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Supreme hats
銆€銆€Mike trusts me; I am his water brother. Could I have stolen his fortune and soarranged it that the government in the person of Mr. Douglas would havecondoned it?“.Uh ... damn you, Jubal, I suppose you could have.“.Most certainly I could have. Because our sometimes estimable SecretaryGeneral is no more a money-seeker than you are. His drive is political poweradrum whose beat I do not hear. Had I guaranteed to Douglas (oh,gracefully, of course-there is decorum even among thieves) that the Smithestate would continue to bulwark his administration, then I would have beenleft undisturbed to do as I liked with the income and had my actingguardianship made legal.“Jubal shuddered. .I thought that I was going to have to do exactly that, simplyto protect Mike from the vultures gathered around him-and I was panicstricken. 銆€銆€Captain, you obviously don’t know what an Old Man of the Seagreat wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend it. Its owner findshimself beset on every side, at every hour, wherever he goes, by persistentpleaders, like beggars in Bombay, each demanding that he invest or giveaway part of his wealth. He becomes suspicious of honest friendship-indeedhonest friendship is rarely offered him; those who could have been his friendsare too fastidious to be jostled by beggars, too proud to risk being mistakenfor one Supreme hat
. 銆€銆€.Worse yet, his life and the lives of his family are always in danger. Captain,have your daughters ever been threatened with kidnapping?“.What? Good Lord, I should hope not!“.If you possessed the wealth Mike had thrust on him, you would have thosegirls guarded night and day-and even then you would not rest, because youwould never be sure that those very guards were not tempted. Look at therecords of the last hundred or so kidnappings in this country and note howmany of them involved a trusted employee - - and note, too, how few victimsescaped alive. Then ask yourself: is there any luxury wealth can buy which isworth having your daughters’ pretty necks always in a noose?“Van Tromp looked thoughtful. .No. I guess I’ll keep my mortgaged house-it’smore my speed. Those girls are all I’ve got, Jubal.“.Amen. I was appalled at the prospect. Wealth holds no charm for me. All Iwant is to live my own lazy, useless life, sleep in my own bed- and not bebothered! Yet I thought I was going to be forced to spend my last few yearssitting in an office, barricaded by buffers, and working long hours as Mike’sman of business. 銆€銆€.Then I had an inspiration. Douglas already lived behind such barricades,already had such a staff. Since I was forced to surrender the power of thatmoney to Douglas merely to ensure Mike’s continued health and freedom,why not make the beggar pay for it by assuming all the headaches, too? Iwas not afraid that Douglas would steal from Mike; only pipsqueak, secondratepoliticians are money hungry-and Douglas, whatever his faults, is nopipsqueak. Quit scowling, Ben, and hope that he never dumps the load onyou. Supreme shirts
銆€銆€.So I dumped the whole load on Douglas-and now I can go back to mygarden. But, as I have said, the money was relatively simple, once I figured itout. It was the Larkin Decision that fretted me.“Caxton said, .I thought you had lost your wits on that one, Jubal. That sillybusiness of letting them give Mike sovereign .honors.’ Honors indeed! ForGod’s sake, Jubal, you should simply have had Mike sign over all right, title,and interest, if any, under that ridiculous Larkin theory. You knew Douglaswanted him to-Jill told you.“.Ben m’boy,“ Jubal said gently, .as a reporter you are hard-working andsometimes readable.“.Gee, thanks! My fan.“.But your concepts of strategy are Neanderthal.“Caxton sighed. .I feel better, Jubal. For a moment there I thought you hadbecome softly sentimental in your old age.“.When I do, please shoot me. Captain, how many men did you leave onMars?“.Twenty-three.“.And what is their status, under the Larkin Decision?“Van Tromp looked troubled. .I’m not supposed to talk.“.Then don’t,“ Jubal reassured him. .I can deduce it, and so can Ben.“Dr. Nelson said, .Skipper, both Stinky and I are civilians again. I shall talkwhere and how I please-. 銆€銆€.And shall I,“ agreed Mahmoud.