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more than slightly sick： but I wasn't going to leave there until I was finished。
The door creaked open。 I turned and watched mander Swanson e in。 He'd been a long time； I'd expected him before then。 Lieutenant Hansen； his damaged left hand wrapped in some thick woollen material； came in after him。 That was what the phone call had been aboutthe mander calling up reinforcements。 Swanson switched off his flashlight； pushed up his snow goggles； and pulled down his mask。 His eyes narrowed at the scene before him； his nostrils wrinkled in involuntary disgust； and color drained swiftly from his ruddy cheeks。 Both Hansen and I had told him what to expect； but he hadn't been prepared for this： not often can the imagination enpass the reality。 For a moment I thought he was going to be sick； but then I saw a slight tinge of color touch his cheekbones and I knew he wasn't。
〃Dr。 Carpenter；〃 Swanson said in a voice in which the unsteady huskiness seemed only to emphasize the stilted formality； 〃I wish you to return at once to the ship； where you will remain confined to your quarters。 I would prefer you went voluntarily； acpanied by Lieutenant Hansen here。 I wish no trouble。 I trust you don't； either。 If you do； we can acmodate you。 Rawlings and Murphy are waiting outside that door。〃
〃Those are fighting words； mander；〃 I said； 〃and very unfriendly。 Rawlings and Murphy are going to get unmonly cold out there。〃 I put my right hand in my caribou pants pocketthe one with the gun in itand surveyed him unhurriedly。 〃Have you had a brainstorm？〃
Swanson looked at Hansen and nodded in the direction of the door。 Hansen half turned； then stopped as I said； 〃Very high…handed； aren't we。 I'm not worth an explanation； is that it？〃
Hansen looked unfortable。 He didn't like any part of this。 I suspected Swanson didn't； either； but he was going to do what he had to do and let his feelings look elsewhere。
〃Unless you're a great deal less intelligent than I believe and I credit you with a high intelligenceyou know exactly what the explanation is。 When you came aboard the 〃Dolphin〃 in the Holy Loch； both Admiral Garvie and myself were highly suspicious of you。 You spun us a story about being an expert in Arctic conditions and of having helped set up this station here。 When we wouldn't accept that as sufficient authority or reason to take you along with us； you told a highly convincing tale about this being an advanced missilewarning outpost； and even though it was peculiar that Admiral Garvie had never heard of it； we accepted it。 The huge dish aerial you spoke of； the radar masts； the electronic puterswhat's happened to them； Dr。 Carpenter？ A little insubstantial； weren't they？ Like all figments of the imagination。〃
I looked at him； considering； and let him go on。
〃There never were any of those things； were there？ You're up to your neck in something very murky indeed； my friend。 What it is I don't know； nor； for the moment； do I care。 All I care for is the safety of the ship； the welfare of the crew； and bringing the Zebra survivors safely back home； and I'm taking no chances at all。〃
〃The wishes of the British Admiralty； the orders from your own Director of Underseas Warfarethose mean nothing to you？〃
〃I'm beginning to have very strong reservations about the way those orders were obtained；〃 Swanson said grimly。 〃You're altogether too mysterious for my liking； Dr。 Carpenteras well as being a fluent liar。〃
〃Those are harsh； harsh words； mander。〃
〃The truth not infrequently sounds that way。 Will you please e？〃
〃Sorry。 I'm not through here yet。〃
〃I see。 John； will you〃
〃I can give you an explanation。 I see I have to。 Won't you listen？〃
〃A third fairytale？〃 A head shake。 〃No。〃
〃And I'm not ready to leave。 Impasse。〃
Swanson looked at Hansen； who turned to go。 I said； 〃Well； if you're too stiff…necked to listen to me； call up the bloodhounds。 Isn't it just luck； now； that we have three fully qualified doctors here？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean this。〃 Guns have different characteristics in appearance。 Some look relatively harmless； some ugly； some businesslike； some wicked。 The Mannlicher…Schoenauer in my hand just looked plain downright wicked。 Very wicked indeed。 The white light from the Coleman glittered off the blued metal； menacing and sinister。 It was a great gun to terrify people with。
〃You wouldn't use it；〃 Swanson said flatly。
〃I'm through talking。 I'm through asking for a hearing。 Bring on the bailiffs； friend。〃
〃You're bluffing； mister；〃 Hansen said savagely。 〃You don't dare。〃
〃There's too much at stake for me not to dare。 Find out now。 Don't be a coward。 Don't hide behind your enlisted men's backs。 Don't order them to get themselves shot。〃 I snapped off the safety catch。 〃e and take it from me yourself。〃
〃Stay right where you are； John；〃 Swanson said sharply。 〃He means it。 I suppose you have a whole armory in that bination…lock suitcase of yours；〃 he added bitterly。
〃That's it。 Automatic carbines； six…inch naval guns； the works。 But for a small…size situation； a small…size gun。 Do I get my hearing？〃
〃You get your hearing。〃
〃Send Rawlings and Murphy away。 I don't want anyone else to know anything about this。 Anyway； they're probably freezing to death。〃
Swanson nodded。 Hansen went to the door； opened it； spoke briefly； and returned。 I laid the gun on a table； picked up my flashlight； and moved some paces away。 I said； 〃e and have a look at this。〃
They came。 Both of them passed by the table with the gun lying there and didn't even look at it。 I stopped before one of the grotesquely misshapen charred lumps lying on the floor。 Swanson came close and stared down。 His face bad lost whatever little color it had regained。 He made a queer noise in his throat。
〃That ring； that gold ring〃 he began； then stopped short。
〃I wasn't lying about that。〃
〃No。 No； you weren't。 II don't know what to say。 I'm most〃
〃It doesn't matter；〃 I said roughly。 〃Look here。 At the back。 I'm afraid I had to remove some of the carbon。〃
〃The neck；〃 Swanson whispered。 〃It's broken。〃 …
〃Is that what you think？〃
〃Something heavy； I don't know； a beam from one of the huts； must have fallen〃
〃You've just seen one of those huts。 They have no beams。 There's an inch and a half of the vertebrae missing。 If anything sufficiently heavy to smash off an inch and a half of the backbone had struck him； the broken piece would be imbedded in his neck。 It's not。 It was blown out。 He was shot from the front； through the base of the throat。 The bullet went out the back of the neck。 A soft…nosed bulletyou can tell by the size of the exit hole…from a powerful gun； something like a thirty…eight Colt or Luger or Mauser。〃
〃Good God above！〃 For the first time； Swanson was badly shaken。 He stared at the thing on the floor； then at me。 〃Murdered。 You mean he was murdered。〃
〃Who would have done this？〃 Hansen said hoarsely。 〃Who； man； who？ And in God's name； why？〃
〃I don't know who did it。〃
Swanson looked at me； his eyes strange。 〃You just found this out？〃 …
〃I found out last night。〃
〃You found out last night。〃 The words were slow； farspaced； a distinc