Alice Objects

Alice, on being aroused to consciousness by the ministrations of Lylette, the maid, and Fernand, and finding herself a prisoner on board a space flyer at the mercy of the latter, was overwhelmed with fury. This cool abduction of herself provoked her to such a passionate outburst that Fernand had actually retreated before it.

Lylette, the maid, and Fernand brought Alice back to consciousness. When she found herself a prisoner aboard a space flyer, at Fernand's mercy, she was overwhelmed with fury. His brazen abduction provoked such a passionate outburst that Fernand actually retreated before her.

"You coward," she blazed, "how dare you keep me here! Turn around and take me back at once—at once, do you hear?"

"You coward," she shouted angrily, "how dare you keep me here! Turn around and take me back right now. Right now, do you hear?"

Fernand, in the act of opening her door and going back to his laboratory, paused smilingly.

Fernand paused and smiled as he opened her door and started back to his laboratory.

"My dear girl," he said mockingly, "ask of me anything and I will grant it—except that. You have a temper that delights me. Your smiles will be all the sweeter, later."

"My dear girl," he said mockingly, "ask me for anything and I'll grant it, except that. Your temper delights me. Your smiles will be all the sweeter later."

Her answer was to fly at him with such passion that he involuntarily took a step backwards. In a flash she had run by him, was down the stairs and tugging at the fastening of the door that led outward. Fernand bounded after her calling to Lylette as he ran, and in a moment they were both struggling with the girl, who had indeed become a veritable wildcat. She had both hands fastened around the great bar that held the door and fought madly to unfasten it. Let that door be opened the fraction of an inch and all three would instantly have been blown to pieces. Fernand wrenched at her hands in real fear that she would succeed in her purpose, which was evidently their destruction.

In response, she lunged at him so fiercely that he involuntarily stepped back. In a flash, she ran past him and down the stairs. She pulled at the fastening on the door leading outside. Fernand rushed after her, calling to Lylette as he ran. Within moments, both of them were struggling with the girl, who had become a real wildcat. She gripped the great bar holding the door with both hands and fought wildly to undo it. If the door opened even a fraction of an inch, all three would be blown to pieces instantly. Fernand pulled at her hands, genuinely afraid that she would succeed in what was clearly her aim: to destroy them all.

She was a strong athletic girl, and at the moment her desperation gave her added vigor. But the combined strength, and by no means gentle handling of Fernand and Lylette, who herself was a large and powerfully built woman, forced Alice to relinquish her hold, and she was dragged, struggling, back to her room, and left there, with the door double-locked.

She was a strong, athletic girl, and her desperation gave her extra strength. But Fernand and Lylette overpowered her, handling her roughly. Lylette herself was a large, powerfully built woman. They forced Alice to let go, then dragged her back to her room as she struggled. They left her there and double-locked the door.

Alone, she passed from the high exaltation of anger to a state of nervous apprehension. Another woman in her place might have wept, have begged piteously for mercy where there was no mercy, but this girl was made of sterner stuff. She might be frightened but Fernand should never guess it.

Alone, her intense anger gave way to nervous fear. Another woman in her place might have cried and begged desperately for mercy where there was none. But this girl was made of sterner stuff. She might be frightened, but she would never let Fernand guess it.

Dry-eyed, with lips set in a firm line, lest they tremble and betray her, she sat facing the door, gripping in her small hands the only weapon she had been able to find—a small metal vase, having a round, and fairly thick base.

Her eyes were dry, and she pressed her lips together so they would not tremble and betray her. She sat facing the door, gripping the only weapon she had found in her small hands. It was a small metal vase with a round, fairly thick base.

Knowing that Fernand would come back, prepared as she was for his return, she was unable to repress a start of genuine terror when she heard someone unbolting the door. She clutched the vase more tightly, white-faced, but courageous.

She knew Fernand would come back and was prepared for his return. Even so, she started in genuine terror when she heard someone unbolting the door. Pale but courageous, she gripped the vase more tightly.

Fernand entered alone, carefully closing the door behind him. He wore his customary, rather bland smile, and his voice was suave to the point of oiliness.

Fernand entered alone and carefully closed the door behind him. He wore his usual, rather bland smile. His voice was smooth to the point of being oily.

"All over our little fit of temper?" he asked.

"Are we over our little temper tantrum?" he asked.

Alice stared at him, disdainfully, unanswering. Then her eyes fell upon something in his hand—manacles of glistening steelonium!

Alice stared at him with disdain, saying nothing. Then she saw something in his hand: manacles of gleaming steelonium!

The horror she felt was depicted in her face, for he said, holding them out for her to see, "A pair of bracelets for you, sweetheart. Just as a precautionary measure. You are rather too quick with those hands of yours. But I am not unkind, my dear. You need not wear them if you will only give me your word not to repeat your recent performance."

The horror she felt showed on her face. Holding them out for her to see, he said, "A pair of bracelets for you, sweetheart. Just as a precaution. Your hands are a little too quick. But I'm not unkind, my dear. You don't have to wear them if you give me your word not to repeat what you just did."

Beyond the door she saw Lylette standing in readiness, and she knew that physical resistance would be ineffectual. Far better to give her promise and be free than to be bound and helpless. Besides, there was the laboratory. In it there were many roads to freedom—there were poisons that killed instantly and painlessly. Unmanacled she might reach them eventually. Bound, even that way would be closed.

Beyond the door, she saw Lylette standing ready, and she knew it would be useless to resist physically. It was far better to give her promise and be free than to be bound and helpless. Besides, there was the laboratory. It offered many paths to freedom, including poisons that killed instantly and painlessly. If she was not bound, she might eventually reach them. If she was bound, even that path would be closed to her.

Coldly, clearly, she gave her promise, but inwardly she offered up a prayer of thankfulness when he turned and handed the handcuffs to Lylette.

She gave her promise coldly and clearly. But when he turned and handed the handcuffs to Lylette, she silently prayed in thanks.

"You can lay down your weapon, Alice," he said, still with his mocking smile. "I can assure you that you have no need of it. You will find me a gentle lover, and one who is willing to wait for his lady's favors." He stopped suddenly, and turning his head in the direction of the stairs, listened intently.

"You can put down your weapon, Alice," he said, still smiling mockingly. "I assure you, you don't need it. You'll find me a gentle lover, willing to wait for my lady's favors." He stopped suddenly, turned toward the stairs, and listened closely.

From the laboratory, came the insistent ringing of the radio calling apparatus.

From the laboratory came the insistent ringing of the radio calling device.

With a muttered order to Lylette, he was gone.

He muttered an order to Lylette and was gone.

What was happening, Alice did not know. She could not read radio messages, but she knew that only something of grave import could have made Fernand rush like that to the radio. She strained her ears, but heard nothing.

Alice did not know what was happening. She could not read radio messages, but she knew that only something very serious could have made Fernand rush to the radio like that. She listened closely but heard nothing.

Her hopes rose with a great bound with the thought that perhaps Ralph was on his way to her. Perhaps it was he signalling. She had been sure that he would follow her as soon as possible, and now her dark eyes brightened with hope.

Her hopes soared as she thought that perhaps Ralph was on his way to her. Perhaps he was signaling. She had been sure he would follow her as soon as possible, and now her dark eyes brightened with hope.

At this moment Lylette, without a glance in her direction, closed the door, and Alice was once more alone and a prisoner behind bolted doors.

At that moment, Lylette closed the door without looking at Alice. Alice was once again alone, a prisoner behind locked doors.

It was then that she gave way to her loneliness and despair. She knew that if it had been Ralph signalling, Fernand would at once, having received the news that the scientist was in pursuit, set about making plans to elude him. She knew that Fernand was desperate, that his life, under the law, was forfeit for this crime he had committed. He would stop at nothing. Instinctively, she felt that he would destroy her and himself, rather than be taken. Certainly, he would not hesitate to murder Ralph if the opportunity presented itself.

Then she gave in to her loneliness and despair. If Ralph had been signaling, Fernand would know the scientist was pursuing him. She knew he would immediately make plans to escape. Fernand was desperate. She knew the law called for his death for the crime he had committed. He would stop at nothing. Instinctively, she felt he would destroy her and himself rather than be captured. And he would certainly not hesitate to murder Ralph if he had the chance.

She flung herself upon the couch, and burst into tears of agony, and terror. Suddenly she sprang to her feet, still sobbing, wide-eyed with dread of what she knew not.

She threw herself onto the couch and burst into tears of agony and terror. Suddenly she jumped to her feet, still sobbing. Her eyes were wide with dread, though she did not know what she feared.

The space flyer had stopped. The throb of the machinery had stilled and the flyer was hanging motionless in space.

The space flyer had stopped. The machinery had gone quiet, and the flyer hung motionless in space.

Standing in the middle of the room, rigid with suspense, Alice waited with beating heart. Suddenly she heard the sound of rapid steps on the stairs. Now they halted at the door, and someone fumbled at the bolts and locks.

Alice stood in the middle of the room, frozen with suspense. Her heart pounded as she waited. Suddenly, she heard hurried footsteps on the stairs. The footsteps stopped at the door, and someone fumbled with the bolts and locks.

The next instant the door was flung wide open, and Llysanorh' the Martian stood upon the threshold!

The next instant, the door flew wide open, and Llysanorh' the Martian stood in the doorway!