Part 14 (2/2)

”How can you be sure?” Scotty pressed

”Obviously I can't at this stage of investigation But you nize that a physician develops a rather definite feeling for injury after years of experience My own experience tells e of this scope is almost always accompanied by other symptoms when it is the product of a disease No, I cannot credit the idea of a pathogenic organisent pierced the craniuer of the mind,” Scotty murmured

Chavez looked up sharply ”Yes! An ideal phrase for it”

Rick recognized the quotation from his school-work _Macbeth_, Act II

Another of Shakespeare's phrases from the same work leaped into his mind ”Macbeth hath murdered sleep” Not Macbeth, but Marks Rick kneouldn't sleep well that night, nor for er of thethe blank face of what had been, only hours before, a brilliant scientist, Rick could feel its deadly point hiers

The good weather turned bad, and dark clouds hung low over the New Jersey coast It was appropriate weather for the state of er of the inal team

The question, of course, was ”Who next?”

At Hartson Brant's urgent request, Steve A of all staff was called in the big library

Rick and Scotty sat on a library table, while the scientists occupied the few library chairs Steve Ames sat on Hartson Brant's desk and acted as chairirls had been excluded Jan was nearly in a state of shock over what had happened to Marks Not only was she fond of the crusty scientist, but she was fearful that the mysterious ailment would strike her father next And Barby was rapidly catching the same fear After all, new team members probably were not immune, and Hartson Brant, Julius Weiss, and Parnell Winston were deeply involved in the project

Steve called the ested that I co us what you had in lance eues and the boys

”We have a problem that must be solved before we can continue with calm and objective minds on the project that faces us The problem is simply, what is the ailment that has stricken three of us, and what is its cause?”

Hartson Brant tahtfully ”Let us see e know First of all, two teaton, within a short time of each other They were examined by competent specialists who arrived at no conclusion They adnose the ailment The possibility of an unknown disease was considered briefly, but not seriously The possibility of a che, if you like--also was considered This possibility has not been entirely rejected However, a detailed laboratory investigation disclosed no trace of chemicals in the patients, apart from chemicals that were expected, of course”

”Could there be chemicals that left no trace?” Scotty asked

Hartson Brant shook his head ”No one can claie of body chemistry, obviously Just the same, the elements to be found in the body, and the proportions in which they occur, are well known I said the possibility has not been entirely eliminated, but it seems unlikely that chemical interference caused the disruption”

”What does that leave?” Steve inquired

The scientist shrugged ”I can't even guess Physical interference, perhaps There is also a possibility, which is very difficult to explore, that the ailment was caused within the ent, or by soine”

Rick and Scotty exchanged glances They had seen the ailment at work, and even its effects were aline

”But, to continue Steve recognized the possibility that the ailment was caused by some outside source Call it an ene tea them to Spindrift He succeeded with Dr

Miller--excuse me, Dr Morrison He did not succeed with Dr Marks

What does this suggest?”

”That hiding Dr Morrison was an effective preventative,” Steve Ames concluded