“The only thing is,” Penelope said as she punched the dishes on the table, “I’m scared. I have a feeling you shouldn’t have gone over a hundred thousand.”
“Is that why you never cashed my slip for thirty-five thousand?”
She nodded. “That’s mostly the reason. My balance is over eighty thousand and I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I don’t know. Just afraid.”
“Well,” said Mark, “I’m not. I don’t see what Central can do to a person for getting points. There’s no rule against it.”
“It’s dangerous,” Penelope insisted.
“Nevertheless, I have made a decision. A hundred thousand points—that’s nothing.” His head was high. “I’m going after a million points!”
Penelope gasped. “Mark, you mustn’t do anything like that. You have no use for a million points.”
“No,” Mark said complacently, “but it’s a lot of fun getting them. And it gives me something worth while to do. We’ll sit up till three o’clock every morning and play bridge, and I’ll stay in bed till noon, and dream up new stunts. I’ll pull one a week. Life is going to be worth living.”
The announcing light showed at the door. Penelope pressed the admittance button. A tall, thin man came in a moment later. “Mark Renner?” he asked.
Mark jumped. “Conley!” Mark’s stomach had a funny feeling in it.
“They told me I would find you here,” Conley said.