by Leroy Yerxa
hear the soft lapping of water.
He rushed to the open window and looked down. They were on a long wharf,extending out over dark water. He looked back along the line of cars,shining faintly in the moonlight. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.Mono 6 was still on the rail. A scant three hundred feet beyond the lastcar was open water.
A shout of alarm came from somewhere back in the corridor of the car.Blake turned away from the window and went toward the coaches. At thedoor to the power room he stopped. Dauna Ferrell, her face flushed withrelief came to him. He took her in his arms and held her close. Hekissed her roughly, trying to make up for the loneliness and heartbreakhe had caused.
Walter Ferrell was behind them.
"I hate to intrude," his face was bathed in a happy smile, "but whereverWade is, I'm sure he wouldn't approve of his brother making love to mydaughter, even if Jeff is somewhat of a hero right now."
Dauna released her hold on Blake's neck, and turned to her father.Blake's arms went around her waist and drew her close to him. She leanedher soft, curly head against his neck.
"Dad," she said, "brace yourself for an awful shock."
Ferrell laughed aloud.
"I know," he said. "You've given up Wade and are going to marry JeffBlake instead."
Dauna half turned, and nuzzled her chin in Blake's brown neck.
"No," she said. "I'm going to marry Wade anyhow."
Ferrell was bewildered.
"But I don't see...." he stuttered.
"It's going to be confusing," Dauna told him. "But, try to understand.Jeff Blake, the _real_ Jeff I mean, was killed a month ago, whileholding up a space ship near Mars."
Ferrell acted for a moment as though he were going to faint. Then he gotcontrol over himself. He stared at Blake with unbelieving eyes.
"_Then--you're--Wade...!_"
* * * * *
Blake nodded.
"I couldn't seem to get a line on this Silver Mask gang," he admittedhesitantly. "When O'Toole wired Jeff to return I couldn't figure outwhy. O'Toole and I have both known that Jeff was a tramp and a spacepirate. I knew one thing that O'Toole didn't. The space authoritiesinformed me a month ago that Jeff was dead. I was suspicious of O'Toolefrom the first. I caught a local rocket and boarded the moon liner inspace. With some artificial tan, a space uniform and a lot of bluff Imanaged to play the part. It fooled everyone but Dauna. She knew almostfrom the first, but she kept my secret."
Walter Ferrell backed into the lounge car. He sat down abruptly.
"I know you've done something I never thought possible," he admitted."And to prove my gratitude I'll apologize for everything I've ever saidagainst Wade Blake. From now on you're half owner of the 'Hope toHorn'."
Wade Blake grinned broadly.
"Thank you sir," he said. "But I can't accept your offer. If Daunamarries me she's destined to get star dust in her eyes."
Dauna looked at him worshipingly.
"In fact she already has flakes of it there now," Wade added. "Spaceofficials have asked me to track down the gang who worked with mybrother Jeff. If Dauna will say the word, I'd like to spend ourhoneymoon on Luna, and then get started on the new job."
Ferrell sighed deeply.
"I think Dauna has given her answer already," he said softly. "As forme, I'll have to make a public statement, taking back every word aboutWade Blake and his love for flowers and the violin."
"That man Harror said we had a one way ticket to nowhere," Dauna saiddreamily. "I wonder if we'll ever get there?"
"If we do," Wade told her, "I'm sure with you there, it's going to be awonderful place."
* * * * *
[Footnote A: "Hope to Horn" was the nickname lovingly applied by itsloyal employees to the mono railroad developed and owned by WalterFerrell. These mono, or single-tracked trains were brought into servicein 2100. The Hope to Horn line itself consisted of a north- andsouth-bound rail of heavy plastic extending from Hope, Alaska to CapeHorn, South America.
They were powered by standard sixteen engine diesels, capable of fivehundred miles per hour. Built almost in the shape of long graceful fish,the trains were of highly colored plastic. They ran on a single rail ofplastic-steel.
In a few short hours men and women tired of business could follow theentire Pacific coast line from one end to the other, the entire tripconsuming twenty-two running hours between Hope and Cape Horn.
The plastic rail kept upkeep at a minimum and allowed the use of asimplified signal system in place of earlier complicated switches andsignal signs. The track was divided into five-hundred-mile sections.Every two hours a train left one of these sections, or "blocks." Inleaving, they allowed the plastic to turn green or "open," signaling thenext train to depart. As long as the pilot could see green track aheadand red behind, he was safe to travel "on time."
Gyroscopic balancers, huge head and tail fins, and constantly maintainedspeeds allowed a mono to travel safely on a single row of centeredwheels.--ED.]