"Why not?" And the Sun God help us all! he added to himself.
IV
The chambers were crowded as the delegates, alternates and just plain onlookers poured in for the afternoon session of the Central Worlds Conference. Two hours before the meeting was due to begin, an astute member of the press, long used to such functions, observed that there would undoubtedly be a record broken before the day was over. And it was easy to see why: all eyes were trained on the spot low in the tiers with the Ehrlan pennant floating overhead.
As yet, the central figure of all the interest had not arrived, although the rest of the Ehrlans were already in their seats and looking anxiously up the aisles towards the bank of elevators. An elevator would open from time to time, to disgorge a few late arrivals. But the man they expected was not yet among them. Below, on the chamber floor, the presiding secretary was mounting to the rostrum and arranging his papers.
"Where the devil can he be!" said Citizen Evrett to Citizen Sterm, the second ranking member of the delegation.
"God only knows! You don't suppose something has ... happened?"
"How could it, here in the heart of the city? He only had to come one block from the hotel. You've been watching too many thrillers, Citizen—I hope!"
"Well, we have to do something. The session will be starting in a few minutes. If he isn't here, someone else will have to make the presentation."
"Who?"