"Aren't you," he ventured softly, "aren't you being just a little bit melodramatic, Dr. Lane? After all, this is only a hypothesis. A very new and—if you will forgive me—most implausible conjecture—"
"New," agreed Gary almost harshly, "but not implausible, Doctor. We know, don't we, Flick?" The camera expert nodded. "We know, and we have further proof. Those rolls of film offer half of it; simple mathematics supplies the rest. Flick, suppose you get to work on those exposures right away. We'll show them—"
"O.Q., Gary," said Muldoon. "I'll get at it immediately. 'Scuse me, folks!"
Dr. Anjers said, "Please, no! Don't do this just to convince me, gentlemen. I did not mean to imply doubt. I am skeptical, yes; what man of science would not be? But there is no hurry—"
Gary grinned at him mirthlessly.
"That's where you're wrong, Doctor. There is a need for haste. Every day is precious; perhaps every hour, every minute. We're not doing this merely to dispel your doubts. We're doing it because it has to be done, and as swiftly as humanly possible. The sooner mankind realizes its peril, the sooner we can take measures to do something. How long will it take you, Flick?"
"At least three hours. Maybe four."
"All right. Get going. Meanwhile, if you'll permit me, Dr. Bryant, I'd like to duck into my office. There must be a lot of accumulated correspondence to run through. Miss Powell, if you'll be kind enough to come with me—?"
"Yes, Dr. Lane."
Anjers said, "Office, yes. I have not been near my own desk all morning. Perhaps I, too, should spend a little time with my papers. So, gentlemen—"