Astounding Science Fiction, October 1950 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

8 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION © ~—— lived all her life. I think mine will be better off away from them. They’re too different to get along, and it gets worse all the time.” When Stella came in with the coffee and cake for which she had been sent, it was already settled that Dr. Welles would spend the day after next giving her the required tests. Maybe all Ill get is the problem children, thought Peter ruefully as he went back to the hotel. What sort of problem is Stella? We can’t do without Jay; but he’s right, he can’t leave. Is there any way out of that? And what is all this about Stella? As for the convention meet- ings, which he had come to attend, it looked as if he wouldn’t get to many of them. Peter took a sleeping pill and went to bed early. Mrs. Oates opened the door to Dr. Welles at nine o’clock on the appointed morning. “I sent the others off on an all-day picnic,” she said as she ushered him in. “My husband was up until midnight night before last, telephoning and sending tele- grams, He says to tell you he has been investigating you, and you seem to be all right.” I forgot to ask them not to tell anyone about the children, moaned Peter in- wardly. Well, I suppose it was sure to get out sooner or later, buit— “We don’t want you to make any mis- take,’ Mrs Oates continued. “We love Stella like she was our own. I took her When she was a little baby the same age as my Polly and I meant to raise them like twins. But Stella was a different kind of child. Still, that’s no matter. We’ve no more wish to be rid of her than any of the others, except if it’s for her own good. Ralph says you told him to satisfy him- self about you, and he’s doing it.” Yes, but why didn’t I think to ask him not to tell why he wanted to know? Peter groaned behind a smiling face. Oh, why didn’t I say it was a high intelligence school, and say nothing about the parent- age of the children? But how then could I have known anything about Stella? Obviously nobody thinks she is very in- telligent, She, like Tim, keeps her intel- ligence concealed. Peter suffered a wave of horror as he realized that he had, as yet, no proof that all these children were gifted. Then he told himself that Tim, Elsie and Jay surely were, and—what was the woman saying? — “. . . But I told him maybe you didn’t want your affairs talked about, the school and all, or the children’s affairs, their parents or anything, so he never said,a word about it.” “Thank you, Mrs. Oates,” said Peter in heartfelt relief. “It is true that we do not wish a premature revelation of our plans. Only those most concerned should know about it. We hope to give as little publicity as possible to the school and its pupils. It is not good for children to live in the spotlight.” I’m babling, he told himself, and stopped. “Well, I told Ralph it’s for you to say what you want told, not us. He has a friend in the police department and a friend on a newspaper here, They got in touch with the Oakley chief of police and the superintendent of schools, and asked about you and that other doctor and the teacher you mentioned, and about. the Davis people, too. They got night letters and phone calls all day yesterday, your description and your photograph even; I believe they said somebody might be posing as you here and asked if you were here. I hope you didn’t mind all this, Dr. Welles, but we had to be sure.” “Certainly you had to be: sure. I hope now I can use you as a reference when I contact guardians of other children.” “Ralph said to tell you,’ continued Mrs. Oates, “that if you’d rather take her when you go, and board her with Miss Page, that would save her taking the trip alone so far. We can pay her fare and her board bill, and her board at the school too, if she can have her tuition and books free like you said. It seems awful sudden to me, but Ralph said you spoke as if you. might like it that way. She can always come straight home to us if she doesn’t like it there. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” “Certainly. And she shall write to you faithfully. But how does Stella feel about all this?” “The child is wild to go. She keeps saying you're sent to her, whatever she means by that. Of course, she may change her mind again for all I know. She shan’t be sent away from here unless she likes. Now, I'll call her; or was there anything else you want to say to me?” “Only to ask that you allow her to be alone with me for the tests. They are partly psychological, and—” “T understand that. A child’s always dis- Gomicboo A SHalGO)