my smooth, gleaming metal legs.The almost soundless purr of their motors was the only noise in theroom. "I was in the Sadlerville Blast, too," I said. "But I didn't gocrazy with hate when I lost _my_ legs."
Ledman was sobbing.
"Okay, Ledman," I said. Val got him into his suit, and brought him thefishbowl helmet. "Get your helmet on and let's go. Between the psychsand the prosthetics men, you'll be a new man inside of a year."
"But I'm a murderer!"
"That's right. And you'll be sentenced to psych adjustment. When they'refinished, Gregory Ledman the killer will be as dead as if they'delectrocuted you, but there'll be a new--and sane--Gregory Ledman." Iturned to Val.
"Got the geigers, honey?"
For the first time since Ledman had caught us, I remembered how tiredVal had been out on the desert. I realized now that I had been drivingher mercilessly--me, with my chromium legs and atomic-powered muscles.No wonder she was ready to fold! And I'd been too dense to see howunfair I had been.
She lifted the geiger harnesses, and I put Ledman back in hiswheelchair.
Val slipped her oxymask back on and fastened it shut.
"Let's get back to the Dome in a hurry," I said. "We'll turn Ledman overto the authorities. Then we can catch the next ship for Earth."
"Go back? _Go back?_ If you think I'm backing down now and quitting youcan find yourself another wife! After we dump this guy I'm sacking infor twenty hours, and then we're going back out there to finish thatsearch-pattern. Earth needs uranium, honey, and I know you'd never behappy quitting in the middle like that." She smiled. "I can't wait toget out there and start listening for those tell-tale clicks."
I gave a joyful whoop and swung her around. When I put her down, shesqueezed my hand, hard.
"Let's get moving, fellow hero," she said.
I pressed the stud for the airlock, smiling.
THE END
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ September 1956. 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.
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