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In any case, he thought, he was a long way from Harry's suryeillance now

Niht here at a Golden State Power outpost-Devil's Gate Ca continued by bus from Fincastle Valley It had been a four-hour journey, in part through the breathtaking beauty of Plumas National Forest

The camp was thirty-five ed fold of mountains It coineers, foremen and their families, a small school-now closed for summer vacation-and two motel-type bunkhouses, one for GSP & L eh voltage transridded towers-a reminder of the small community's purpose

The press party had been divided by sex, then housed four to a room in the visitors' quarters, which were plain but adequate There had been eiven ht have developed Nim had a room to hiht he stayed on for drinks with soame for a couple of hours, then excused hi be had awakened refreshed, and was now ready for breakfast, which would be in a few minutes, at 7:30 am

On a veranda outside the e air, be exa it over in his hand

It had been brought by a coht like acompany mail for Devil's Gate and other GSP&L frontiers It was all part of an internal communications system, so the letter for Niht sourly, if Nancy Molineaux learned about a personal letter routed that way, her bitchiness would have another workout Fortunately she wouldn't

The disagreeable reminder of the Molineaux wo Nio, Tess reported that she, too, had received one-containing information she had asked for yesterday about helicopter costs Nim was shocked He protested,

"You're actually going to help that trollop nail us to a board?"

"Calling her nasty na," Van Buren had said patiently, then added, "So-wheel executives don't understand what public relations is all about"

"If that's an exaht!"

"Look-we can't win 'eot under ht about it so to write about that helicopter whatever we do or say Therefore she ures because if she asks elsewhere, or so: I' honest with Nancy now, and she knows it In future, when so else comes up, she'll trust me and maybe that time will be a lot more important"

Nim said sarcastically, "I can hardly wait for that acid- favorable"

"See you at breakfast," the PR director had said as she left "And do yourself a favor - simmer down"

But he didn't Now, still seething inwardly, be ripped open the blue envelope

It contained a single sheet of paper,the blue envelope At the top was printed: From Karen Sloan

Suddenly he remembered Karen had said: "Sometimes I write poetry Would you like me to send you some?" And he had answered yes

The words were neatly typed

Today I found a friend,

Or maybe he found me,

Or was it fate, chance, circumstance-

Predestination, by whatever name?

Were we like paranoid stars whose orbits,

Devised at ti,

In due season

Intersect?

Though ill never know,

No matter! For instinct tells me

That our friendship, nurtured,

Will grow strong

So much of him I like:

His quiet ways, warmth,

A gentle wit, and intellect,

An honest face, kind eyes, a ready smile