Part 8 (2/2)

We discussed it. She had an alert, eager mind, childlike with its curiosity, yet strangely matured. And her manner was navely earnest.

Yet this was no clinging vine, this Anita Prince. There was a firmness, a hint of masculine strength in her chin and in her manner.

”If I were a man, what wonders I could achieve in this marvelous age!”

Her sense of humor made her laugh at herself. ”Easy for a girl to say that,” she added.

”You have greater wonders to achieve, Miss Prince,” I said impulsively.

”Yes? What are they?” She had a very frank and level gaze, devoid of coquetry.

My heart was pounding. ”The wonders of the next generation. A little son, cast in your own gentle image--”

What madness, this clumsy, brash talk! I choked it off.

But she took no offense. The dark rose-petals of her cheeks were mantled deeper red, but she laughed.

”That is true.” She turned abruptly serious. ”I should not laugh. The wonders of the next generation--conquering humans marching on....” Her voice trailed away. My hand went to her arm. Strange tingling something which poets call love! It burned and surged through my trembling fingers into the flesh of her forearm.

The starlight glowed in her eyes. She seemed to be gazing, not at the silver-lit deck, but away into distant reaches of the future.

Our moment. Just a breathless moment given us as we sat there with my hand burning her arm, as though we both might be seeing ourselves joined in a new individual--a little son, cast in his mother's gentle image and with the strength of his father. Our moment, and then it was over. A step sounded. I sat back. The giant gray figure of Miko came past, his great cloak swaying, with his clanking sword ornament beneath it. His bullet head, with its close-clipped hair, was hatless.

He gazed at us, swaggering past, and turned the deck corner.

Our moment was gone. Anita said conventionally, ”It has been pleasant to talk with you, Mr. Haljan.”

”But we'll have many more,” I said. ”Ten days--”

”You think we'll reach Ferrok-Shahn on schedule?”

”Yes. I think so.... As I was saying, Miss Prince, you'll enjoy Mars.

A strange, aggressively forward-looking people.”

An oppression seemed on her. She stirred in her chair.

”Yes they are,” she said vaguely. ”My brother and I know many Martians in Greater New York.” She checked herself abruptly. Was she sorry she had said that? It seemed so.

Miko was coming back. He stopped this time. ”Your brother would see you, Anita. He sent me to bring you to his room.”

The glance he shot me had a touch of insolence. I stood up and he towered a head over me.

Anita said, ”Oh yes. I'll come.”

I bowed. ”I will see you again, Miss Prince. I thank you for a pleasant half-hour.”

The Martian led her away. Her little figure was like a child with a giant. It seemed, as they pa.s.sed the length of the deck, with me staring after them, that he took her arm roughly. And that she shrank from him in fear.

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