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diff --git a/31703-h/31703-h.htm b/31703-h/31703-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..87ee96d --- /dev/null +++ b/31703-h/31703-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1305 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces, by James McKimmey, Jr. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2 {text-align: left;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .rgt {text-align: right;} + .figr {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 364px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 138px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .bk1 {margin-right: 40%;} + .bk2 {margin: 3em 0;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces, by James McKimmey + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces + +Author: James McKimmey + +Illustrator: Philip Parsons + +Release Date: March 19, 2010 [EBook #31703] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 'MID PLEASURES AND PALACES *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><p><i><big>It was, Kirk thought, like standing in a gully, watching +a boulder teeter precariously above you. It might +fall at any minute, crushing your life out instantly beneath +its weight. Your only possible defenses are your +brain and voice—but how do you argue with a boulder +which neither sees nor hears?</big></i></p></div> + +<div class="bk2"><h1>'mid pleasures and palaces</h1> + +<h2>By James McKimmey, Jr.</h2> + +<p><b>Illustrated by Philip Parsons</b></p></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">This planet</span> was remote and +set apart, and nothing about +it had made William Kirk think he +might find human life. Yet just beyond, +through a thorny bush shaped +like an exploding rose, Kirk had +seen eyes and nose and a flash of +yellow hair that were definitely human.</p> + +<p>Kirk poised motionless. He was +three miles from the rocket and +Leo, who was waiting inside of it. +He thought for a moment of how +Leo had told him, as they made +their landing, that this is the kind of +planet where you could go no further. +This is the kind of planet that +could be the end of twelve years, +and you'd better be careful, William, +old sport.</p> + +<p>Kirk noticed a faint breeze; his +palms were wet, and they cooled +when the breeze touched them. He +placed his palms against his jacket. +Damn you, Leo, he thought. Damn +your rotten fortune-telling. Kirk +was superstitious when he was in +space, and the memory of Leo Mason's +cool, quiet voice saying +"Watch it now, sport. Be careful, be +careful ..." seemed now like some +certain kiss of fate.</p> + +<p>The bush trembled and Kirk's +right hand flicked to his holster. His +pistol was cold against his fingers +and he let it fit loosely in his hand, +the barrel half-raised.</p> + +<p>The bush shivered again, and +then all at once the figure was rising +from behind it, a tall wide figure +with a very tan face, lined and +toughened by the sun. The shoulders, +bare like the chest, were massive, +yet somehow stretched-looking, +as though endless exposure to wind +and rain and sun had turned the +skin to brown leather.</p> + +<div class="figr"><img src="images/001.png" width="364" height="550" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<p>Kirk had his pistol pointing at +the figure's stomach now, and the +figure blinked, while the breeze +touched and ruffled the long +bleached hair.</p> + +<p>The figure raised a large hand, +palm up, and curled the fingers. +"Hello?" he said softly. Kirk was +surprised by the word and the polite +sound of it.</p> + +<p>Kirk remained motionless, pistol +pointing. "Who are you?" he said +through his teeth.</p> + +<p>"Harry," said the figure, as +though Kirk surely should know +who he was. "I'm Harry, of course."</p> + +<p>"Yes?" said Kirk carefully. +"Harry?"</p> + +<p>The figure nodded. "Harry Loren, +don't you know?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Kirk said, his eyes +watchful. "Harry Loren." There +was something about the man's +eyes, Kirk decided. They were deep +set and very bright within their +sockets. They didn't match the softness +of the speech. Harry Loren +smiled and showed his yellow teeth. +"Who are you?" he asked politely.</p> + +<p>"I'm William," Kirk said. It was +as though he might be speaking to +a frightened child, he thought, who +held a sharp knife in his hands. +"William Kirk, of course."</p> + +<p>Harry Loren nodded apologetically. +"Oh, yes. I can't remember +everyone. It's been so long. How are +you, William?"</p> + +<p>Kirk's eyes flickered. "I'm fine."</p> + +<p>"That's nice," Harry Loren +nodded. His wild hair brushed over +his shoulders and reflected its yellowness +against the sun. The knife +then, the one that Kirk had thought +about a moment ago, appeared in +the figure's hand. "<i>Bastard</i>," Harry +Loren hissed, and he was leaping at +Kirk, the knife making a sweep toward +Kirk's stomach.</p> + +<p>Something kept Kirk from +squeezing the trigger, and instead +he swung his pistol so that it struck +the brown, weathered knuckles. +The knife flew into a thicket and +Loren, screaming, was upon Kirk, +reaching for Kirk's neck. Kirk +wrenched backward and at the +same time swung the barrel of the +pistol toward the yellow flying hair. +There was a cracking sound, and +Harry Loren, brown and wild-looking, +crumpled silently before Kirk's +feet.</p> + +<p>Kirk examined the man, then he +reached down and picked up the +knife from the thicket. It was crudely +hammered out from some kind of +alloy, but sharp nevertheless, and +it could have been deadly in a hand +like Harry Loren's.</p> + +<p>Kirk looked again at the yellow-haired +man on the ground. He was +wearing some kind of ragged cloth +about his waist and nothing else. +Across his back, Kirk could see, was +a curving scar, an inch wide and +ten or twelve inches long. It was +white and very noticeable against +the brown of the man's skin.</p> + +<p>Kirk bent down, looking at the +scar carefully. It could have been +made during a crash of a rocket, +but there were, he noticed, fine +whiter ridges running along the +length of the scar as though they +had been made by fine comb-like +teeth. A talon, perhaps. Some kind +of strange claw. Kirk straightened +quickly.</p> + +<p>It went through his head that +Harry Loren might not be the only +animal life on this planet. He tightened +his hand on his pistol, stepping +backward, his eyes darting.</p> + +<p>But he could only pivot slowly, +trying to see, to discover, and he +was much too slow when he finally +saw it. It was only a flash of yellow +and brown, making a hissing kind +of sound. He felt the ripping along +his right arm. The pistol was going +out of his hand. And a swirling +blackness got in front of his eyes.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">When he awoke</span> he saw +Harry Loren first, who was +sitting up now, silent, motionless, +with Kirk's pistol resting in his +hands.</p> + +<p>To the side of Loren and just a +little behind rested a peculiar-looking +thing. It was alive because its +head, shaped like a cone that had +been attached to its neck, kept +swaying gently back and forth. The +dark blue eyes, spaced back from +the smallest end of the cone, were +rather small with no lids. The creature's +neck was long and thin, a +multitude of shades of yellow and +brown like the head, and the rest +of the body widened out like a funnel +and this area was covered with +yellow feathers. It had what appeared +to be arms and legs, long +thin extensions of dark brown with +large bony joints. At the end of each +of these, Kirk could see a flat claw +with rows of tiny comb-like teeth.</p> + +<p>Loren reached out and ran a +hand softly along the creature's long +neck.</p> + +<p>Kirk tried to think, testing his +muscles without moving, and he remembered +then the ripping along +his right arm. He looked at the arm +and at the way his jacket had been +torn away along with the shirt beneath +it. He could see the comb-like +marking of his skin. The cut was +not deep but it bled a little and +stung. He tried to move his arm and +found that he could.</p> + +<p>Kirk looked back to Loren. Loren +stroked his hand along the thin +neck of the creature. Kirk decided +to try:</p> + +<p>"That's a nice-looking animal, +Harry."</p> + +<p>Loren's expression did not +change.</p> + +<p>Kirk paused. From the looks of +the man, Loren had been here a +long time, a very long time. It had +been a crash, probably. And all the +years afterward of loneliness, all the +time for the quiet but sure warping +of the brain.</p> + +<p>He raised a hand quickly, watching +Loren's eyes. Loren did not +change expressions or move the pistol, +but Kirk felt a comb-like claw +touching his hand, freezing it to +motionless with its razor tips. Kirk +looked at the creature. The dark +blue eyes were steady. Kirk lowered +his hand slowly and the claw was +drawn away. The creature's head +resumed it's gentle swaying, and +Loren's hand resumed its stroking.</p> + +<p>Kirk licked his lips.</p> + +<p>"Where have you been?" Loren +said, his voice sudden and hoarse +now.</p> + +<p>"Where have I been?" Kirk said, +tight and motionless.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you come before?"</p> + +<p>Kirk considered it. The dancing +lights in the man's eyes, the high-strung +sound of his voice were +things to make you wary and careful. +Kirk closed his fingers the +slightest bit. "I didn't know you +were here."</p> + +<p>Loren's lips thinned. "Liar."</p> + +<p>Kirk thought he might try a +smile, to reassure Loren that he +was telling the truth. He decided +against it. "How long have you been +here, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"How would I know?"</p> + +<p>Kirk thought of the endless nights +and days when time ran together +and there was no more separation +of one time from another. Today +would be tomorrow and tomorrow +would be today. No changes. Endless. +"Did you crash, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Did you crash, Harry?" Loren +mimicked, and for a moment Kirk +felt a chill dancing through him as +he watched the sarcastic leer of +Loren's mouth.</p> + +<p>Kirk kept his tone polite, patronizing. +"Was there anyone else?"</p> + +<p>Loren laughed, a laugh that +bounced over the rocks and through +the scrubs and bushes.</p> + +<p>"Was there, Harry?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Loren said, grinning +and showing his yellow teeth. "Six. +One, two, three, four, five, six. +Would you like to see their graves? +I've kept the graves pretty. I know +where they are because I dug +them."</p> + +<p>Loren remained in a half crouch, +the fingers of one hand holding the +pistol loosely, the other keeping up +its monotonous stroking of the animal. +His eyes seemed to become vacant +for a moment, as though lost +in the memory of the digging of six +graves. Then they narrowed. +"Where have you been?"</p> + +<p>Kirk tried to match his answer +to the wants of the man. "I came +as soon as I could."</p> + +<p>"You did?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Kirk said. "I did."</p> + +<p>Loren's right hand stopped its +stroking and his fingers tightened +about the thin long neck of the animal. +"Eddie?" he said.</p> + +<p>Kirk saw the animal's left claw +whipping out. He ducked suddenly, +but the claw ripped along his left +arm. He tried to roll sideways, and +then he lay, half sprawled, looking +at the blood welling up from this +new set of ripped ridges in his arm. +He shifted his eyes to look at the +animal, and he was quite certain +that he could detect a small mouth +fitting around the under side of the +funnel-shaped head. It was only a +line, but Kirk thought that there +was a grinning look to it.</p> + +<p>"You didn't come as soon as you +could," Loren said, his voice an +angry trembling sound.</p> + +<p>"I did, Harry," Kirk said, still remaining +in his half sprawl. "I really +did."</p> + +<p>Loren replaced his hand on the +neck of the animal, squeezing.</p> + +<p>"No, no," Kirk said, and he tried +to keep the panic out of his voice. +"Harry, I'm telling you the truth!"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Loren's mouth</span> showed a +faint surface of his yellow teeth. +He shook his head, slowly, back and +forth, his fingers tightening about +the animal's neck.</p> + +<p>"Harry, listen," Kirk said, watching +Loren's squeezing fingers, "it's +over now. You don't have to wait +any longer. I'll take you back now. +I'll take you home!"</p> + +<p>Loren froze, staring. "Home?" he +said.</p> + +<p>"That's right," Kirk said. "That's +right, Harry."</p> + +<p>"<i>Home</i>," Loren breathed, and +his eyes were suddenly like a child's, +wide and unbelieving.</p> + +<p>"The waiting's all over," Kirk +said. "You don't have to wait any +longer."</p> + +<p>"I don't have to wait any longer," +Loren repeated softly, and his hand +dropped from the neck of the animal.</p> + +<p>Kirk watched Loren and the +swaying animal. "The rocket's +ready," he said.</p> + +<p>Loren's eyes were lost in some +distant memory. Gradually Kirk +could see the eyes turn shiny with +tears. "Is Annette waiting?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>Kirk thought quickly. He knew +that what he was going to say +shouldn't be said, because he had +no right. But he was thinking of +his own skin. "Why, yes, Harry," he +said slowly. "I imagine Annette <i>is</i> +waiting."</p> + +<p>Loren let a quick breath come +through his teeth. "Annette," he +whispered. "And Dickie?"</p> + +<p>"Dickie?" Kirk said.</p> + +<p>"Little Dickie?" Loren said and +he held his breath.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Kirk lied. "Of +course."</p> + +<p>"I can't ask about Eddie, because +we never had the chance," Loren +said, his eyes still lost. "I always +told Annette that no kid should +ever grow up without a brother, +only we never had the chance for +Eddie." Loren reached out absently +and touched the brown and yellow +neck of the creature. "I called this +fellow Eddie, though. Do you suppose +that was all right? He's not +very pretty."</p> + +<p>Kirk nodded, looking at the waving, +funnel-shaped head of the animal. +"That was all right, Harry."</p> + +<p>"Does she still braid her hair?" +Loren asked, his eyes shiny.</p> + +<p>"What?" Kirk said.</p> + +<p>"Annette. Does she still braid her +hair?"</p> + +<p>"Why," Kirk said slowly, feeling +his palms going moist. "Why +wouldn't she, Harry?"</p> + +<p>A faint smile flickered across +Loren's lips as he remembered.</p> + +<p>Kirk watched one of the creature's +claws, out of the corners of +his eyes. He opened and closed the +fingers of one hand, testing. The +claw jerked slightly.</p> + +<p>The blood of Kirk's new wound +was drying, he knew, because it had +been only a surface cut. He wondered +how it would be if the thing +used its claws with serious intent. +Like it must have to make the cut +that had been raked into Loren's +back. Loren was bending forward +now, and Kirk could see the tip end +of that scar. Somehow Loren had +managed to stay alive and befriend +the creature. Eddie. The lidless eyes +stared.</p> + +<p>Kirk knew that he had to make +use of the moment. It could break +apart any time, the wildness could +return, the unreasoning....</p> + +<p>"Listen, Harry," he said, "we +ought to get started, you know. +There's no use waiting longer."</p> + +<p>"Started?" Loren said.</p> + +<p>"Of course," Kirk said, trying to +keep his voice matter-of-fact. +"You're going home."</p> + +<p>Loren looked at Kirk and his eyes +turned suddenly hard and his +mouth lost the faint smile. "I am," +he stated flatly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Kirk said. "Of course."</p> + +<p>"You're a liar."</p> + +<p>"Now, Harry," Kirk said, his eyes +flickering to the waiting animal. "I +surely wouldn't lie to you."</p> + +<p>"You haven't come for me until +after all this time, and now you say +you surely wouldn't lie to me."</p> + +<p>It was like standing in a gully, +Kirk thought, watching a boulder +teetering above you. It tipped this +way and that, and you didn't know +when or if it was going to come +hurtling down. You waited. But +Kirk couldn't wait, he knew. He +had to do something.</p> + +<p>"Harry, listen. It wasn't easy to +find you, don't you see?" He hoped +he was making it sound as though +all he had done for the last dozen +years of exploring was look for +Harry Loren. He wished that the +damned thing would stop swaying +its ugly head back and forth. Loren's +hand was inching out toward +the yellow and brown neck.</p> + +<p>"Look, Harry, these things aren't +done in a day. We—"</p> + +<p>"A day!" Loren hissed. "A <i>day</i>! +All this time and you say a <i>day</i>!"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm sorry," Kirk said quickly. +He wished he could shift out +of the cramped half-lying position +he was in. "I didn't mean a day, +Harry. I meant it wasn't easy. We +didn't know where you were—" He +was talking quickly, whining almost, +and he'd never whined before.</p> + +<p>Loren's fingers were touching the +waving neck.</p> + +<p>"We'd better hurry," Kirk said +desperately. "Annette's waiting. +And Dickie, of course."</p> + +<p>Loren blinked.</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't want to keep +them waiting any longer, not after +all this time, Harry."</p> + +<p>Loren stroked his fingers slowly +down the long neck of the animal.</p> + +<p>"I think," Kirk said, almost +hoarsely, "now that I really remember +it, Annette <i>was</i> still wearing her +hair braided. I remember that now, +Harry. Positively."</p> + +<p>Loren froze the motion of his +hand and stared at Kirk. His lips +trembled, and then suddenly he put +his hands in front of his face. He +bent forward, and Kirk felt his +nerves jumping, watching the man +start to cry.</p> + +<p>The animal turned its stare away +from Kirk for the first time. It +looked at Loren and then slowly +raised a claw, touching Loren's +shoulder carefully. It made a sound +then, a peculiar hissing sound, soft, +barely audible. There was no danger +in it, or menace, only a pitiful +sound.</p> + +<p>Loren raised his head a little and +brought his hands away from his +face. Tears had cut through dust +and grime and his face was +streaked.</p> + +<p>"Shall we go, Harry?" Kirk said.</p> + +<p>Loren wiped at his eyes, stupidly, +without knowing what he was doing. +Then he brought his hands +down and wiped them across his +chest.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said. "Let's go." +He picked up Kirk's pistol from +where he had dropped it on the +ground and held it out.</p> + +<p>Kirk looked at the gun and at the +animal. The claw had been drawn +away from Loren's shoulder and +again it was poised, ready. "You +keep it, Harry," he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. Of course," Loren said. +There was a moment of silence as +Loren stuck the pistol absently into +the waist of his ragged cloth covering, +beside the knife. The three of +them waited then, Kirk, Loren, and +the animal.</p> + +<p>"Eddie?" Loren said finally. "Are +you ready?"</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Kirk felt</span> himself smiling in +the direction of the animal. He +remembered when he was a small +boy, going by a house where there +had been a mongrel with a flat head +and large teeth. He had smiled at +that animal as he was doing now. +The dog had sensed his fear in spite +of the smile.</p> + +<p>Loren was standing up slowly, +and the animal's head swayed in +slow circling motions.</p> + +<p>"All right?" Loren said.</p> + +<p>Kirk glanced at the man, saw the +wild, nearly vacant look of the face, +the polite tilt of the head. Kirk's +palms were wet. Goddamn it, he +thought, and he stood up suddenly.</p> + +<p>The animal extended a claw, +slowly, turning it so that it seemed +to wind and circle as it came toward +Kirk.</p> + +<p>"<i>Eddie</i>," Loren said.</p> + +<p>The claw came away. Kirk +caught his breath.</p> + +<p>"Shall we go?" Loren said, his +eyes shining.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Kirk said. "We'll go, +Harry." He turned slowly, so that +his back was to Loren and the animal. +He thought about the comb-like +claws and the scar on Loren's +back. He thought about Loren's +knife and about the pistol.</p> + +<p>He wanted to look back as he +walked. He wanted to talk, to hear +Loren's answer and so know just +where he was. More than anything +he wanted to break into a run and +get into that rocket and get out of +here.</p> + +<p>He could see the gleam of the +rocket finally, but he didn't look +back yet. He kept moving. As he +got closer he could see Leo, standing +near the base of the ship, tall, +leaning carelessly against the silver +surface, smoking. He wanted to +shout to Leo, to tell him for God's +sake to wake up and protect him.</p> + +<p>They reached the edge of the +clearing and Leo, whose careless +body had stiffened, waited motionless, +one hand on his pistol. Kirk +stopped. "There it is, Harry," he +said, not turning around. "There's +the ship." He waited, half-closing +his eyes, breathing slowly.</p> + +<p>There was no sound.</p> + +<p>"That's Leo, my friend, Harry," +Kirk said, putting his palms flat +against his thighs. "Your friend, +Harry."</p> + +<p>Leo, Kirk could see, was still +frozen, his eyes slitted to narrow +brightness. Kirk began to step into +the clearing. "Hello, there, Leo," he +said, his voice a tense, grating +sound. "I've brought some friends."</p> + +<p>Leo was lifting his pistol out of +its holster, inchingly.</p> + +<p>"<i>Friends</i>," Kirk rasped.</p> + +<p>Leo's thin eyes flickered and the +pistol slid back into the holster.</p> + +<p>Kirk turned around slowly, and +he saw that Loren had stopped just +inside the clearing. The animal remained +beside him, its head making +its slow circles. Loren was staring +up at the rocket and the sun reflecting +from the bright surface, came +down and shown on Loren's face, +deepening the lines there.</p> + +<p>"Leo," Kirk said slowly, "this is +Harry Loren and his friend, Eddie. +Harry's been here quite a while, +waiting for us."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes?" said Leo, still not +moving.</p> + +<p>"That's right, Leo," Kirk said. +"Quite a while. What year was it, +Harry?" he said across the clearing. +"What year did you crash?"</p> + +<p>Loren blinked and there were +tears again in his eyes. He reached +out slowly, and the animal shifted +so that its head touched Loren's +hand. "Twenty-four-nineteen."</p> + +<p>Kirk put his teeth together. +"Twenty-four-nineteen," he said.</p> + +<p>Loren nodded slowly, his eyes +still upon the rocket.</p> + +<p>"Eighteen years," Leo said softly.</p> + +<p>"A long time, Leo," Kirk said. +He thought of a girl with her hair +braided about her head, looking up, +while Loren had shot into the +depths of sky and space. He thought +of a little boy called Dickie, standing +there, too, watching a fast-disappearing +blackness in the sky. He +thought about eighteen years, and +the fading of youth. A boy becoming +a man. Braided hair becoming +gray. Memories fading and minds +adjusting. New love, new dedication. +A world shifting, a universe +shifting.</p> + +<p>Kirk looked at Eddie, the animal, +real and alive, waiting patiently at +the tips of Loren's fingers. "Eddie's +been with Harry for a long time," +he said.</p> + +<p>"Oh?" said Leo quietly.</p> + +<p>Loren's hand stroked the brown +and yellow head.</p> + +<p>"Harry," Kirk said. "We're going +to leave now. Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>Loren was silent.</p> + +<p>"You go up first, will you, Leo?" +Kirk said.</p> + +<p>Leo looked at him, a faint frown +touching his brow, then he began +moving up the ladder to the air +lock. Kirk waited until Leo had disappeared +into the rocket, then he +repeated, "We're going to leave +now, Harry. Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>Loren remained motionless, his +hand touching the animal's head. +Suddenly he turned then and began +moving slowly away through the +brush, the brown and yellow creature +bobbing beside him with queer +rocker-like jumps.</p> + +<p>"Goodby, Harry," Kirk said. +Finally he turned and climbed up +the ladder. When he had gotten +into his seat, he said, "Let's go, +Leo," and he moved his hands to +the controls.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The rocket</span> settled into the quiet +motion of its course through space.</p> + +<p>"But I don't get it," Leo said. "I +really don't. All that time, and then +all he has to do is walk a dozen +yards and get into the rocket and +he's going home. That's all he +would have to do."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Kirk said.</p> + +<p>"Why?" said Leo, frowning.</p> + +<p>Kirk nodded, looking at the man. +"Why?"</p> + +<p class="rgt"><b>... THE END</b></p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="138" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><b><big>Transcriber's Note:</big></b></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>If: Worlds of Science Fiction</i> March 1954. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's 'Mid Pleasures and Palaces, by James McKimmey + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 'MID PLEASURES AND PALACES *** + +***** This file should be named 31703-h.htm or 31703-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/7/0/31703/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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