The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pursuit, by Lester del Rey

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Title: Pursuit

Author: Lester del Rey

Illustrator: Orban

Release Date: March 10, 2010 [EBook #31587]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Space Science Fiction May 1952. Extensive
research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this
publication was renewed.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

PURSUIT

_by_ LESTER DEL REY

Illustrated by ORBAN

* * * * *

I

Fear cut through the unconscious mind of Wilbur Hawkes. With almost
physical violence, it tightened his throat and knifed at his heart. It
darted into his numbed brain, screaming at him.

He was a soft egg in a vast globe of elastic gelatine. Two creatures
swam menacingly through the resisting globe toward him. The gelatine
fought against them, but they came on. One was near, and made a mystic
pass. He screamed at it, and the gelatine grew stronger, throwing them
back and away. Suddenly, the creatures drew back. A door opened, and
they were gone. But he couldn't let them go. If they escaped....

Hawkes jerked upright in his bed, gasping out a hoarse cry, and the
sound of his own voice completed the awakening. He opened his eyes to
a murky darkness that was barely relieved by the little night-light.
For a second, the nightmare was so strong on his mind that he seemed
to see two shadows beyond the door, rushing down the steps. He fought
off the illusion, and with straining senses jerked his head around the
room. There was nothing there.

Sweat was beading his forehead, and he could feel his pulse racing. He
had to get out--had to leave--at once!

He forced the idea aside. There was something cloudy in his mind, but
he made reason take over and shove away som