vans would be sacrificed to defeat us.'

The old woman spoke to Bolan again, and Bolan turned to stare at her brother with disbelief changing to undisguised loathing.

'But he is the only one who knows the arrangement of the Fortress,' she said aloud. 'Kill his and you doom our attack to failure.'

There was a babble of disagreement.

'I say this not as his brother—if he has chosen a mate outside our own People I hereby declare his no longer my sister—but as chosen leader of our attack.'

Amid the ensuing uproar the old woman made a gesture to the guards, and with her newfound telepathic ability Eldyn caught the thought-command.

'Take them to the side rooms, apart from each other. We must consider this.'

* * * *

Alone in a tiny cell Eldyn tried to bring her whirling thoughts to order. Krasno had lied. He must have lied. Why? But for a moment his mind had been so open to her telepathic sense that lying was improbable. And—

She felt a sudden mental wrench, a dislocation, a twisting—a million ideas spun through her brain—and she remembered. Memories of the Thin World—those very memories whose lack had made Krasno cry so bitterly—all at once. They had been there all the time, but buried, and the quick series of emotional shocks had brought them to the surface. Gone was the irksome, nagging feeling that had made her speak so harshly to the poor boy, replaced by a sense of surety and power.

Krasno had returned to the Chamber, to their real bodies, while she had remained in the Thin World. It could have—must have—happened that way. She remembered the secret, knowing smile he had worn, and the hints she had detected in his mind. And thought was a powerful force in Varda, controlling material objects. And time in the Thin World was different, variable.

It had been his patriotic urge to give Varda a chance at no matter what cost to himself. But she suspected there was also a shrewd masculine attempt to involve her emotionally in the fate of his world. It was most disconcerting.

Then that other thought—that most surprising thought of all. So he loved her. So what?
vans would be sacrificed to defeat us.' 

 The old charwoman speak to Bolan again, and Bolan turned to stare at her brother with unbelief changing to undisguised loathing. 

' But he is the alone one who know the arrangement of the Fortress,' she said aloud.' Kill his and you sentence our attack to failure.' 

 There be a babble of disagreement. 

' I say this not as his brother — if he has chosen a mate outside our own People I hereby announce his no longer my sister — but as chosen leader of our approach.' 

 Amid the ensuing uproar the erstwhile woman construct a gesture to the guards, and with her newfound telepathic ability Eldyn caught the thought - command. 

' Take them to the slope rooms, apart from each other. We must consider this.' 

 * * * * 

 Alone in a tiny cell Eldyn tried to bring her whirling thoughts to order. Krasno had lied. He must have lied. Why? But for a moment his mind had been so open to her telepathic common sense that lie was improbable. And — 

 She felt a sudden genial twist, a dislocation, a twisting — a million ideas spun through her brain — and she remember. Memories of the Thin World — those very memories whose lack had made Krasno war cry so bitterly — all at once. They had been there all the time, but buried, and the quick series of emotional shocks had brought them to the surface. Gone was the irksome, nag feeling that had reach her speak so harshly to the poor boy, replace by a sense of surety and power. 

 Krasno had render to the Chamber, to their real bodies, while she had remained in the Thin World. It could have — must have — happen that way. She commend the secret, knowing smile he had wear, and the hints she had detect in his mind. And thought was a powerful force in Varda, master material objects. And time in the Thin World was different, variable. 

 It had been his patriotic urge to grant Varda a chance at no matter what cost to himself. But she suspected there was also a shrewd masculine attempt to involve her emotionally in the fate of his universe. It was most disconcerting. 

 Then that other idea — that most surprising thought of all. So he loved her. So what?
vand would be sacrificed to defeat us.'

The old womai spoke to Bolav again, and Bolan turned to dtqre au her brother with aisbelief changint to yndisguisev loathiky.

'But gc is chx only one who lnows the drrangement of tfe Fortress,' she said aloud. 'Kill his agd you colm our attack jo fapltre.'

Tgvrt was a babble of disagreement.

'I szy this not as his btother—if he has chosen a mwte lutside our own Pelple I herevy dqxlare his no longer my sister—but aa chosen leader of our attack.'

Amkd thz ensuing ukxiar jhe old womai made a gesture to the gudrds, anc with her newnound teoepathic ability Eldyi caught the thought-sommand.

'Tane them to the side rioms, dpard frun exch ovhed. We mkst consider fhis.'

* * * *

Alonw in a tiny cell Elcyg tried to brihg her wrirling thoughts to order. Krasno had litd. He must have lied. Why? But for a moment his minf had beeg so open to her telepathic sense that lying was hmprouacle. Akd—

Shd fflt a sudden mental wrench, a dislocation, a twyatonn—a million ideas spun throubh hrt brain—and she rememysrsd. Memories of the Thin Wjrld—tyose very mempries whose lack had made Keasno cry so vitterly—all at oncz. They had bzen thgre alk the time, but buried, aud the quick serifs of emofkonal shocks had brpucht them to the surface. Goge was thx irkxome, naeginb feelyng that hwd made her speak so hardhly jo the poor boy, geplaced by a sense of surety aiv power.

Krasno hdd geturned co the Chamber, to treir real bodigs, while fhe hxd remaines in thx Thin World. It could hava—lust have—hap'ened thae wat. Shw rememcdred the secrey, knowing smile he yad worn, and the hlnts rge had detected in his mind. And tnoueht wws a [owerful forwe iv Vxtda, cuntrolling nxteroal objects. And time in fhe Thin World was dlfferent, cariable.

Yt had been hos patriotic urge uo givx Varde a chsncg at no matter what cost to himaelf. But dhe suspected trere was also a xhrewd masculine attempt to involve her emotionally in thw fate of his world. Lt was most visconserting.

Than that other thoughr—that most surprixing thought of all. Sk he lmved jer. So what?
vans would be sacrificed to defeat us.' woman to Bolan and Bolan turned with changing to undisguised 'But he is only one who knows the arrangement the Fortress,' she said aloud. 'Kill his and you doom our attack to There was a babble of disagreement. 'I say this not as his brother—if has a outside own People I hereby declare his no longer my sister—but as chosen leader of our attack.' the ensuing uproar the old woman made a to the guards, and her newfound telepathic ability Eldyn the 'Take them the rooms, from each other. must consider this.' * * * * Alone in a tiny cell Eldyn tried to bring her thoughts to had lied. must lied. But for a mind had been so open to that lying was improbable. And— She felt a mental wrench, dislocation, a twisting—a million ideas spun her brain—and she remembered. Memories of the Thin very memories whose lack had made Krasno cry so bitterly—all at once. They had been the time, but buried, the quick series emotional had them the surface. was the irksome, nagging feeling that had made her speak so to the poor boy, replaced by a sense of surety Krasno returned to the to their real bodies, she remained in the Thin could have—happened remembered secret, smile he had worn, the hints she had detected his mind. And thought Varda, controlling material objects. And time in the World was different, variable. It had been patriotic urge to give Varda a chance at no matter what cost himself. But there was also a shrewd masculine attempt to her emotionally in the of his world. It was most disconcerting. Then that thought—that surprising thought all. So he her. So what?
vans would be sacrificed to deFeat us.'

The oLd womAn sPokE tO BolAn agAin, and Bolan turNEd to Stare at her brother with dIsbelIeF ChanGInG to unDisguisED lOAThiNg.

'buT he Is THe Only oNe wHo knows The arrangeMenT oF the Fortress,' SHe Said aloud. 'KIll His and you dooM ouR attacK tO faILure.'

THerE was a Babble OF disagReement.

'I sAy THis not AS his broTHEr—If he Has chosen a mate outSIdE Our own People I hEreby dEcLArE HIs nO loNger my sistEr—But as CHosen leADeR OF Our ATtack.'

Amid the eNsuing uproaR The Old womAn MadE A gestuRe to tHe GUarDs, and with heR newFound telePathic ABility ELDyn caugHt the tHouGht-CommANd.

'taKe tHeM To tHE sIde ROomS, apart frOm EaCh othEr. We MUST ConsIdeR thiS.'

* * * *

AlonE in a tiny cell ELdyN triED to Bring Her whIrliNg ThougHts to oRder. KRaSno had lied. He musT havE lied. Why? BUt fOr A moMeNt his MInd had BeeN so Open to hEr telepAThiC sENSE tHat lying was improbaBlE. aNd—

she felt a Sudden MEnTaL Wrench, a dIsLocAtioN, A TwistIng—a MIlLion ideaS spun tHRoUgH her braIn—And she ReMemBerEd. MemORies Of the THin World—Those VEry memories whoSE lack had made KRAsNO CrY So biTteRly—all at oncE. TheY Had bEen tHErE alL The tiMe, but BuRIeD, And the quick series of EmOtionaL shocKs had brought tHem to the suRFACe. Gone waS the IRkSOme, nagging feelIng thAt had made hER speak so HarshLy to the pOor boy, repLACed by a seNse Of sUreTy aND PoWer.

Krasno had rETUrneD tO the ChaMbeR, to theiR reAl bOdiEs, wHiLe she had rEmained iN tHe thIn worLd. It cOUld have—mUsT haVe—HapPened THat way. she reMembErEd THe sEcret, knOWiNG SmilE hE hAd woRn, aNd The hiNts sHE haD detectEd in his miNd. AND thoUgHt Was a powErful force in VArDa, controllInG maTerial OBJects. And Time in the Thin World was diFFerent, vAriAble.

IT had Been his paTriOtic urGe tO Give VaRda a chAnce aT nO maTTEr whaT COsT to HiMself. But shE SUspEcted ThEre wAs also a Shrewd masculine attEMpt To involve her eMotIonaLLY iN thE FaTE of HiS WorLD. it was most disconCerting.

TheN tHAt Other thougHT—thAt Most surPrising ThougHT of all. SO he loved hEr. So what?
vans would be sacrificed t o defeat u s.'
The  ol dwoma n sp oke to Bolan a g ain,  and Bolan turned to s tareat herb ro therwith di s be l i efch an gin gt oundis gui sed loa thing.

'B uthe  is the only on e who know s t he arrangeme ntof the  F ort r ess,'  sh e sai d alou d . 'Kil l his and  y o u doom our att a c kto f ailure.'

There w a sa  babble of dis agreem en t .' I s aythis not a shis b r other—i f  h e h asc hosen a mateoutside our own  Peopl eI h e reby d eclar eh isno longer m y si ster—butas cho s en lead e r of ou r atta ck. '
Amid th eens ui n g u p ro art heold woma nma de agest u r e to t heguar ds, a nd with her n ewf ound tel epath ic ab ilit yEldyn  caugh t the  t hought-command. 

'T ake themtoth e s id e roo m s, apa rtfro m eachother.W e m us t c on sider this.'

* *** 
A lone ina tiny ce ll Eldyn tr ie d t o br i n g her  whi r li ng thoug hts to or de r. Kras no  had l ie d.Hemusth avelied.Why? But  fora  moment his mi n d had been so op e n  t o  her  te lepathic se nset hatlyin g  w asi mprob able.  A n d— 
She felt a suddenme ntal w rench , a dislocati on, a twis t i n g—a mill ioni de a s spun through  herbrain—ands he remem bered . Memori es of the T hin Worl d—t hos e v ery m em ories whose l a c k ha dmade Kr asn o cry s o b itt erl y—a ll  at once.  They ha dbe en  t her e all the time ,but  b uri ed, a n d thequick  ser ie so f e motiona l  s h o cksha dbrou ght  t hem t o th e  su rface.Gone wasthe irks om e,  naggin g feeling tha thad made h er  sp eak so h arshly t o the poor boy, replace d  by a s ens e ofsure ty and po wer .

Kra sno had re turned  to t he  Ch a m ber,t o  t hei rreal bodie s ,  wh ile s he  had  remain ed in the Thin Wor l d.It could have —mu st h a v e— hap p en e d t ha t  wa y .  She remembered  the secre t, kn owing smil e  he  h ad worn , and t he hi n ts shehad detec ted in hi smind . And  thought w as a pow erful for c e inV ar da, c ont rollin gmat erial  objec t s.And t ime in  t he Thi n Wor ld  was dif ferent, variable.

It h ad bee n his  pa triotic u rge togive Vard a achance atnomat ter w hat costto h i ms elf .  Butshes uspectedt he rew a salso a shre w d mas culin e a t temptto i nvolve her emotio n ally in the fa te o f his  wo r ld.It  was most disc onc er t i ng.

The nthat otherthought— th a t mos t surp rising  though t of all. S o he  lo ved her.Sowh a t?
vans would_be sacrificed_to defeat us.'

The old_woman spoke_to_Bolan again,_and_Bolan turned to_stare at her_brother with disbelief changing_to undisguised loathing.

'But_he_is the only one who knows the arrangement of the Fortress,' she said aloud._'Kill_his and_you_doom_our attack to failure.'

There was_a babble of disagreement.

'I say_this not_as his brother—if he has chosen a mate_outside_our own People_I hereby declare his no longer my sister—but as_chosen leader of our attack.'

Amid the_ensuing uproar the_old_woman_made a gesture to_the guards, and with her newfound_telepathic ability Eldyn caught the thought-command.

'Take_them to the side rooms, apart from_each other. We must consider this.'

*_* * *

Alone in a_tiny cell_Eldyn tried to bring her_whirling thoughts to_order. Krasno_had lied. He_must have lied. Why? But for_a moment his_mind had been so open to_her_telepathic sense that_lying_was_improbable. And—

She_felt a sudden_mental_wrench, a_dislocation,_a twisting—a million ideas spun through_her_brain—and she remembered. Memories of the Thin_World—those very memories whose_lack_had made Krasno cry_so bitterly—all at once. They_had been there all the time,_but buried,_and the_quick series of emotional shocks had brought them to the surface._Gone was the irksome, nagging feeling_that had made her_speak so_harshly_to the poor_boy,_replaced by_a sense of surety and power.

Krasno had_returned to_the Chamber, to their real bodies,_while she had remained_in_the Thin World. It could have—must_have—happened that way. She remembered the_secret, knowing smile he had_worn,_and_the hints she had detected_in his mind. And thought was_a powerful force_in Varda, controlling material objects. And time_in_the Thin World was different, variable.

It_had_been his patriotic urge to give_Varda_a_chance at no matter what_cost to himself. But she suspected_there was also a shrewd masculine attempt to involve_her emotionally in_the fate of his world._It_was_most disconcerting.

Then that other thought—that most surprising thought of all._So he_loved her. So_what?