Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 31, 2025
"Yes you can," the Mercutian said as softly as his gutturals would permit. "There is one in particular you know a great deal about. Urga told me. A long-lost lover, no?" His gray-ridged countenance contorted into a thick disgusting leer. "There it something mysterious about him. He has no identification tag; he releases Peabody; seems not to know the penalties.
We were interrupted having reached no conclusion whatever except that we would go over that evening as Mercer had directed by the arrival of the police chief to see me. He was a little man, curiously thin and wizened for a Mercutian, with wide pantaloons, a shirt, short jacket and little triangular cocked hat. His face seemed pointed, like a ferret.
Through the darkling night, faintly visible in the feeble starlight there was no moon were driving shapes, a full score of them converging upon the little band. One look was sufficient. Mercutian fliers hurrying in response to their fellow's signal. There was no time, no chance to escape. "Very well, men." Hilary commanded, coldly calm. "Take cover. Do not fire until I give the order."
If he could not change the weather, at least he could destroy the infernal thing, stop its grinding out perfect sunshine for the Mercutians. He lifted his weapon. Off to one side a Mercutian arm advanced cautiously, bringing up a sun-tube. He swung on it and fired. The sun-tube clattered to the floor and the arm jerked back, accompanied by a howl of anguish.
The big body jerked, and fell backward with a crash to the bottom of the stairs, there to lie oddly contorted and still. There was a thundering rush from the rear of the lower floor, a hoarse throaty cry. Hilary tore down the steps three at a time, Grim and Wat slithering behind him. The other Mercutian was bending over Joan's semiconscious form, sweeping her into the crook of a huge arm.
The commotion of this contest had drawn many other spectators about us now, but they kept a space clear, pushing back hurriedly before our sudden rushes. At my words Mercer darted forward eagerly. His first move was to leap some twenty feet across the open space. This smaller opponent seemed to give the Mercutian new courage.
"Here, you," a burly Mercutian barred his way, "get out of here before I ray you." Hilary seemed to shrivel together in mortal terror. He turned to slink out again. The guard had him by the shoulder, was propelling him with ungentle paws toward the exit. Hilary let himself be shoved. A cold curt voice spoke a sharp command: "What have you there?" Where had Hilary heard that voice before?
But these published statements were casually received and aroused only slight general comment. Then, in February, 1941, came the publication of Professor Newland's famous theory of the Mercutian Light as the fire was afterward known.
"I've heard," he said overcasually, "that an accident happened to one of the Mercutian diskoids. Know anything about it?" The redhead grinned. "I was the accident. I wasn't staying cooped up in the wilderness. Joan and I decided we'd do some scouting before we came back; see what was happening over the rest of the world.
He was annoyed. "For the last time I give you the opportunity," the Mercutian howled in English. "If you refuse I turn you over to Urga; he wants you." The crack in the door had widened perceptibly. Hilary's heart gave a tremendous leap. Disclosed to his vision was a figure standing opposite the Mercutian, slim, defiant, proud Joan. What unimaginable luck!
Word Of The Day
Others Looking