first operator at Traffic came back on. "The captain
had to take off. No sir, major. She's not sick. We just don't know how
she's gonna take this, is all."

"With bells on, Junior. Wedding bells! Get her out to meet me when I
land, will you? And snap it up on that trajectory."

Again, the traffic crackled in Lance's ear. There seemed to be a great
deal of excitement going on down there. And then the great night rim of
Earth swung under him, blocking out further radio communication.

Presently, a relayed beam from Luna came in. The Luna spaceport read him
a series of figures to punch into his autopilot. The new orbit would
edge him in close enough to Terra, that he could pick up an assist from
the G.A. system of his home base.

Lance rubbed his hands together in his joy. He was cooking on all
burners, now. At last.

* * * * *

Six hours later, the _Cosmos XII_ settled down in her landing cradle.
Major Lance Cooper kicked open the air-lock door and began climbing down
to solid ground.

It was just barely twilight. Ordinarily, there would have been long
purplish shadows at the far ends of the field; but now the entire space
base was flooded with lights. Were the beacons sweeping back and forth
just to welcome him? It hardly seemed possible. Yet, the apron itself,
was swarming with people. Here they came now! A whole mob racing towards
him, and the noise of their swelling shouts preceded them, rolling
forward like the breakers upon a shore.

_Oh, oh! What was that in the far corner of the field?_ A big pile of
crumpled metal, already rusted and ready for the bulldozers. Some poor
devil had crashed his hype-ship. Lance wondered vaguely which of his
buddies it had been. Then he shut it out of his mind.

A jeep swung out ahead of the advancing crowd and came speeding down
the concrete. Brakes squealed; rubber tires bit in hard, and the vehicle
plunged to a halt near him. Lance recognized Major Carmody in the
driver's seat. Or another Major Carmody. What difference did it make?
None, now that he was able to identify so very well the other figure in
the jeep--a slight blond figure in a trench coat seated next to Carmody.

Carolyn!

He saw her get out. He saw her commence walking towards him. But too
slowly, he thought. And he was too paralyzed to move.

"Lance?" she called to him. "Is it you? Is it really you, darling?"

The girl's step almost faltered. Major Carmody's hand reached