +right bower!" + +"One favor," I said, not answering him. "Don't move Fred Plaice up to my +old 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 whole +orchestra 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 know +two things. They'll explain why I'm quitting. My mother is a telepath. +We arrested her early this morning, here in the District. I just +sentenced her to transportation and detention in Oklahoma." + +"Good heavens," he gasped. "Your own mother! Gyp, no wonder you're +upset. Didn't you know she was a snake?" + +My smile was a little tired. "Of course I knew," I told him. "I ran away +from home at thirteen to get away from having her inside my head all the +time. That's how I learned to close my mind--closing her out as much as +I could. The power got stronger as I grew older." + +"It's embarrassing," George said, turning away from me to look out the +window. "To have you, of all people, Gyp, with telepathic heredity. +Still, if no one knows, and since you've never had the slightest +manifestation of psi powers yourself, there may be some way we can +preserve your usefulness." + +"Today, within the last half hour, George, my latent telepathic ability +became manifest. George, I'm a snake." + +His face froze. Then the batonlike cigar stopped its movement. He was +like a statue. The pose broke, and he pressed a button. + +"Send Carol Lundgren in," he ordered. I knew Carol, another short-range +telepath 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, you +Philadelphia lawyer," he grumbled. "Besides yourself, Carol, is there a +telepath 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's +thoughts, and for that matter, Fred Plaice's thoughts, too. That's why I +asked 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 thought +that I know it," I protested. + +"You're like me," George Kelly said. "You automatically close your mind +in the presence of a telepath. It's pure reflex now. Carol couldn't read +a thing because you clammed your thoughts the instant he walked in." + +"That was _then_!" I yelled at him. "_Before_ my psi powers became +manifest. You know that a telepath can't close his mind! Why couldn't +Carol 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 a +snake!_ + +_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 really +counts. 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 want +George to read my thoughts: "But a telepath _can't_ close his mind!" I +protested. + +"I hope the Russians are as sure of that as you are, Gyp," George +grinned. "The only agents we have in Russia are closed-mind +telepaths--telepaths who don't automatically give themselves away. Now +_that_ kind of a telepath really _is_ a usable espionage agent or a safe +link in a communications net." + +"How long has this been going on?" + +"About three years, Gyp. When we discovered that certain training could +make some telepaths closed-mind operators, we got the President to +promulgate the Executive Orders that Congress later made into law. We +got all ordinary telepaths out of circulation and put to work those that +we could train to closed-mind operation. Now you know why I won't take +your resignation." + +I sputtered. "George, how can I conscientiously crack down on these poor +people, if I'm a TP myself?" + +He grinned. "You won't. You'll still be doing just what you've always +been doing, except now you'll _know_ that you're doing it. You'll be +recruiting 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 leak +this. We feel sure the Russians haven't discovered this business of +closed-mind telepaths yet. Some day, I suppose, they will. It may take a +long time. The self-realized closed-mind telepath like you, Gyp, is a +rarity. Mostly we have to train people rigorously for it. It took your +mother over two years to learn it." + +"My mother!" + +"Sure. Why did you think she was in Washington? She's part of the +Sevastopol, Teheran and Cairo communications network." + +"George," I insisted. "Something is shaky. If she's on the inside, how +did she ever get picked up?" + +He laughed. "Just part of her cover. Fred Plaice got too close. We know +what he is, Gyp. But we didn't dare to have him guess what your mother +was. She's on her way to a nice California vacation. New assignment +after that. Maybe middle Europe. After all, she _is_ a gypsy. Ought to +go 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. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tinker's Dam, by Joseph Tinker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TINKER'S DAM *** + +***** This file should be named 24655.txt or 24655.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/5/24655/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/24655.zip b/24655.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e30ed3 --- /dev/null +++ b/24655.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c870ce9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #24655 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24655) |
