you lost it, that's sure to bring
suspicion on you the way they're excited right now. If you don't I'll
still be on the outside and unarmed--and what could you do, one woman
alone in that nest? Now we're two with a shooting iron between us. I
think that's a better bet."

After a while, she nodded. "Okay, you win. Assuming"--the half-lowered
gun was raised again with a jerking motion--"that I will aid you. Who
are you? _What_ are you, Dalgetty?"

He shrugged. "Let's say I'm Dr. Tighe's assistant and have some
unusual powers. You know the Institute well enough to realize this
isn't just a feud between two gangster groups."

"I wonder...." Suddenly she clanked the automatic back into its
holster. "All right. For the time being only though!"

Relief was a wave rushing through him. "Thank you," he whispered.
Then, "Where can we go?"

"I've been swimming around here in the quieter spots," she said. "I
know a place. Wait here."

She stepped across the cave and peered out its mouth. Someone must
have hailed her, for she waved back. She stood leaning against the
rock and Dalgetty saw how the sea-spray gleamed in her hair. After a
long five minutes she turned to him again.

"All right," she said. "The last one just went up the path. Let's go."
They walked along the beach. It trembled underfoot with the rage of
the sea. There was a grinding under the snort and roar of surf as if
the world's teeth ate rock.

The beach curved inward, forming a small bay sheltered by outlying
skerries. A narrow path ran upward from it but it was toward the sea
that the woman gestured. "Out there," she said. "Follow me." She took
off her shoes as he had done and checked her holster: the gun was
waterproof, but it wouldn't do to have it fall out. She waded into the
sea and struck out with a powerful crawl.

VI

They climbed up on one of the hogback rocks some ten yards from shore.
This one rose a good dozen feet above the surface. It was cleft in the
middle, forming a little hollow hidden from land and water alike. They
crawled into this and sat down, breathing hard. The sea was loud at
their backs and the air felt cold on their wet skins.

Dalgetty leaned back against the smooth stone, looking at the woman,
who was unemotionally counting how many clips she had in her pouch.
The thin drenched tunic and slacks showed a very nice figure. "What's
your name?" he asked.

"Casimir," she answered, without looking up.

"First name, I mean.