im."

* * * * *

They were standing in the recess formed by a bay window. Eve picked up
his hand and laid it against her face, giving him the full, blasting
glory of her smiling blue eyes.

Northwood, looking away miserably, uttered a low cry. Coming over the
field beyond were Adam and Athalia. By the trimming on the blue dress
she wore, he could see that she was still in the Fourth Dimension, for
he did not see her as a mirror image.

A look of fear leaped to Eve's face. She clutched Northwood's arm,
trembling.

"I don't want Adam to see that I have passed you beyond," she gasped.
"We are existing but one minute in the future. Always Adam and I have
feared to pass too far beyond the sweetness of reality. But now, so that
Adam may not see us, we shall step five minutes into what-is-yet-to-be.
And even he, with all his power, cannot see into a future that is more
distant than that in which he exists."

She raised her humid lips to his. "Come, beloved."

Northwood kissed her. Again came the moment of confusion, of the awful
vacancy that was like death, and then he found himself and Eve in the
laboratory, following Adam and Athalia down a long corridor. Athalia was
crying and pleading frantically with Adam. Once she stopped and threw
herself at his feet in a gesture of dramatic supplication, arms
outflung, streaming eyes wide open with fear.

Adam stooped and lifted her gently and continued on his way, supporting
her against his side.

* * * * *

Eve dug her fingers into Northwood's arm. Horror contorted her face,
horror mixed with rage.

"My mind hears what he is saying, understands the vile plan he has made,
John Northwood. He is on his way to his laboratory to destroy not only
you and most of these in New Eden, but me as well. He wants only
Athalia."

Striding forward like an avenging goddess, she pulled Northwood after
her.

"Hurry!" she whispered. "Remember, you and I are five minutes in the
future, and Adam is only one. We are witnessing what will occur four
minutes from now. We yet have time to reach the laboratory before him
and be ready for him when he enters. And because he will have to go back
to Present Time to do his work of destruction, I will be able to destroy
him. Ah!"

Fierce joy burned in her flashing blue eyes, and her slender nostrils
quivered delicately. Northwood, peeping at her in horror, knew that no
mercy could be ex