"Even so. It will go down in the records that I did it."
"Will it? Look here. I've been waiting for that." From his inside coat-pocket Necker drew out several typewritten sheets. "Mind you, I didn't want to produce this, but I'm forced to. My first interests are my company's. There is a copy of the last official report on this work. Read what that says. The credit is given, you see, to who? To you? No, no. Not a mention of you except as a civilian engineer who assisted."
"But how did you get hold of this?" Welkie held the papers, but without showing any inclination to read them.
"Does how I got hold of it matter?"
"That's right, it doesn't matter."
Welkie offered the papers to Balfe.
Balfe waved them back. "I saw the original of that report in Washington. What Mr. Necker says is so."
"There!" Necker brought his fist down on the table. "The man of all others to bear me out." He stepped close to Balfe. "I couldn't place you for a while. Thanks for that."
"Don't hurry your credit slip," snapped Balfe, with his eyes on Welkie.
Welkie silently passed the papers back to Necker.