transpired. Suddenly he broke off, writhing in agony. Frantically he
tore his shirt open and hurled a tiny object across the room.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "They may be deaf, but they can certainly detect an
ultra-wave, and what an interference they can set up on it! No, I'm not
hurt," he reassured the anxious girl, now at his side, "but it's a good
thing I had you out of circuit--it would have jolted you loose from six
or seven of your back teeth."

"Have you any idea where they're taking us?" she asked soberly.

"No," he answered flatly, looking deep into her steadfast eyes. "No use
lying to you--if I know you at all you'd rather take it standing up.
That talk of Jovians or Neptunians is the bunk--nothing like that ever
grew in our Solarian system. All the signs say that we're going for a
long ride."

CHAPTER 11

NEVIAN STRIFE

The Nevian space-ship was hurtling upon its way. Space-navigators both,
the two Terrestrial officers soon discovered that it was even then
moving with a velocity far above that of light and that it must be
accelerating at a high rate, even though to them it seemed
stationary--they could feel only a gravitational force somewhat less
than that of their native Earth.

Bradley, seasoned old campaigner that he was, had retired promptly as
soon as he had completed a series of observations, and was sleeping
soundly upon a pile of cushions in the first of the three
inter-connecting rooms. In the middle room, which was to be Clio's,
Costigan was standing very close to the girl, but was not touching her.
His body was rigid, his face was tense and drawn.

"You are wrong, Conway; all wrong," Clio was saying, very seriously. "I
know how you feel, but it's false chivalry."

"That isn't it, at all," he insisted, stubbornly. "It isn't only that
I've got you out here in space, in danger and alone, that's stopping me.
I know you and I know myself well enough to know that what we start now
we'll go through with for life. It doesn't make any difference, that
way, whether I start making love to you now or whether I wait until
we're back on Tellus; but I'm telling you that for your own good you'd
better pass me up entirely. I've got enough horsepower to keep away from
you if you tell me to--not otherwise."

"I know it, both ways, dear, but...."

"But nothing!" he interrupted. "Can't you get it into your skull what
you'll be letting yourself in for if you marry me? Assume that we get
back, which is