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g； they knocked the old man into the gutter。 We could see him lying on the edge of the sidewalk； his head in the gutter； blood streaming from his nose。 The boys stood there for a moment watching him； then walked away after kicking him several times contemptuously。
I turned to Strassmer questioningly。
〃That was a Jew； Herr Cord；〃 he said quietly。
〃So what？ Why didn't he call the police？〃
Strassmer pointed across the street。 Two policemen stood on the opposite corner。 〃They saw everything that happened。〃
〃Why didn't they stop them？〃
〃They are under instructions not to；〃 he answered。 〃Hitler claims that Jews have no right under German law。〃
〃What has this got to do with you？〃
〃I am a Jew；〃 he said simply。
I was silent for a moment。 I took out a cigarette and lit it。 〃What do you want me to do with the money？〃
〃Keep it until you hear from me。〃 He smiled。 〃My wife and daughter are already in America。 I would be grateful if you'd let them know I'm all right。〃
〃Why don't you join them？〃 I asked。
〃Perhaps I will … in time。 But I am German；〃 he said。 〃And I still hope this madness will one day pass。〃
But Herr Strassmer's hopes were not to be realized。 This I found out less than a year later； as I sat in the office of the Reichsmarschall。 〃The Jews of the world are doomed； as are the Jews of Germany；〃 he said in his polite voice。 〃We of the New Order recognize this and wele our friends and allies from across the sea who wish to join our crusade。〃
I was silent； waiting for him to speak again。
〃We men of the air understand each other；〃 he said。
I nodded。 〃Yes； Excellency。〃
〃Good；〃 he said； smiling。 〃Then we do not have to waste time。〃 He threw some papers on the desk。 〃Under the new laws； the Reich has confiscated the properties of a certain Otto Strassmer。 We understand there are certain monies due him which you are hereby instructed to pay over into the Reichsbank。〃
I didn't like the word 〃instructed。〃 〃I have been trying to get in touch with Herr Strassmer；〃 I said。
G？ring smiled again。 〃Strassmer had a severe breakdown and is presently confined to a hospital。〃
〃I see；〃 I said。 I got to my feet。
〃The Third Reich will not forget its friends；〃 the Reichsmarschall said。 He pressed a button on his desk。
A young German lieutenant appeared in the doorway。 〃Heil Hitler！〃 he said； his arm upraised in the Nazi salute。
〃Heil Hitler！〃 G？ring replied negligently。 He turned to me。 〃Lieutenant Mueller will escort you to the Messerschmitt plant。 I look forward to seeing you again at dinner； Herr Cord。〃
The Messerschmitt plant opened my eyes。 There was nothing like it building airplanes in the United States。 The only things parable were the automobile production lines in Detroit。 And when I saw some of the sketches of the ME…109 that adorned Messerschmitt's office； I didn't have to look twice。 It was all over but the shouting unless we got up off our collective asses。
That night at dinner； the Reichsmarschall got me to a corner。 〃What did you think of our factory？〃
〃I'm impressed；〃 I said。
He nodded； pleased。 〃It is modeled after your own plant in California；〃 he said。 〃But much larger； of course。〃
〃Of course；〃 I agreed； wondering how they got in there。 Then I realized it was no secret。 Up to now； we'd never got any government work； all we'd built were mercial airlines。
He laughed pleasantly； then turned to move away。 A moment later； he came back to me。 〃By the way；〃 he whispered。 〃The Führer was very pleased about your co…operation。 When may I inform him that we will receive the money？〃
I stared at him。 〃On the day Herr Strassmer walks into my office in New York。〃
He stared back in surprise。 〃The Führer won't like this；〃 he said。 〃I told him you were our friend。〃
〃I'm also Herr Strassmer's friend。〃
He stared at me for another moment。 〃Now I don't know what to tell the Führer。 He will be very disappointed when he learns we shall not receive the money。〃
〃In that case；〃 I said； 〃why disappoint him？ One Jew more or less can't matter to Germany。〃
He nodded slowly。 〃Perhaps that is the best way。〃
Exactly a month later； the little German engineer walked into my office in New York。
〃What are you going to do now？〃 I asked。
〃First； I'm going to join my family in Colorado and rest for a while；〃 he said。 〃Then I must look for work。 I'm no longer a rich man。〃
I smiled at him。 〃e to work for me。 I'll consider the million dollars an advance against your royalties。〃
When he left the office； I gave Morrissey the O。K。 to go ahead on the CA…4。 If my hunch was right； there wasn't enough time left for any of us。 But it was another story to make the U。S。 Army believe that。
I looked across the desk at Forrester。
〃I'll get back to town and make a few calls to Washington。 I still have a few friends down there；〃 he said。 〃I'll stop by and talk to the General。 Maybe I can persuade him to listen。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 I looked at my watch。 It was almost twelve thirty。 The stockholders' meeting ought to be over by now。 McAllister and Pierce should be back in the hotel with Norman tucked safely away in their back pockets。
〃I have a one…o'clock appointment at the Waldorf；〃 I said。 〃Can I drop you off？〃
〃Thanks；〃 Forrester said gratefully。 〃I have a luncheon date that I'd hate to miss。〃
He came into the Waldorf with me and cut off toward Peacock Alley as I walked over to the elevators。 As I stood there waiting； I saw a woman rise to meet him。 It was the same one I had seen him with out at the field。 I wondered vaguely why she hadn't waited for him out there。
Idly I watched Rico； the ma？tre d'； lead them around the corner to a hidden table。 I walked over to the entrance and stood there until he came back。
〃Ah； Monsieur Cord。〃 He smiled。 〃Dining alone？〃
〃Not dining； Rico；〃 I said； pressing a bill into his ever ready hand。 〃A question。 The lady with Colonel Forrester … who is she？〃
Rico smiled knowingly。 He kissed his fingers。 〃Ah； most charmante；〃 he said。 〃She is Madame Gaddis； the wife of the General。〃
I looked around the lobby as I walked back to the elevators。 The General should be somewhere around。 From what I had seen of his attitude toward Forrester； I figured there had to be more than just Army and airplanes between them。
I spotted him as he crossed the lobby to the men's room next to the nearest bank of elevators。 He was scowling and his face was flushed。 He looked like a man who needed more relief than he could find where he was going。
I waited until the door swung shut behind him before I walked over to the elevators。 For the first time since I'd landed the CA…4 at Roosevelt Field； I began to feel better。 Everything was falling into place now。
I wasn't worried any more。 The only problem that remained was how many planes the Army would buy。
3
WHAT I WANTED MOST WAS TO GRAB A SHOWER AND TAKE A NAP。 I hadn't got to sleep until five o'clock that morning。 I dropped my clothes on a chair and walked into the stall shower； turning on the needle spray。 I could feel the tightness leave my muscles under the soothing warmth。 The telephone rang several times while I was in the shower。 I let it ring。
When I came out； I picked up the phone and told the operator I didn't want any calls put through until four o'clock。
〃But Mr。 McAllister told me to call him the moment you e in；〃 she wailed。 〃He said it was very important。〃
〃You can get him for me at four o'clock；〃 I said。 I put down the phone； dropped on the bed and went to sleep like a baby。
The ring of the telephone woke me。 I looked at my wrist watch as I reached for the receiver。 It was exactly four o'clock。
It was Mac。 〃I've been trying to get you all afternoon；〃 he said。 〃Where the hell have you been？〃
〃Sleeping。〃
〃Sleeping！〃 he shouted。 〃We have a board meeting over at the Norman offices。 We're due there right now。〃
〃You never told me。〃
〃How in hell could I； when you wouldn't answer your phone？〃
〃Get General Gaddis for me；〃 I told the operator。 〃I think he's registered here。〃
I lit a cigarette while I waited。 The receiver crackled in my ear。 〃General Gaddis speaking。〃
〃General； Jonas Cord here；〃 I said。 〃I'm in my apartment。 Thirty…one fifteen in the Towers。 I'd like to talk with you。〃
The General's voice was cold。 〃We have nothing to discuss。 You're an unconscionably rude young man… 〃
〃It's not my manners I want to discuss； General；〃 I interrupted。 〃It's your wife。〃
I heard him sputter through the telephone。 〃My wife？ What's she got to do with our business？〃
〃A great deal； I believe； General；〃 I said。 〃We both know whom she met in Peacock Alley today at one o'clock。 I can't believe that the War Department would look favorably at a personal animosity being the basis for rejecting the CA…4。〃
There was a silence over the telephone。
〃By the way； General；〃 I asked； 〃what do you drink？〃
〃Scotch；〃 he answered automatically。
〃Good； I'll have a bottle here； waiting for you。 Shall we say in about fifteen minutes？〃
I hung up before he could answer and called room service。 While I was waiting for an answer； a knock came at the outer door。 〃e in；〃 I yelled。
From the bed； I saw Mac and Dan Pierce enter。 When they cam