to see in the wet darkness. He
listened for muted sounds. There was nothing. Only the presence.

"Go away!" he whispered hoarsely. "Go away, and leave me alone--whoever
you are."

"No. Let me take you by the hand, William Baker. I have come to show you
the way back. I have come to lead you back."

"Leave me alone! Whoever you are, leave me alone!" Baker was conscious
of his own voice screaming in the black night. And it was not only
terror of the unknown presence that made him scream, but the physical
pain of crushed bones and torn flesh was sweeping like a torrent through
him.

"Don't be afraid of me. You know me. You remember, we met this
afternoon. Sam Atkins. You remember, Dr. Baker?"

"I remember." Baker's voice was a painful gasp. "I remember. Now go away
and leave me alone. You can do nothing for me. I don't want you to do
anything for me."

* * * * *

Sam Atkins. The crystal. Baker wished he could reach the cursed thing
and hurl it away from him. That must be how Atkins was communicating
with him. Yes, somehow it was possible. He had found no trick, no
gimmick. Somehow, the miserable things worked.

But what did Sam Atkins want? He had broken in on a moment that was as
private as a dream. There was nothing he could do. Baker was dying. He
knew he was dying. There was no medicine that could heal the battering
his body had taken. He had been slipping away into peace and release of
pain. He had no desire to have it interrupted.

There was no more evidence of Sam Atkins' presence. It was there--and
Baker wished furiously that Atkins would let his death be a private
thing--but he was not interfering now.

There was the faint suggestion of other presences, too. Baker thought he
could pick them out, Fenwick and Ellerbee. They were all gathered to
watch him die through the crystals. It was unkind of them to so
intrude--but it didn't really matter very much. He began drifting
pleasantly again.

"William Baker." The soft voice of Sam Atkins shattered the peaceable
realm once more. "We must do some healing before we start back, Dr.
Baker. Give me your hand, and come with me, Dr. Baker, while we touch
these tissues and heal their breaks. Stay close to me and the pain will
not be more than you can endure."

The night remained dark and there was no sound, but Baker's body arched
and twisted in panic as he fought against invisible hands that seemed to
touch with fleeting, explora