The Complete Fiction by E. Mayne Hull

Author:E. Mayne Hull [Hull, E. Mayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-07-23T00:00:00+00:00

Nadlin’s tensed muscles relaxed. After a minute the sounds were not only as far away as ever, but growing more confused. Puzzled, he glanced at Blord, whispered: “What are they doing?”

Blord shrugged. And when he spoke it wasn’t to answer Nadlin’s question. He said earnestly: “Look, Jimmy, don’t you worry too much. We’re going to get out of this somehow. I have great faith in my luck, and in certain skills that I have. Just don’t be too surprised at anything I do.”

Nadlin suppressed the impulse to point out that luck had been proven to derive from an intricate combination of positive capacities and abilities, among which foresight stood first. He suppressed the bitter words because, no matter how basically innocent he was of having caused their present predicament, his was the immediate responsibility for their capture. He said finally:

“This confidence of yours—may I ask some questions?”

“Go ahead.”

Nadlin began quietly: “The first question will sound quite silly perhaps but—has Mearsley been found yet?”

Blord looked at him. “Not up to the time of our capture.” He added: “And it’s just as well too, considering everything.”

Nadlin ignored the addenda. “Have you any idea how long we’ve been here?”

“Seventeen days.”

“WHAT?” In spite of all his will, Nadlin was torn completely out of his calmness. He thought in a pure mental anguish: Seventeen days—Seventeen days added to the eight it had taken to get to Yelt left little more than a month in which to discharge his duty to the patrol. A month of that would be needed for the manufacturing, which wouldn’t begin until Blord signed the contract with Mearsley: and on top of that—

Groaning inwardly, he disconnected his mind from that dark trend of thought. He said hopelessly:

“How do you know?”

“The fellow,” said Blord, “who tackled me got my gun before I could fire, but after that he had quite a fight. I realized the game was up, however, when the other one joined him, and so I bit hard into my one false tooth, releasing the many purposed chemical inside. It effectively counteracted the sleeping potion they gave us.”

He finished simply: “Since then I’ve been lying here waiting for you to come to.”

The unvarnished account shook Nadlin, unexpectedly. Against his will, a picture formed in his mind. He saw the fight as it must have been, himself instantly demobilized, but Blord reacting with a zilthlike ferocity, and almost getting away.

It was not a satisfying picture. Particularly the part played by the police left much to be desired.

After a wry moment, he said: “But what about food? Surely, in seventeen days we—”

“They fed you intravenously, me normally. They—” He broke off hurriedly: “You’d better ask your questions. Each time they’ve come in the past, they’ve first loaded equipment aboard, and then marched in here.”

“Nothing more to ask.” Nadlin shook his head wearily. “What I had in mind is answered by the fact that seventeen days have passed.

“You see”—he shrugged—“I was hoping you had made some advance protective preparations. But I have an idea that anything like that would have functioned before the end of seventeen days.

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