"Invite many people," Snader said quickly. "Not expensive. You know
Missing Persons lists, from police? Dozens people disappear. They go
with me to other time. Many stay."
"Oh, sure," Jeff said. "But how do you select the ones to invite?"
"Find ones like you, Mr. Elliott. Ones who want change, escape."
* * * * *
Jeff was slightly startled. How did this fellow know his name was
Elliott?
Before he could ask, Ann popped another question. "Mr. Snader, you
heard us talking. You know we're in trouble because Jeff missed a good
chance five years ago. Do you claim people can really go back into the
past and correct mistakes they've made?"
"They can go back. What they do when arrive? Depends on them."
"Don't you wish it were true?" she sighed to Jeff.
"You afraid to believe," said Snader, a glimmer of amusement in his
restless eyes. "Why not try? What you lose? Come on, look at station.
Very near here."
Ann jumped up. "It might be fun, Jeff. Let's see what he means, if
anything."
Jeff's pulse quickened. He too felt a sort of midsummer night's
madness--a yearning to forget his troubles. "Okay, just for kicks. But
we go in my car."
Snader moved ahead to the cashier's stand. Jeff watched the weasel-like
grace of his short, broad body.
"This is no ordinary oddball," Jeff told Ann. "He's tricky. He's got
some gimmick."
"First I just played him along, to see how loony he was," Ann said.
"Now I wonder who's kidding whom." She concluded thoughtfully, "He's
kind of handsome, in a tough way."