The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Delegate from Venus, by Henry Slesar

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Title: The Delegate from Venus

Author: Henry Slesar

Illustrator: Irving Novick

Release Date: April 17, 2008 [EBook #25086]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The
DELEGATE
FROM
VENUS

By HENRY SLESAR

ILLUSTRATOR NOVICK

_Everybody was waiting to see
what the delegate from Venus
looked like. And all they got
for their patience was the
biggest surprise since David
clobbered Goliath._

"Let me put it this way," Conners said paternally. "We expect a certain
amount of decorum from our Washington news correspondents, and that's
all I'm asking for."

Jerry Bridges, sitting in the chair opposite his employer's desk, chewed
on his knuckles and said nothing. One part of his mind wanted him to
play it cagey, to behave the way the newspaper wanted him to behave, to
protect the cozy Washington assignment he had waited four years to get.
But another part of him, a rebel part, wanted him to stay on the trail
of the story he felt sure was about to break.

[Illustration: The saucer was interesting, but where was the
delegate?]

"I didn't mean to make trouble, Mr. Conners," he said casually. "It just
seemed strange, all these exchanges of couriers in the past two days. I
couldn't help thinking something was up."

"Even if that's true, we'll hear about it through the usual channels,"
Conners frowned. "But getting a senator's secretary drunk to obtain
information--well, that's not only indiscreet, Bridges. It's downright
dirty."

Jerry grinned. "I didn't take _that_ kind of advantage, Mr. Conners. Not
that she wasn't a toothsome little dish ..."

"Just thank your lucky stars that it didn't go any further. And from now
on--" He waggled a finger at him. "Watch your step."

Jerry got up and ambled to the door. But he turned before leaving and
said:

"By the way. What do _you_ think is going on?"

"I haven't the faintest idea."

"Don't kid me, Mr. Conne