A strange story, told by indirection, as Jane Waring, through recurrent interviews with a mysterious Mr. Small who is trying to get from her all she can give him of her knowledge of Mark Bradley, tells Brad's story, as she knows it. In complete darkness as to Small's purpose, Jane withholds (both from him and the reader) many connecting links, impressions, emotional overtones and undertones-telling only what each question involves. Bit by bit the pieces fall into place-and when after some time contact is made again with Brad in California, and he is given leave from the neuropsychiatric ward where he has been assigned to visit her, he himself fills in the gaps. Jane's faith in him-her willingness to let things take their course-achieve the desired results, as Hiroshima and the news release of the secret of the Manhattan Project gives Brad the final release from horror and tension that has held him through the years.
