Brigands of the Moon

Frank's face had gone white. Sn

e empty deck chairs stood about. The scream was stilled, but now we heard a commo

ice. "Anita!

her stateroom, A22!" He was d

indow of A22. But they were dark, and evidently sealed on the inside. T

o your rooms! We want

osed. Dr. Frank was in advance of Snap and me now. He

in there? W

in his hand. He shoved us aside. "Let me in first. I

rter burst into the room. I

assengers. And in that instant Dr. Fra

k, Gregg! Snap, help me keep the c

ep them out! Where are you, Frank? Co

or upon Snap and me. I was unarmed. Weapon in hand, Snap

out the facts than I. Moa, with a nightrobe drawn

happened,

her brother Miko, b

ortly. "Go back to your

reatening everybody with his cylinder. Balc

ould see only Carter, but I heard the murmuring voice o

Balch? Come in." He admitted the older officer and slam

ng's all right. Miss Prince got frightened-that's all.

t know what

urder, Gregg! No, not dead yet.... Dr. Frank is trying ... don't stand th

te. I don't mean that! Tell Snap to watch his r

if she dies ... wil

ngely. "I'll be ther

d the doo

I sat in the tiny chart room; how much time passed, I do not know. I was confused. Anita hurt! She might die ... murdered.... But why? By whom?

me. I had not seen him among

room. "Gregg, you get to

ut

all they can." He told us what had happened. Anita and George Prince had both been

t it s

he intruder

didn't think

omehow, and assaulted Miss Prince-shot her i

ot

Her scream awakened him, but the intruder evidently

nce. Anita-dying, perhaps; and all my dreams we

wn for an hour and then go to Anita's statero

window. They were intact. I entered cautiously, switched on the dimmer of the tube lights, and searched the room. It had only a bunk, my tiny

na

es

r cut in on us from the chart

d, I flung myself on my

buzzer. Someone was tampering with my door! Then the buzzer ceased; the marauder o

black. A heat cylinder was in the bunk-bracket over

to unseal the door. In the darkness, cylinder in hand, I crept softly from the

door seal was breaking. Upon impulse

empty. But I leaped and struck a solid body,

evidently missed him. The shock of my encounter, short-circuited his robe; he materialized in the starlight. A brief, savage enco

it's

Haljan! I only

a weapon in his hand. It caught me. Ran like i

d. My tongue was thick and inert. I could not speak, nor

kill you, Halja

in his huge arms; carried me s

verhead. A white actinic light shot from it-caught us, bathed us

oot!" His warning siren rang out to al

dropped me; fled away. I fell like a sack of carb

ll righ

tain Carter, Snap and Dr. Frank

speak now

moved. "Yes." I was soon revived. I sat

" I told them w

t. And it was Miko also who killed Ani

ped to my feet.

r stateroom and tried to force his love up

with a rush came the thought,

t get him!" I gathered my wits; a surge of

Why don't you go get him? I

!" Dr. Frank

know how you feel, Gregg. S

re to you! But I'll k

t him killed, not attacked, even

e down, ca

closed. A brief glimpse given to me and to her