ion steps; but if I can just get you
out of this mess, I swear by all the gods of interplanetary space...."

"You needn't, lover. Rate _me_? Good Heavens, Conway! It's just the
other way...."

"Stop it!" he commanded in her ear. "I'm still dizzy at the idea of your
loving me at all, to say nothing of loving me _this_ way! But you do,
and that's all I ask, here or hereafter."

"Love you? _Love_ you!" Their mutual embrace tightened and her low voice
thrilled brokenly as she went on: "Conway dearest ... I can't say a
thing, but you know.... Oh, Conway!"

After a time Clio drew a long and tremulous, but supremely happy breath
as the realities of their predicament once more obtruded themselves upon
her consciousness. She released herself gently from Costigan's arms.

"Do you really think that there is a chance of us getting back to the
Earth, so that we can be together ... always?"

"A chance, yes. A probability, no," he replied, unequivocally. "It
depends upon two things. First, how much of a start we got on Nerado.
His ship is the biggest and fastest thing I ever saw, and if he strips
her down and drives her--which he will--he'll catch us long before we
can make Tellus. On the other hand, I gave Rodebush a lot of data, and
if he and Lyman Cleveland can add it to their own stuff and get that
super-ship of ours rebuilt in time, they'll be out here on the prowl;
and they'll have what it takes to give even Nerado plenty of argument.
No use worrying about it, anyway. We won't know anything until we can
detect one or the other of them, and then will be the time to do
something about it."

"If Nerado catches us, will you...." She paused.

"Rub you out? I will not. Even if he does catch us, and takes us back to
Nevia, I won't. There's lots more time coming onto the clock. Nerado
won't hurt either of us badly enough to leave scars, either physical,
mental, or moral. I'd kill you in a second if it were Roger; he's dirty.
He's mean--he's thoroughly bad. But Nerado's a good enough old scout, in
his way. He's big and he's clean. You know, I could really like that
fish if I could meet him on terms of equality sometime?"

"_I_ couldn't!" she declared vigorously. "He's crawly and scaly and
snaky; and he smells so ... so...."

"So rank and fishy?" Costigan laughed deeply. "Details, girl; mere
details. I've seen people who looked like money in the bank and who
smelled like a bouquet of violets that you couldn't trust half the
le