suits your mood and convenience."

11

"That sounds delightful,' said the young man with a soft and distinctly feminine sigh. "But I didn't know that was possible, mean for the soul to be free before someone dies.

11

I

"Well, it's not generally known to be sure. It's frowned on High and Low. After all, what kind of shape would the universe be in with a lot of free souls wandering about!"

"I see what you mean.

"

"And I'll get the very Devil--if you'll pardon the expression- if news of this trade ever gets back to you know where, so I'll have to ask you to be very discreet. VERY discreet!"

*

"Depend on me, said the young man. "But what will you do if I'm off in the girl's body when--"

"I have an idea that you FP's are quite narcissistic and I don't think you'll stay gone forever. You'll have to come back to eat, for instance, and when the time comes I'll be there waiting. Otherwise I wouldn't dare make this trade. Now then, is it a deal?"

"Tell me," said the young man with seeming irrelevance. "Do you handle the whole state by yourself?"

"Oh, no. There are several other agents here. A friend of mine is quite active in a place called San Francisco, if you know where that is.' "

The young man pondered this information for a moment and then said, "Very well, it's a deal."

"All right, you may go to--" and the infernal Guest named an outrageously expensive hotel "--and you will find the penthouse rented for some years in advance and on the bed will be the creat- ure you most desire to look like and in the closets will be all the clothes you could wish for. Now, if you will turn around, I will show you how to slip your soul out through your ear."

The young man was delighted with the ease with which he was able to slip in an out of his body and when he was sure he had mastered the trick he described to the Visitor how he would most like to look.

The Visitor stood up and said, "Well, that's about it.

I may

15.