"And what's it going to cost us to try? You're on retainer. The total bill for said restraining order will be only the price of some legal paper and the services of a notary. The steno's hired by the month, like you."
Van Euing looked puzzled. "What good will it do?"
"You know how long it takes courts to do anything. Before your order is tossed out, Moulton will have been grounded for a week."
Van Euing lit his pipe. "In legal parlance, it is something irregular, which, being translated, means it's a slick trick."
"All it's going to cost you is being half an hour late to lunch."
Van Euing puffed a moment on his pipe and said: "Because of your audacity, Swenson, and furthermore, because you'll be fired tomorrow, I'll prepare the restraining order."
Swenson put out his hand and his blunt fingers closed around Van Euing's delicate ones.
When Van Euing had gone, Swenson returned to coding the astrogram. He checked the form twice and sent it.
