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Lewiston s about done right now, and there can t be much left of yours - what he d do to us would be a
sin and a shame.
Now at the great wall, the two men heaved mightily upon a lever, the gate of the emergency port swung
slowly open, and they entered the miniature cruiser of the void.
Costigan, familiar with the mechanism of the craft from careful study from his prison cell, manipulated the
controls. Through gate after massive gate they went, until finally they were out in open space, shooting
toward distant Tellus at the maximum acceleration of which their small craft was capable.
Costigan cut the other two phones out of circuit and spoke, his attention fixed upon some extremely
distant point.
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 Samms! he called sharply.  Costigan. We re out . . . all right . . . yes . . . sure . .
. absolutely . . you tell  em, Sammy, I ve got company here.
Through the sound-disks of their helmets the girl and the captain had heard Costigan s share of the
conversation. Bradley stared at his erstwhile first officer in amazement, and even Clio had often heard
that mighty, half-mythical name. Surely that bewildering young man must rank high, to speak so familiarly
to Virgil Samms, the all- powerful head of the space-pervading Service of the Triplanetary League!
 You ve turned in a general call-out, Bradley stated, rather than asked.
 Long ago - I ve been in touch right along, Costigan answered.  Now that they know what to look for
and know that ether-wave detectors are useless, they can find it.
Every vessel in seven sectors, clear down to the scout patrols, is concentrating on this point, and the call
is out for all battleships and cruisers afloat. There are enough operatives out there with ultra-waves to
locate that globe, and once they spot it they ll point it out to all the other vessels.
 But how about the other prisoners? asked the girl.  They ll be killed, won t they?
 Hard telling, Costigan shrugged.  Depends on how things turn out. We lack a lot of being safe
ourselves yet.
 What s worrying me mostly is our own chance, Bradley assented.  They will chase us, of course.
 Sure, and they ll have more speed than we have. Depends on how far away the nearest Triplanetary
vessels are. But we ve done everything we can do, for now.
Silence fell, and Costigan cut in Clio s phone and came over to the seat upon which she was reclining,
white and stricken - worn out by the horrible and terrifying ordeals of the last few hours. As he seated
himself beside her she blushed vividly, but her deep blue eyes met his gray ones steadily.
 Clio, I . . . we . . . you . . . that is, he flushed hotly and stopped. This secret agent, whose clear, keen
brain no physical danger could cloud; who had proved over and over again that he was never at a loss in
any emergency, however desperate - this quick-witted officer floundered in embarrassment like any
schoolboy; but continued, doggedly:  I m afraid that I gave myself away back there, but . . . 
 We gave ourselves away, you mean, she filled in the pause.  I did my share, but I won t hold you to it
if you don t want - but I know that you love me, Conway!
 Love you! the man groaned, his face lined and hard, his whole body rigid.  That doesn t half tell it,
Clio. You don t need to hold me - I m held for life. There never was a woman who meant anything to me
before, and there never will be another. You re the only woman that ever existed. It isn t that. Can t you
see that it s impossible?
 Of course I can t - it isn t impossible, at all. She released her shields, four hands met and tightly
clasped, and her low voice thrilled with feeling as she went on:  You love me and I love you. That is all
that matters.
 I wish it were, Costigan returned bitterly,  but you don t know what you d be letting yourself in for.
It s who and what you are and who and what I am that s griping me. You, Clio Marsden, Curtis
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Marsden s daughter. Nineteen years old. You think you ve been places and done things. You haven t.
You haven t seen or done anything - you don t know what it s all about. And whom am I to love a girl [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]