Swenson snapped off the intercom, glanced at his Dispatch Sheet, leaned
back in his chair and closed his eyes. He was silent for the next half
hour and drank three beers, looking either thoughtful or asleep. Mister
Cerobie smoked a cigar until it burned his mustache.
When the third beer was finished, Swenson reached for an astrogram
blank and wrote:
HON. SENATOR HIRAM C. HIGBY ESQ.
ACME INTERPLANETARY EXPRESS
LUNA CITY
RUMOR RE UNPAID DEMURRAGE UTTERLY UN-FOUNDED. INFORMATION HERE THAT
RUMOR STARTED BY YOUR OPPOSITION. HAVE VITAL NEW DATA FOR YOUR LUNA
CITY SPEECH. WILL SEND SPEECH INSERT AT ONCE.