Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

Meantime every insurance firm in the country is going broke. Hoskins, what’s our

loss ratio?”

“It’s hard to say, Mr. Bidwell. It gets worse every day. We’ve paid off

thirteen big policies this week; all of them taken out since Pinero started

operations.”

A spare little man spoke up. “I say, Bidwell, we aren’t accepting any new

applications for United until we have time to check and be sure that they have not

consulted Pinero. Can’t we afford to wait until the scientists show him up?”

Bidwell snorted. “You blasted optimist! They won’t show him up. Aldrich,

can’t you face a fact? The fat little blister has got something; how I don’t know.

This is a fight to the finish. If we wait, we’re licked.” He threw his cigar into a

cuspidor, and bit savagely into a fresh one. “Clear out of here, all of you! I’ll

handle this my own way. You too, Aldrich. United may wait, but Amalgamated won’t.”

Weems cleared his throat apprehensively. “Mr. Bidwell, I trust you will

consult with me before embarking on any major change in policy?”

Bidwell grunted. They filed out. When they were all gone and the door

closed, Bidwell snapped the switch of the inter-office announcer. “O.K.; send him

Page 10

in.”

The outer door opened; a slight dapper figure stood for a moment at the

threshold. His small dark eyes glanced quickly about the room before he entered,

then he moved up to Bidwell with a quick soft tread. He spoke to Bidwell in a flat

emotionless voice. His face remained impassive except for the live animal eyes. “You

wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the proposition?”

“Sit down, and we’ll talk.”

Pinero met the young couple at the door of his inner office.

“Come in, my dears, come in. Sit down. Make yourselves at home. Now tell me,

what do you want of Pinero? Surely such young people are not anxious about the final

roll call?”

The boy’s honest young face showed slight confusion. “Well, you see, Dr.

Pinero, I’m Ed Harley and this is my wife, Betty. We’re going to have-that is, Betty

is expecting a baby and, well-”

Pinero smiled benignly. “I understand. You want to know how long you will

live in order to make the best possible provision for the youngster. Quite wise. Do

you both want readings, or just yourself?”

The girl answered, “Both of us, we think.”

Pinero beamed at her. “Quite so. I agree. Your reading presents certain

technical difficulties at this time, but I can give you some information now, and

more later after your baby arrives. Now come into my laboratory, my dears, and we’ll

commence.” He rang for their case histories, then showed them into his workshop.

“Mrs. Harley first, please. If you will go behind that screen and remove your shoes

and your outer clothing, please. Remember, I am an old man, whom you are consulting

as you would a physician.”

He turned away and made some minor adjustments of his apparatus. Ed nodded

to his wife who slipped behind the screen and reappeared almost at once, clothed in

two wisps of silk. Pinero glanced up, noted her fresh young prettiness and her

touching shyness.

“This way, my dear. First we must weigh you. There. Now take your place on

the stand. This electrode in your mouth. No, Ed, you mustn’t touch her while she is

in the circuit. It won’t take a minute. Remain quiet.”

He dove under the machine’s hood and the dials sprang into life. Very

shortly he came out with a perturbed look on his face. “Ed, did you touch her?”

“No, Doctor.” Pinero ducked back again, remained a little longer. When he

came out this time, he told the girl to get down and dress. He turned to her

husband.

“Ed, make yourself ready.”

“What’s Betty’s reading, Doctor?”

“There is a little difficulty. I want to test you first.”

When he came out from taking the youth’s reading, his face was more troubled

than ever. Ed inquired as to his trouble. Pinero shrugged his shoulders, and brought

a smile to his lips.

“Nothing to concern you, my boy. A little mechanical misadjustment, I think.