Wp corrected for paragraph layout

Chapter 7
The man sitting on the sofa faced the small group assembled
in his suite. 'Gentlemen,' he began slowly, 'some of you
already know that Duncan has decided not to run with me.
That leaves us, at present, without a candidate. My friends,

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we've got to announce someone soon, someone as good as
Duncan, and I say this despite the distressing discoveries
about Duncan's past that have unfortunately surfaced.'
Schneider spoke out. 'It wasn't easy to come up even with
Duncan,' he said, 'and let's not kid ourselves ... whom can we
possibly get at this late date? Shellman is going to stay with
his firm. I don't think Frank can even be considered, given his
miserable record as president of the university.'
'What about George?' a voice asked.
'George has just had another operation -- the second in
three months. He's an obvious health risk.' There was silence
in the room. It was then that O'Flaherty spoke. ‘I think I have
someone,' he said quietly. 'What about Chauncey Gardiner?'
All eyes turned to the man on the sofa who was drinking his
coffee.
'Gardiner?' the man on the sofa said. 'Chauncey Gardiner?
We don't really know anything about him, do we? Our people
haven't been able to find out one single blessed thing. And
he certainly hasn't been of any help: he hasn't said a thing
about himself ever since he moved in with the Rands four
days ago . .
'Then I would like to state,' said O'Flaherty, 'that this makes
me think of Gardiner as an even better bet.' 'Why?' several
men chorused.
O'Flaherty spoke easily: 'What was the trouble with
Duncan? With Frank and with Shellman, for that matter, and
with so many of the others we've considered and have had to
reject? The damn trouble was that they all had background,
too much background! A man's past cripples him: his
background turns into a swamp and invites scrutiny!'
He waved his arms excitedly. 'But just consider Gardiner.
May I stress what you have just heard from a most

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authoritative voice: Gardiner has no background! And so he's
not and cannot be objectionable to anyone! He's personable,
well-spoken, and he comes across well on TV! And, as far as
his thinking goes, he appears to be one of us. That's all. It's
clear what he isn't. Gardiner is our one chance.'
Schneider crushed out his cigar. 'O'Flaherty just tapped
something,' he said. 'Something big. Hmmmm ... Gardiner,
Gardiner...'
A waiter entered with steaming pots of fresh coffee and the
discussion continued. 
Chance pushed his way through the throng of dancing
couples toward the exit. In his eyes there lingered yet a faint,
blurred image of the grand ballroom, of the trays of
refreshments at the buffet, the multicolored flowers, brilliant
bottles, rows upon rows of shining glasses on the table. He
caught sight of EE as she was embraced by a tall, heavily
decorated general. He passed through a blaze of
photographers' flash-guns as through a cloud. The image of
all he had seen outside the garden faded.
Chance was bewildered. He reflected and saw the
withered image of Chauncey Gardiner: it was cut by the stroke
of a stick through a stagnant pool of rain water. His own
image was gone as well.
He crossed the hall. Chilled air streamed in through an
open window. Chance pushed the heavy glass door open
and stepped out into the garden. Taut branches laden with
fresh shoots, slender stems with tiny sprouting buds shot
upward. The garden lay calm, still sunk in repose. Wisps of
clouds floated by and left the moon polished. Now and then,
boughs rustled and gently shook off their drops of water. A
breeze fell upon the foliage and nestled under the cover of its
moist leaves. Not a thought lifted itself from Chance's brain.

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Peace filled his chest. 
THE END