boyishly handsome face came into focus on the
screen. Pell lifted a surprised eyebrow and said, "Oh, hello, Chief."

Larkin's eye was cold. Especially cold in the setting of that boyish
face. "What in hell," he asked, "are you and Kronski doing on the moon?"

"Hm?" Now it was Pell's turn to look innocent. "Why, you know what we're
doing, Chief. We're investigating that case. You know the one--I don't
want to mention it over the viewer."

"Who the devil authorized you to go traipsing to the _moon_ to do it?"

"Why, nobody authorized us. I thought--I mean, when you're working on a
case and you have a lead, you're supposed to go after it, aren't you?"

"Yes, but not when it's a crazy wild goose chase." In the viewer Pell
saw the Chief slam his desk with the palm of his hand. "I'd like to know
what in blazes you think you can do on the moon that you can't do in a
good healthy session at the computers?"

"Well, that's kind of hard to explain over the viewer. We have made some
progress, though. I just sent you a report on it."

Larkin narrowed one eye. "Pell, who do you think you're fooling?"

"Fooling?"

"You heard me. I know damn well you wanted to take a vacation on the
moon. But we have a little job for you that holds you up, and what do
you do? The next best thing, eh? You see to it that the job _takes_ you
to the moon."

"Now, Chief, it wasn't that at all...."

"The devil it wasn't. Now, listen to me, Pell. You pack your bags and
get right back to World City. The next rocket you can get. You
understand?"

Before he answered the question he looked at Ciel. She was staring at
him quietly. Again he could read something of what was in her mind. He
knew well enough that she was trying to say to him: "_Make a clean break
now. Tell him No, you won't come back. Quit. Now's the time to do
it--unless you want that stupid job of yours more than you want me...._"

Pell sighed deeply, slowly looked into the viewer again and said,
"Kronski and I'll be back on the next rocket, Chief."

Chapter IV

Back again in the underground offices of C.I.B., Agent Richard Pell
plunged into his job. Up to his neck. It was the only way he could keep
from brooding about Ciel. She was somewhere in the city at this very
moment and if he really wanted to take the trouble he'd be able to find
her easily enough--but he didn't want it to happen that way. She'd never
really be his again unless _she_ came to _him_....

And so once