Where is Lilo?"

Zaa gave an indifferent shrug and looked off across the steppe. Glawen turned to Mutis.

"Where is Lilo?"

"I am not authorized to give out information."

One of the Monomantics, a young man standing a little apart, turned sharply away, as if in disgust. Glawen asked him:

"Tell me: where is Lilo?"

Zaa swung sharply about.

"Danten, you will give no information."

Danton replied in flat intonations: "With all respect, these are police officers of high rank. I must answer their questions."

"Quite right," said Glawen.

"Answer my question, if you will."

Danton darted a side glance toward Zaa, then spoke: "About midnight they noticed that you were gone. In our rooms we all heard the cries of rage, and wondered what had occurred."

"This was about midnight, you say?"

"Something after midnight. I do not know the exact hour."

Somewhat past midnight, sitting in the dark at Flicken, Glawen had felt his mind picked up and tumbled in a wash of rage and hatred:

perhaps as telepathic projection from the seminary, though coincidence could not be ruled out.

"Then what happened?"

Zaa spoke again: "Danton, you need say no more."

Danton, however, spoke on in a dreary monotone.

"There was a great uproar. Lilo was blamed. They chided her for bringing you extra sheets, and would not listen to her denials. Mutis and Funo put her in the owl's cage. Last night the winds blew harsh and bitter. This

morning she was dead. Mutis and Funo took the body around the hill to the garbage pit and threw it away."

Glawen winced. He dared not look at Muds lest the roil in his stomach cause an undignified reaction. When he felt that he could control his voice, he swung about and spoke to Zaa:

"Lilo had nothing to do with the sheets. I took them two months ago, the first time I occupied the room. I would have been gone at that time if you had not put me into the tomb.

Lilo knew nothing of my plans."

Zaa made no comment.

Glawen spoke on.

"You murdered the girl for no reason whatever."

Zaa was unmoved.

"Mistakes are made everywhere. Each instant, across the Gaean Reach, a thousand such events are taking place. They are implicit to the conduct of coherent civilization."

"So it may be," said Plock.

"This is the function of the

IPCC:

to minimize these so-called mistakes. In the present case, judgment is clear and simple, despite the complexity of your motives. You imprisoned Glawen Clattuc; when he escaped, you murdered an innocent girl. If rumor can be believed, as often it can, you have murdered an unknown number of tourists. Am I correct in this assumption?"

"I have nothing to say. Your opinions are fixed."

"It is true," said Plock.

"I have formed my judgment." He addressed the entire group.

"This place is a pest house, and must be vacated | now. Gather your personal belongings and return here at once. You will be taken to Fexelburg, and a disposition made of your individual cases. These instructions, incidentally, do not apply to Funo, Mutis, nor the Ordene Zaa. You three may now come with me around the road to the garbage pit. You will need no personal belongings."

Mutis looked uncertainly toward Zaa, his face sagging. Funo stood Stolidly, thinking her private thoughts. Zaa said sharply: "That is absolutely absurd: I have never heard such nonsense!"

"Lilo perhaps thought the same, when you ordered her to her death," said Plock.

"These ideas always seem implausible when they apply to yourself. But it makes no great difference."

"I wish to make a telephone call."

"To the Fexelburg police? You may not do so. I prefer to take them by surprise."

"Then I must write some letters."

"To whom?"

"To the Ordene Klea at Strock and other Ordenes."

Glawen kept his voice casual.

"Such as who?"

Zaa said curtly: "I will not write, after all."

"Would one of your Ordenes be Madame Zigonie, who lives at a country place on the world Rosalia?"

"We are wandering far afield. I will tell you no more. Do your filthy work and be done with it."