ntrolling the minds of animals was one that would require a lot of thought and study, and a

rd. "Where do the pass

terooms, sir, but others in

ng down there and looking at 'em?

own there. It's on the right

out a dozen dogs of various breeds, ages and sizes. Here we

es, and concentrated on the dog nearest him. It was a large white bull, and he guessed its age to be abo

ine, channel by channel, connector by connector, while the dog lay as if asleep. Gradually Hanlon began

nowledge and experience. What he wanted was to see if he could make it perform motions and actions that were outside its previous conditioning and training. After som

ent messages to the proper muscles that allowed the dog to do his bidding. But it still needed a lot of

oncentration, figured there might be some connection between the two. For he came up to the bench and

can do for

voice, speaking so suddenly right before him, startled and befuddled him. He lo

e asked

a little sharper, "if there wa

o pay attention. "I just like dogs and came

a dog of yo

e no dog a

te bull. He's been acting very p

. "Why, nothing. I've just been sitting

per for you to be here as long a

bothers you,

hat curiously sluggish feeling in his mind. Now, with a start he

ersation from two separate and distinct poi

both from his own ...

eard and understood every word of that brief con

een inside the dog's mind, observing and controlling, but that he ha

adequate and lacking for the moment. It was not his complete mind. When th

d with senses reeling, almo

y there, trembling with awe at realizati

e had done it himself. Even hundreds of years before, such things had been believed possible, and had been studied extensively and scientifically. Many people through

t been able to read a mind directly, nor cou

at all with humans, it should be greater and more efficient with animals. For the

. to separate it-dissociate it-and have it out

n'?" he whistled

mind to reviewing carefully the entire episode, and to figur

, if I can really control animals, and see and hear with their eyes and ears. And if I can send them where I want them to

ent his mind down to the kennels. Again, without any trouble, without any delay or hesitation, he found him

lay there, alm

se in our family has it. Am I some sort of a mutant? But i

f questions,

t potential murderer he had been watching. He realized with dismay that in his excitement over this

face, dried it, ran a comb through h

me rooms on his rounds, he saw his man leaving them. Allowing the stranger to get some distance ahead

erly. Thus he soon knew, emphatically, that the man was definitely bent on that contemplated killing right n

erer had a knife concealed in his

t this man killed nor jailed-at least not until he had learned a great deal more concerning him and his par

pparently-insignificant things," he thought carefully. "I can't take chances of gumm

en grinned wolfishly at the thought. It was plenty dangerous, but

s stopping momentarily to peer cautiously around the corner and down a co

his face, Hanlon stepped backward a pace and held up his hands in the "I'm no

-out plan, and in no mood for conversation. That lethal knife seemed to jump out o

ht. He caught the right, or knife hand, but the big fellow was as dextrous as he, even if he didn't look capable of such fa

could, at the same time trying to

ng to help you, not hinder you!

and he had a nick in his arm that he could feel was soaking his jacket sleeve. Seeing he

bile. "I'm trying to warn you that the bozo you're after carries one of those new needle-guns, and the needles are poison-tipped. Also, h

hat d'you mean, hu

s face showed plainly how aghast he was at this interf

and what's your gam

ulating, and hurried on with his specious explana

des, where a good hustler could make himself plenty of

to do with me,

d of time. I was told this bird you're after was an important man there, so I studied him. One of the first things I found out about him w

-over with those hard, suspicious eyes. "Let me

sn't sharp enough-Panek's hand flashed out even before he seemed to be standing

e other was after, stood there

I'm clean. Strictly on my own in this. Just got kicked

the Corps, and he stared harder and more

"That soured me on 'em, but good! So I says to myself, blast John Law! From now on I'm on the other side. Anything he's after

this straight-forwardness was his best bet. Tell his side of it first, for if he got in with them-or any gang-they would be sure to check

d was completed the killer looked at him with some measure of resp

really did kick you out. But I don't trust nobody that's eve

topped you? I'd be arresting you-or killing you for pulling that kni

it. This here's a purely personal grudge deal. But you prob'ly did me a good turn, a good turn, and if you want to look me up af

e showed his respect for tho

ough he quickly decided he'd better let it lie fo

ou didn't know. And thanks. Maybe I will look you up. I don't know anyone on Sim

with a sinister grimace, "if you come, you'd be