It was Pointsman’s plan today not to talk shop, but to let the conversation flow more or less organically. Wait for others to betray themselves. But there is shyness, or constraint, among them all. Talk is minimal. Dennis Joint is watching Katje with a horny smile, with now and then a suspicious stare for Roger Mexico. Mexico meantime has his troubles with Jessica—more and more often these days—and at the moment the two aren’t even looking at each other. Katje Borgesius has her eyes far out to sea, and there is no telling what is going on with this one. In some dim way, Pointsman, though he can’t see that she has any leverage at all, is still afraid of her. There is still a lot he doesn’t know. Perhaps what’s bothering him most right now is her connection, if any, with Pirate Prentice. Prentice has been down to “The White Visitation” several times asking rather pointed questions about her. When PISCES recently opened its new branch office in London (which some wag, probably that young imbecile Webley Silvernail, has already dubbed “Twelfth House”) Prentice began hanging heavily around up there, romancing secretaries, trying for a peep into this file or that…. What’s up? What afterlife have the Firm found, this side of V-E Day? What does Prentice want… what’s his price? Is he in love with La Borgesius here? Is it possible for this woman to be in love? Love? Oh, it’s enough to make you scream. What would her idea of love be….

“Mexico,” grabbing the young statistician’s arm.

“Eh?” Roger interrupted eying a lovely looks a bit like Rita Hayworth in a one-piece floral number with straps that X across her lean back….

“Mexico, I think I am hallucinating.”

“Oh, really? You think you are? What are you seeing?”

“Mexico, I see… I see…. What do you mean, what am I seeing, you nit? It’s what I’m hearing.”

“Well, what are you hearing, then.” A touch of peevishness to Roger now.

“Right now I’m hearing you, saying, ‘What are you hearing, then.’ And I don’t like it!”

“Why not.”

“Because: unpleasant as this hallucination is, I find I still much prefer it to the sound of your voice.”

Now this is odd behavior from anybody, but from usually correct Mr. Pointsman, it is enough to stop this mutually-paranoid party in their tracks. Nearby is a Wheel of Fortune, with Lucky Strike packs, kewpie dolls and candy bars stuffed among the spokes.