leared, and he recognized despair and
discounted it and began to plan grimly to make the most of an
infinitesimal chance. The chance was simply that Kreynborg had
ransacked his pockets and ignored a little forked stick.

* * * * *

Scrambling up a steep hillside with his face hardened into granite,
Thorn drew that from his pocket again. Crossing a hill-top, he
stripped off his coat.

He traveled at the highest speed he could maintain, though it seemed
painfully deliberate. An hour after he had started, he was picking up
small round pebbles wherever he saw them in his path. By the time the
tall, bulbous tower was in sight he had picked up probably sixty such
pebbles, but no more than ten of them remained in his pockets. They,
though, were smooth and round and even, perhaps an inch in diameter,
and all very nearly the same size. And he carried a club in his hand.

He went down the last slope openly. The television lenses on the tower
would have picked him out in any case, if Kreynborg had repaired the
screen. He went boldly up to the rocket-ship.

"Kreynborg!" he called. "Kreynborg!"

He felt himself being surveyed. A door came open. Kreynborg stood
chuckling at him with a pocket-gun in his hand.

"Ha! Just in time, my friend! I haff been fery busy. Der Com-Pub fleet
is just due to pass in refiew abofe der welcoming United Nations
combat-squadrons. I haff been gifing them last-minute information and
assurance that der domes of force are solid and can hold forefer. I
haff a few minutes to spare, which I had intended to defote to der
fair Sylva. But--what do you wish?"

"I'm offering you a bribe," said Thorn, his face a mask. "A billion
dollars and immunity to cut off the outer dome of force."

Kreynborg grinned at him.

"It is too late. Besides being a traitor, I would be assassinated
instantly. Also, I shall be Commissar for North America anyhow."

"Two billion," said Thorn without expression.

"No," said Kreynborg amusedly. "Throw away der club. I shall amuse
myself with you, Thorn Hardt. You shall watch der progress of romance
between me and Sylva. Throw away der club!"

The pocket-gun came up. Thorn threw away the club.

"What do you want, if two billion's not enough?"

"Amusement," said Kreynborg jovially. "I shall be bored in this inner
dome, waiting for der air fleet to starfe. I wish amusement. And I
shall get it. Come inside!"

* * * *