"You should have doffed your hat," the female elevator operator admonished Tedor as they started down. "That was Marshal Chenkov."

"Don't I know it," said Tedor.


"Barwan! This is a surprise. Come in, come in."

The Spasso House, the American Embassy adjacent to Red Square, was a gaunt, grim structure. Frawdin Chlon—Harry Marsden now—was a man of about Tedor's age, but shorter, fair of skin and hair and quite calm and self-possessed in an American business suit.

"We were about to close for the day, Barwan. But this is a surprise."

"How are you, Frawdin—no, I guess it had better be Harry."

"You're telling me! Fine, thank you. It's quite a coincidence, because I had another visitor earlier today. He says he knows you and wanted to see you, but I had no idea you were in Moscow."

"Who was that?"

"A solidio writer, name of Dorlup."