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Chapter 14

           SecretaryGeneralwouldnotanswerhisownphone.ButHarshawhadmanyyearsofpracticeintheartofoutwittinghumancustoms;hetackledthemattercheerfully,rightafterbreakfast.

           Muchlaterhewastiredandveryfrustrated.Hisnamealonehadcarriedhimpastthreelayersoftheofficialflapperdefense,andhewassufficientlyanarrow-gaugeV.I.P.thathewasneverquiteswitchedoff.Insteadhewasreferredfromsecretarytosecretaryandwoundupspeakingvoice-&-visiontoapersonable,urbaneyoungmanwhoseemedwillingtodiscussthematterendlesslyandwithoutvisibleirritationnomatterwhatHarshawsaidbutwouldnotagreetoconnecthimwiththeHonorableMr.Douglas.

           HarshawknewthathewouldgetactionifhementionedtheManfromMarsandthathecertainlywouldgetveryquickactionifheclaimedtohavetheManfromMarswithhim,buthewasfarfromcertainthattheresultantactionwouldbeaface-to-facehookupwithDouglas.Onthecontrary,hecalculatedthatanymentionofSmithwouldkillanychanceofreachingDouglasbutwouldatonceproduceviolentreactionfromsubordinateswhichwasnotwhathewanted.Heknewfromalifetimeofexperiencethatitwasalwayseasiertodickerwiththetopman.WithBenCaxton’slifeverypossiblyatstakeHarshawcouldnotriskfailurethroughasubordinate’slackofauthorityorexcessofambition.

           Butthissoftbrush-offwastryinghispatience.Finallyhesnarled,"Youngman,ifyouhavenoauthorityyourself,letmespeaktosomeonewhohas!PutmethroughtoMr.Berquist."

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