eak outlined against a cloudy sky. Troubled by Ferrell's continued
silence, he turned again to his friend.

* * * * *

"You haven't told me much," he protested. "O'Toole called me home
because he thought important things were going to take place. He thinks
I ought to knock Wade around a little, but I've got to know why."

Ferrell swore softly.

"O'Toole is always sticking his neck out where it gets clipped every now
and then. He's a swell Irishman, but his mountains are actually mole
hills."

Blake nodded and said covertly, "Someone tried to heave a knife into me
at the space-port. Was that one of O'Toole's mole hills?"

Ferrell's body jerked upright, and the muscles in his face stood out
tautly.

"The hell you say!"

"Truth--ask O'Toole."

Blake's voice died. His eyes turned to slits. The coach door had opened
quickly and a man had stepped inside. He was dressed from head to foot
in skin-tight black leather. His eyes were covered with a flashing,
silvery mask. Blake's gaze was on the small, ugly electro-gun in the
bandit's hand.

"A visitor," Blake said laconically. At the same time he pushed his feet
far back under the chair and braced them, like bent springs.

The masked man crouched at the waist and the gun whipped around,
covering the few passengers in the car.

"Stand up--all of you." He spoke harshly and with deadly precision. "On
your feet, and make it fast."

Blake waited. A low monotone of voices protested, died out to a whisper
of fear, and the passengers, including Ferrell stood with arms raised.

The electro gun came around slowly toward Blake.

"Up on your corns," the bandit spat at him. His eyes were black, diamond
slits in the silver mask.

Blake's gaze never wavered. Silver Mask came toward him slowly.

"You heard me."

A scorching flame seared Blake's cheek as the electro gun exploded and
part of its force burned his skin. Blake's face whitened with rage and
he dove desperately forward. Smashing a hard fist into Silver Mask's
face, he watched the fellow's body go limp. Two swift reflex actions,
one savage and murderously threatening, the other desperately defensive,
had brought lightning developments.

Blake heard Dauna scream in terror and turned like a flash. But the
heavy butt of a new electro gun swept down on his head. There was a
sudden sickening jolt and bright flashes of light went tearing into his
brain. He pitched forward across the firs