he watched — but Ruth’s shamed face was all human; on it was no shadow nor trace of that alien soul which so few hours since had threatened us.
“Yes,” she nodded, “I remember that. And I remember how Norhala repaid them. I remember that I was glad, fiercely glad, and then I was tired — so tired. And then — I come to the rubbed-out place,” she ended perplexedly.
Deliberately, almost banally had I not realized his purpose, he changed the subject. He held her from him at arm’s length.
“Ruth!” he exclaimed, half mockingly, half reprovingly. “Don’t you think your morning negligee is just a little scanty even for this Godforsaken corner of the earth?”
Lips parted in sheer astonishment, she looked at him. Then her eyes dropped to her bare feet, her dimpled knees. She clasped her arms across her breasts; rosy red [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] turned all her fair skin.
“Oh!” she gasped. “Oh!” And hid from Drake and me behind the tall figure of her brother.
I walked over to the pile of silken stuffs, took the cloak and tossed it to her. Ventnor pointed to the saddlebags.
“You’ve another outfit there, Ruth,” he said. “We’ll take a turn through the place. [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] Call us when you’re ready. We’ll get something to eat and go see what’s happening — out there.”
She nodded. We passed through the curtains and out of the hall into the chamber that had been Norhala’s. There we halted, Drake eyeing Martin with a certain embarrassment. The older man thrust out his hand to him.
“I knew it, Drake,” he said. “Ruth told me all about it when Cherkis had us. And I’m very glad. It’s time she was having a home of her own and not running around the lost places with me. I’ll miss [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] her — miss her damnably, of course. But I’m glad, boy — glad!”
There was [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] a little silence while each looked deep into each other’s hearts. Then Ventnor dropped Dick’s hand.
“And that’s all of THAT,” he said. “The problem before us is — how are we going to get back home?”
“The — THING— is dead.” I spoke from an absolute conviction that surprised me, based as it was upon no really tangible, known evidence.
“I think so,” he said. “No — I KNOW [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] so. Yet even if we can pass over its body, how can we climb out of its lair? That slide down which we rode with Norhala is unclimbable. The walls are unscalable. And there is that chasm — she — spanned for us. How can we cross THAT? The tunnel to the ruins was sealed. There remains of possible roads the way through the forest to what was the City of Cherkis. Frankly I am loathe to take it.
“I am not at all sure that all the armored men were slain — that some few may not have escaped and be lurking there. It would be short shrift for us if we [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] fell into their hands now.”
“And I’m not sure of THAT,” objected Drake. “I think their pep and push must be pretty thoroughly knocked out — if any do remain. I [Ссылки могут видеть только зарегистрированные пользователи. ] think if they saw us coming they’d beat it so fast that they’d smoke with the friction.”
“There
Линейный вид
