Slaves of Mercury

trang

the giant staring quizzically down at him was nearer seven, with shoulders to match. The features of his face were gargantuan in their

ance, Hilary instinct

want?" he inq

veyed him with h

ep bass rumble, without emotion or inf

he returned wanderer from the far

oldly, "but I like my par

e for what you are doing?" the

u mean by that. Here's a man who has been tortured un

es contained the

epeated. His murmur sounded like t

ply, poked his finger at

he meaning of all this? Who is this unfortunate, and why did ever

ive face, bewilderment tinged with a daw

don't know?" The to

" Hilary pointed out. H

Man, where on earth have you

inned. "I

as dangerous when aroused. He thrust his jaw down at Hilary. "If you are jesting with me...." He

grimly. "I have been away from the Ea

. "Now I know you are crazy, or

ry Gr

the other in manifest perplexity. It wa

ches of space. Hilary thought bitterly. Five short years and he was al

Expedition to explore interplanetary space in th

memories struggling up through the s

er something about it." He surveyed Hilary with a

it, humbly. Of such

in it. Though it sure beats all." And he shook

man, who sat immobile as before, his worn etched face ever t

s looked at

said, "is A

e portly, dignified President of the United States who had bade him Godspeed at the start of his tremendous journey five y

is voice was deadly calm. "I want the

g man with strange laughte

Hilary's restraining grip, caught him by the shoulder and thrust him, all in one motion, into a cha

automatic within his blouse. The gia

," he warned, "the

t gu

ear unconcerned if you value

, but his thoughts seethed and boiled. What terrible mystery had enveloped the Ear

pparent unconcern, but his hand stole once more to the fold in his blouse. His long fingers rested

ghtened. A heavy body stumbled toward them, cursing in strange phrases. It passed from behind, came to a halt before the giant. Hilary shot a

nizen of the Earth, that was evident, yet Hilary had visited all th

or him. Manlike he was in every essential, but the skin of his face was a pasty dull gray, and ridged and furrowed with warty excrescences. Two enormous pink eyes, unlidded, but capable of being sh

e shifted from them to the trembling figure of Amos Peabody. He bent over him, thrust at him with ungentle hand. The a

. He had seen the broken links. With ominous deliberation he turned his va

know about this?" He spoke in English, b

ent was the

m on my way to Great New York on my own insignifica

ered," the guard insisted, "and recently, too.

ly, "but I have been seated here only five m

fingered

our tag," he

range of his vision. The pull jerked the giant's head forward, and the thin metal strand cut cruelly into the back of his neck. Hilary saw a f

t barbarous names you Earthmen have." He shoved the giant back

do you know

Nothing, Magnificent. He came on

erately he struck him across the face with

to keep your mouth sh

hands tensed as though they were cur

Hilary again. "Ans

the truth," Gren

ur

ave

red openly in

re i

er had

n. "You know of course that every Earthman must be

ly, lunged out of his seat. Hilary tore at his gun, knowing sickeningly that the

the tube. Hilary's automatic was only half out of his blouse