"Is that why you got me this book to read?" asked Joe.
"Sure. Now read it, Daddy. I want to know about Pandora's box, and how she opened it, and what happened."
"It shouldn't happen to a dog," said Joe, "then—or now." He glanced once more toward the kitchen. Then he began to read, but as he read, a gnawing worry began to creep through his mind.
There was a Devil downstairs, and once before a woman had loosed him.
The next evening Pearl greeted him at the door with excitement. "Did you hear the news?" she asked.
Joe looked alarmed. "He hasn't escaped?" he demanded.
"The Devil? No. Not a sound out of him. It's got everybody excited. The newscasters have been giving it a big coverage."
"What's got everybody excited, and who's covering who?"
"The disarmament agreement! The United States and Russia have agreed to scrap all armaments, disarm all the atom bombs, stop making them, and put in a foolproof system of inspection that will make it impossible for anybody in the world to make another atom bomb, or a missile, or even a bomber. Isn't it wonderful!"
"Sure is," agreed Joe. "But maybe it's just another Russian agreement. When the chips are down, they'll probably claim they never said any such thing."