Dr. Helman entered the room, nodded to them both, took her left wrist in his hand and watched his chrono.

"You are a bit excited, Luci," he announced, lowering the wrist. "Perhaps Mr. H has been telling you of too many adventures."

"Oh no!" she said. "I want to hear them. He's been everywhere. --See the stone he gave me? I'll bet it's a lucky one. It's from Claana--a world with a blue sun and eleven moons. The people live in the sea ..."

The doctor glanced at the stone.

"It is quite pretty. Now I want you to get some rest."

Why doesn't he ever smile? Heidel asked himself. He should be happy.

Heidel scooped up the rest of his stones and deposited them in tile monogrammed _kuhl_-skin hag he carried.

"I guess I'd better be going now, Luci," he said. "I am glad that you are feeling better. If I don't see you again, it has been pleasant talking to you. --Be good."

He stood and moved toward the door, along with Dr. Helman.

"You'll be coming back, won't you?" she said, sitting up away from the pillows, her eyes widening. "You'll come back--won't you?"

"I can't say for certain," Heidel told her. "We'll see."

"Come back ..." he heard her say, as he passed through the door and into the hallway beyond.

"She has responded amazingly," Helman said. "I still find it difficult to believe."

"What of the others?"

"All the ones you visited have either had their conditions arrested or are undergoing small rallies. I wish I understood how it worked. --Your blood, by the way, is even more of a mess than those reports indicated--according to our laboratory. They would like more samples, to send to Landsend for further analysis."

"No," said Heidel. "I know my blood is a mess, and they won't discover much new about it by sending it to Landsend. If they are especially interested, they can request very detailed reports concerning it from Panopath in SEL. It has been tested in every possible way, and the reports are still inconclusive. Besides, it will be getting dangerous again soon. I have to be going."