“If we’d only had that on the Ninety-one —” said Gunderson.
“We could have — if I had been able to take a look at myself in the Mirror early enough.”
Gunderson left. Montgomery went out to the small airport at the edge of town to meet Colonel Dodge, who arrived exactly on schedule. Dr. Spindem came along, of course. He seemed uneasy at the prospect of riding with Montgomery, but said nothing. There had been little conversation between the two men since the night of Montgomery’s report.
As the plane’s passengers disembarked, Dodge approached with cordial concern on his face. “It’s good to see you again, major. How are you? And Dr. Spindem —”
“Everything is fine,” said Montgomery. “I have explained your visit to Dr. Nagle. He has prepared a small demonstration which I’m sure you’ll enjoy.”
Dodge’s lips compressed. “I’m sure I shall,” he said.
The colonel took a room at Montgomery’s hotel. In a half hour he was ready, after a shower and change of clothes, to go to the Institute. It was a half hour, however, in which Spindem conferred with him, while Montgomery waited in the lobby. The major was aware of a sharp change in Dodge’s expression as he came out.
Dr. Nagle seemed perfectly composed, however, as he received the unsmiling colonel, and the faintly contemptuous Dr. Spindem. He and Montgomery smiled at each other as they shook hands.
“I understand you have come to close us down,” he said abruptly as they took chairs.
The abrupt challenge startled Dodge, but he yielded no ground because of it. “We have obtained an injunction,” he said severely, “which we are prepared to exercise, on the grounds that you have hampered the military effort by inciting men to leave critical posts.”