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The Doctor paused to see Miss Dawson's reaction. He realised by her look that she was a very worried woman. So he pressed home his attack a little more. 'I believe that you and Dr. Quinn are very good friends. Is that correct?'

She nodded.

'Then you ought to know,' he said, 'that Dr. Quinn is in grave trouble, and possibly in great danger.'

Miss Dawson thought for a few moments. Then she said, 'I warned him. I tried to tell him.'

'Tell him what?' said the Doctor.

Again Miss Dawson thought before speaking. 'I promised not to tell anyone. You see, Dr. Quinn is on the verge of a great discovery, perhaps the most important scientific discovery any man has ever made.'

'I am a man of science,' said the Doctor. 'You must trust me and tell me everything you know.'

'All right,' she said. 'If you really think Dr. Quinn is in danger, I'll tell you...'

The Brigadier rushed into the office. 'Where the devil have you been, Doctor? We're due for a meeting with Dr. Lawrence in a minute!' Then he stopped dead as he realised he had walked into a conversation between the Doctor and Miss Dawson. 'Oh, sorry.

Something going on?'

The Doctor said quietly, 'Miss Dawson, you were going to tell me something.'

Miss Dawson looked from the Doctor to the Brigadier, then back to the Doctor. 'I'm sorry, Doctor. My first loyalty is to my friend. If you'll excuse me.' She hurried out of the office.

The Brigadier looked perplexed. 'What on earth was that all about?'

'Nothing,' said the Doctor. 'Just a cosy chat about the weather.

Now, shall we go to this meeting?'

12

Goodbye, Dr. Quinn

As Miss Dawson went up in the research centre lift she could feel the blood pounding in her temples. She had almost been disloyal to Dr. Quinn. If she had said what she knew, he might be in very serious trouble. Once at the surface, she almost ran to her little car in the car park, then drove as fast as possible down to Dr. Quinn's cottage. She pounded on the front door and kept on pounding until she heard Dr. Quinn calling from the other side.

'For goodness' sake, who is it?'

'It's me,' she screamed, 'Phyllis. You must let me in!'

She heard the rattle of the door chain and then the mortice-lock being turned. Normally, Dr. Quinn never locked his front door, as did anyone in this wild countryside. She almost fell into the hallway.

'My dear girl,' said Dr. Quinn. 'What's all the bother?' He held her in his arms in a gentle embrace. She was aware of her own heartbeats and the fact that she was gasping for breath. 'It's as if the Devil himself were on your tail,' he laughed.

Miss Dawson caught her breath and straightened up. Then she noticed the heat. 'Why is it so warm here?' she asked.

'Is that all you've come to say to me?' he said. 'Now come into the living-room and take your coat off.'

They went into the living-room, and Dr. Quinn helped her with the jacket of her suit. 'Sit yourself down, lass,' he said soothingly,

'have a nice, quiet sherry and tell me what's on your mind.'

She sat, but only on the edge of a chair. Dr. Quinn poured a couple of sherries. 'The Doctor knows what you're doing,' she said.

Dr. Quinn didn't seem at all put out. He continued to pour the two glasses of sherry and then brought them over to where Miss Dawson was sitting perched on the chair. 'Really?' he said. 'Is that what he told you?'

'He was searching your office.' Miss Dawson sipped at the sherry but somehow didn't want to drink it. 'He talked to me. He wants to help you.'

'Does he indeed?' said Dr. Quinn, seemingly amused. 'He wants to steal the credit for my discoveries.'

'You haven't discovered anything yet,' she said. 'Can't you turn down the central-heating?' She could scarcely breathe.

'I'm feeling a bit of a chill coming on,' he said, 'so I want to keep warm. I'd say that I've discovered rather more than most people.

An entirely separate species of intelligent life.'

'But you can't make them tell you anything!'

Dr. Quinn looked into the sherry