"Well," said Arch a little huskily, "what can I do for you?"
"You can answer some questions, if you please," said Sagdahl tonelessly. "You don't have to answer any, and whatever you say can be used in evidence."
"I haven't broken any laws that I know of," said Arch feebly.
"That remains to be seen. This is an investigation."
"Whatever for?"
"Dr. Arch," said Sagdahl patiently, "yesterday you published an article on a discovery of potential military importance. It has upset a great many plans. Worse, it has been released with no discretion whatsoever, and the consequences aren't easy to foresee. If we'd had any inkling, it would never have been published openly. As it is, you went outside regular channels and—"
"I didn't have to go through channels," said Arch. "I've never gotten any confidential data, or even applied for a clearance. I work for myself and—" He saw Horrisford busily writing, and his words dried up.
The realization was appalling. The military applications of capacitite had crossed his mind only vaguely and been dismissed with an escapist shrug.
"Let's get down to business," said Sagdahl. "Everything will be a lot easier if you cooperate. Now, where were you born?"
Arch hadn't imagined anyone could be so thorough about tracking down a man's entire life. He answered frankly, feeling he had nothing to hide. Of course, there had been his roommate at M.I.T., and the roommate had had a girl friend one of whose other friends was a Communist, and...