ls for immediate action。〃
Since this was just the opposite； a foreseen bination of circumstances which called for getting a good night's sleep； I didn't dial the number。 I did get the good night's sleep。
Saturday morning at 1019 I had to pitch another ball； but not to the same batter。 The typing of Friday's reports required only the customary summarizing of facts as far as Saul and Fred and Orrie were concerned； but my own share took time and thought。 I had to account for the full time I had spent in Rackham's suite； since there was a double risk in it： the chance that I was being checked and had been seen entering and leaving； and the chance that Rackham had himself split a seam。 So it was quite a literary effort and I spent three hours on it。 That afternoon； when Max Christy called to get the report as usual； and sat to look it over； I had papers on my desk which kept me so busy that I wasn't even aware if he sent me a glance when he got to the middle of the second page； where my personal contribution began。 I looked up only when he finally spoke。
〃So you had a talk with him； huh？〃
I nodded。 〃Have you read it？〃
〃Yes。〃 Christy was scowling at me。
〃He seemed so anxious that I thought it would be a shame not to oblige him。 It's my tender heart。〃
〃You took his money。〃
〃Certainly。 He was wild to spend it。〃
〃You told him you're working for Mrs。 Frey。 What if he takes a notion to ask her？〃
〃He won't。 If he does； who will know who to believe or what？ I warned him about me。 By the way； have I ever warned you？〃
〃Why did you play him？〃
〃It's all there in the report。 He knew he had a tail； how could he help it； already on guard； after eight days of it？ I thought I might as well chat with him and see what was on his mind。 He could have said something interesting； and maybe he did； I don't know； because I don't know what you and your friends would call interesting。 Anyway； there it is。 As for his money； he practically stuffed it in my ear； and if I had refused to take it he would have lost all respect for me。〃
Christy put the report in his pocket； got up； rested his fingertips on the desk； and leaned over at me。 〃Goodwin；〃 he asked； 〃do you know who you're dealing with？〃 〃Oh； for God's sake/' I said impatiently。 〃Have I impressed you as the son of boob who would jump off a building just to hear his spine crack？ Yes； brother； I know who I'm dealing with； and I expect to live to ninety at least。〃
He straightened up。 〃Your chief trouble；〃 he said； not offensively； 〃is that you think you've got a sense of humor。 It confuses people； and you ought to get over it。 Things strike you as funny。 You thought it would be funny to have a talk with Rackham； and it may be all right this time； but some day something that you think is funny will blow your goddam head right off your shoulders。〃
Only after he had gone did it occur to me that that wouldn't prove it wasn't funny。
I had a date that Saturday evening with Lily Rowan； but decided to call it off。 Evidently I wasn't tactful enough about it； for she took on。 I calmed her down by promising to drown myself as soon as the present crisis was past； went home and got my dinner out of the refrigerator； and settled down in the office for another evening of not reading magazines。 A little after nine the minutes were beginning to get too damn long entirely when the phone rang。 It was Lily。
〃All right；〃 she said briskly； 〃e on up here。〃
〃I told you…〃
〃I know； but now I'm telling you。 I'm going to have pany around eleven； and as I understand it you're supposed to get here first。 Get started。〃
〃Phooey。 I'm flattered that you bothered to try it； but…〃
〃I wouldn't have dreamed of trying it。 The pany just phoned； and I'm following instructions。 My God； are you conceited！〃
〃I'll be there in twenty minutes。〃
It took twenty…two； to her door。 She was vindictive enough to insist that there were three television programs she wouldn't miss for anything； which was just as well； considering my disposition。 I suppose I might have adjusted to it in time； say ten years； but I was so used to having Wolfe right at hand any minute of the day or night when difficulties were being met that this business of having to sit it out until word came； and then rushing up to a friend's penthouse and waiting another hour and a half； was too much of a strain。
He finally arrived。 I must admit that when the bell rang Lily； having promised to behave like a lady； did so。 She insisted on opening the door for him； but having got him into the living room； she excused herself and left us。
He sat。 I stood and looked at him。 Eleven days had passed since our reunion； and I hadn't properly remembered how grotesque he was。 Except for the eyes； he was no one I had ever seen or cared to see。
〃What's the matter？〃 I asked peevishly。 〃You look as if you hadn't slept for a week。〃
〃I'm a little tired； that's all；〃 he growled。 〃I have too much to watch； and I'm starving to death。 So far as I know everything at my end is satisfactory。 What about Miss Rowan？〃
〃She's all right。 As you may remember； every week or so I used to send her a couple of orchids of a kind that couldn't be bought。 I have told her that the custom may be resumed some day provided we get this difficulty ironed out； and that it depends on her。 Women like to have things depend on them。〃
He grunted。 〃I don't like to have things depend on them。〃 He sighed。
〃It can't be helped。 I can only stay an hour。 Bring me some of Miss Rowan's perfume。〃
I went and tapped on a door； got no answer； opened it and crossed a room to another door； tapped again； was told to enter； and did so。 Lily was on a divan with a book。 I told her what I wanted。
〃Take the Houri de Perse；〃 she advised。 〃Pete likes it。 I had it on that night。〃
I got it from the dressing table； returned to the living room； aimed it at him from the proper distance； and squeezed the bulb。 He shut his eyes and tightened his lips to a thin line。
〃Now the other side；〃 I said gently。 〃What's worth doing…〃
But he opened his eyes； and their expression was enough。 I put the sprayer on a table and went to a chair。
He looked at his wristwatch。 〃I read the report of your talk with Rackham。 How did it go？〃
〃Fine。 You might have thought he had rehearsed it with us。〃
〃Tell me about it。〃
I obeyed。 It felt good； giving him a munique again； and since it needed no apologies I enjoyed it。 What I always tried for was to present it so that few or no questions were required； and though I was a little out of practice I did well enough。
When I was through he muttered； 〃Satisfactory。 Confound this smell。〃
〃It'll go away in time。 Sixty dollars an ounce。〃
〃Speaking of dollars； you didn't deposit what you took from Rackham？〃
〃No。 It's in the safe。〃
〃Leave it there for the present。 It's Mrs。 Rackham's money； and we may decide we've earned it。 Heaven knows no imaginable sum could repay me for these months。 I was thinking…〃
He cut it off； tilted his head a little； and regarded me with eyes narrowed to slits。
〃Well？〃 I said aggressively。 〃More bright ideas？〃
〃I was thinking； Archie。 August is gone。 The risk would be negligible。 Get Mr。 Haskins on the phone tomorrow and tell him to start a dozen chicks on blaeberries。 Uh…two dozen。 You can tell him they are for gifts to your friends。〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Yes。 Tomorrow。〃
〃I say no。 He would know damn well who they were for。 My God； is your stomach more important than your neck？ Not to mention mine。 You can't help it if you were bom greedy； but you can try to control…〃
〃Archie。〃 His voice was thin and cold with fury。 〃Nearly five months now。 Look at me。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 He had me。 〃You're right。 I beg your pardon。 But I am not going to phone Haskins。 You just had a moment of weakness。 Let's change the subject。 Does Rackham's biting on the first try change the schedule any？〃
〃You could tell Mr。 Haskins…〃
〃No。〃
He gave up。 After sitting a while with his eyes closed； he sighed so deep it made him shudder； and then came back to black reality。 Only a quarter of his hour was left； and we used