"By mistake. Back in those days, like now, there were good Konvs and
bad. One of those not selected by Stinson to join us was enraged, half
crazy with envy. He killed two women there in Bangkok. The Agents
thought Jamieson--I mean, your father--did it. Jamieson was the
greatest man among us. It was he who first conceived the theory that
there was a basic, underlying law in the operation of the cylinders.
Even now, no one knows how the idea of love ties in with the Stinson
Effect; but we do know that hate and greed as motivating forces can
greatly minimize the cylinders' power. That is why the undesirables
with cylinders have never reached Centaurus."
Heavy steps sounded on the porch outside.
"We'd better hurry," Mrs. Jamieson said.
Benjamin held out his hands. They took them, to increase the power of
the cylinders. As the Agents pounded on the door, Mrs. Jamieson flicked
one thought of hatred at them, but of course they did not hear her.
Benjamin's hands gripped tightly.
Mrs. Jamieson slowly opened her eyes....
She no longer felt the hands. _She was still in the room!_ Benjamin and
her son were gone. Her outstretched hands touched nothing.
Her power was gone!
The Agents stepped into the room over the broken door. She stared at
them, then ran to Earl's desk, fumbling for the gun.
The Agents' guns rattled.
Love, Benjamin said, the greatest of these is love. Or did someone
else say that? Someone, somewhere, perhaps in another time, in some
misty, forgotten chip of time long gone, in another frame of reference
perhaps....
Mrs. Jamieson could not remember, before she died.