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“Everything is frightening these days How much more trouble can there be?”

“I’ve been in prison,” he said quietly “Does that scare you?”

“It would have Once” Elsa was unused to the way he stared at her “I’et any prettier, you know”

“You think that’s what I’ when I look at you?”

“Why do you take the risk? Of communism, I mean You must knoon’t work in America And I see what it costs you”

“For my mother,” he said “She ca and had been disowned by her family because ofto support us, doing whatever she had to do, but each night, at bedti in Aht her here and she passed it on to me But, it was a lie For people like us, anyway Folks who are fro color skin, or speak the wrong language, or pray to the wrong God She died in a factory fire All of the doors were locked to keep the workers froarette breaks This country used her up and spit her out and all she ever wanted was for me to have opportunities A better life than she’d had” He leaned toward her “You understand I know you do Your people are starving, dying Thousands are ho to survive Help es They’ll listen to you”

Elsa laughed “No one has ever listened to me”

“They will We need someone like you”

Elsa’s sood is a strike if you lose your job? I have children to feed”

“Loreda is a firebrand She would love—”

“She needs to be in school Education is ill give her a better life, not joining the Coot slowly to her feet “I’h to help you And please, please, keep your people away frohter”

Jack rose She could see the disappointment in his eyes “I understand”

“Do you?”

“Of course Fear is smart until…” He headed for the door, paused as he reached for the knob

“Until what?”