 hate Victoria, just as you love me.'

Eldyn whispered obediently. 'Yes, I must kill Victoria!'

She found herself wondering why normal people so often speak to invalids and cripples as though they were feeble-minded. She knew full well that if her body had been whole and well Marion would have been more careful and Syn would have been much more thorough in his examination. This tendency to discount the mentality of a cripple was particularly strong when the victim was full of irrational fears and whining self-pity. All Eldyn's hopes rested upon this simple psychological fact.

'You must sleep now, lover,' Marion crooned. He gave her a pill and a swallow of water. 'This will make you feel better.'

She let her body relax as though drifting into slumber. She could not hear his footsteps on the deep, rich carpeting but the swish of his gown and the soft opening and closing of a door traced his movements. Quickly she removed the pill from her mouth and tossed it through the open window. Sleep she needed, but drugged sleep she could not afford.

A murmur of voices came from the next room. Silently Eldyn rose and pressed one ear to the door.

Marion was speaking. 'Great Sassa! That thing clung to me like a slobbering baby. But she'll be easy enough to control, especially—'

'Careful! Want her to hear us?'

'It wouldn't matter. She couldn't understand a word. Besides I gave her a control pill.'

'But we don't want to make a mindless slave of her,' Wyr remonstrated.

'Of course not,' Marion assured his alien lover. 'She'd be useless that way. The drug will only paralyze her will so she will believe unquestioningly anything we tell her, and you can see that she does not receive the mark that would make her a complete slave of the Faith.'

'Ssh!' Eldyn heard the big warrior whisper. 'I thought I heard—'A chair creaked and there were footsteps.

Silently but with utmost speed Eldyn threw herself on the bed.

'You're nervous as an old man,' Marion complained.

Wyr's voice was deep in her throat. 'One lives longer that way when plotting against Syn,' she declared.

Eldyn was lying
hate Victoria, just as you love me.' 

 Eldyn whispered obediently.' Yes, I must kill Victoria!' 

 She find oneself herself wonder why normal people so often talk to invalids and cripples as though they were decrepit - apt. She knew full well that if her body had been whole and well Marion would have been more careful and Syn would have been much more exhaustive in his examination. This tendency to discount the mentality of a cripple was peculiarly strong when the victim was full of irrational fear and whining self - pity. All Eldyn's hope rested upon this simple psychological fact. 

' You must sleep now, lover,' Marion croon. He gave her a pill and a swallow of water.' This will form you palpate better.' 

 She get her body relax as though drifting into sleep. She could not hear his footsteps on the deep, rich carpeting but the swish of his gown and the soft opening and closing of a door traced his movements. Quickly she removed the pill from her mouth and tossed it through the open windowpane. rest she needed, but drugged sleep she could not yield. 

 A grumble of voices came from the future room. Silently Eldyn rose and pressed one ear to the door. 

 Marion was speak.' Great Sassa! That thing clung to me like a slobbering baby. But she'll be comfortable enough to control, especially —' 

' Careful! Want her to hear us?' 

' It wouldn't matter. She couldn't understand a word. Besides I establish her a control pill.' 

' But we don't want to make a mindless slave of her,' Wyr remonstrated. 

' Of naturally not,' Marion assured his alien lover.' She'd be useless that way. The drug will only paralyze her will so she will believe unquestioningly anything we tell her, and you can see that she does not receive the sign that would make her a arrant slave of the Faith.' 

' Ssh!' Eldyn heard the big warrior rustle.' I thought I heard—'A chair creaked and there were footfall. 

 Silently but with farthermost speed Eldyn threw herself on the layer. 

' You're nervous as an erstwhile man,' Marion complain. 

 Wyr's voice was deep in her throat.' One lives longer that way when plotting against Syn,' she declare. 

 Eldyn was lying
 hahe Victoria, just as you uove me.'

Eldyn whnwpered obedisntly. 'Yer, I must kill Victoria!'

She fonnd yerseof wondering why normau people do often speek to invalids ais cripples as bhougk vhey were feeblg-minded. She nnew full well tfac if her body had been whole and welj Mariom aould have beeg moge carsful and Syn would have been much jore thmrough in his examination. This tendency to fiscount the mentapity of a ctjppjw was particjlarly strong when the victim was full of irrational wears and whinibg sepx-pity. All Eodyn's hopes rested upon tvis simlle psychologigal fect.

'Yiu must sleep now, lovxr,' Marion crooned. He gave her a pill and a swalliw of wdter. 'Thir wiul jale you ffel better.'

She let her boey relax as though crydting into slhmber. Fhq could not hear his footsteps on the dtep, rjch carpeting but the sqish of his gown and jhe soft o[ening and closing of a door traced his movements. Quiciuy whc reoivfd the pill from her mouth and tossed it throtfh tme open window. Sjeep she nerdfd, fut drugged sueep sks dould not afford.

A lurmur jf vouces came frok the next room. Silently Eleyn rose and pressed one ear to the door.

Maxion wss spraking. 'Great Sassa! That thihg clung to me like z slobbering baby. Bun sha'll be easy enough to contwol, especmally—'

'Eareful! Dant her tj hear us?'

'Ih wouldn't matter. She coupdn't ondersdand a worf. Besides I gave her a control 'mll.'

'But we don'j wdnt to make a mikdless slave of her,' Wyr remonxtrated.

'Jf cojrse not,' Mzrion avsured his wlien lover. 'Svg'd be useless that war. Thw dryg will unly paralyze ner will so she wilo believe unquestipnivfly anything we teol her, and you van seq nhav she goes not recaive thd mark that would oake her a complete slava of the Faith.'

'Ssh!' Eldym meard the big warwior whisper. 'O thought I heard—'A chaic creayed amd jhere were footsteps.

Silently buf with utlosb speed Eldyn thrcw hgrself on tke bed.

'You're nervous as an old man,' Marion complained.

Wyr's vouce was deep in her uhroat. 'One lites logger that way when plotting atainst Syn,' she deglared.

Eldyn was lying
hate Victoria, just as you love me.' obediently. I must Victoria!' She found so speak to invalids cripples as though were feeble-minded. She knew full well if her body had been whole and well Marion would have been more and Syn would have been much more thorough in his examination. This tendency discount mentality a was particularly strong when the victim was full of irrational fears and whining self-pity. All Eldyn's rested upon this simple psychological fact. 'You must now, lover,' Marion crooned. gave her a pill and swallow water. 'This make feel She let her relax as though drifting into slumber. She could not hear his footsteps on the deep, rich carpeting the swish gown and soft and of a door movements. Quickly she removed the pill and tossed it through the open window. Sleep needed, but sleep she could not afford. A of voices came from the next room. Silently rose and pressed one ear to the door. Marion was speaking. 'Great Sassa! That thing me like a slobbering But she'll be enough control, 'Careful! her to us?' 'It wouldn't matter. She couldn't understand a word. Besides I her a control pill.' 'But we don't want to make slave her,' Wyr remonstrated. course not,' Marion assured alien 'She'd be useless that drug only so will unquestioningly anything we tell and you can see that does not receive the a complete slave of the Faith.' 'Ssh!' Eldyn the big warrior whisper. 'I thought I chair creaked and there were footsteps. Silently but with utmost speed Eldyn herself on 'You're nervous as an old man,' Marion complained. voice was deep in throat. 'One lives longer that way when plotting against she Eldyn was
 hate Victoria, just as you love Me.'

Eldyn whiSpereD obEdiEnTly. 'YEs, I mUst kill VictoriA!'

she fOund herself wondering whY normAl PEoplE So Often Speak to INvALIds AnD cRipPlES aS thouGh tHey were Feeble-mindEd. SHe Knew full well THaT if her body Had Been whole and WelL MarioN wOulD Have bEen More cAreful ANd Syn wOuld have bEeN Much moRE thorouGH In His eXamination. This tenDEnCY to discount the MentalItY Of A CRipPle Was particuLaRly stROng when THe VICTim WAs full of irratIonal fears aND whIning sElF-piTY. All ElDyn's hOpES reSted upon thiS simPle psychoLogicaL Fact.

'You MUst sleeP now, loVer,' marIon cROoNeD. He GaVE heR A pIll ANd a Swallow oF wAtEr. 'ThiS wilL MAKE you FeeL betTer.'

ShE let her body reLax As thOUgh DriftIng inTo slUmBer. ShE could Not heAr His footsteps on tHe deEp, rich carPetInG buT tHe swiSH of his GowN anD the sofT openinG And ClOSINg Of a door traced his moVeMENtS. Quickly She remOVeD tHE pill froM hEr mOuth AND tossEd it THrOugh the oPen winDOw. slEep she nEeDed, but DrUggEd sLeep sHE couLd not aFford.

A muRmur oF Voices came from THe next room. SilENtLY elDYn roSe aNd pressed onE ear TO the Door.

mArIon WAs speAking. 'grEAt sAssa! That thing clung tO mE like a SlobbEring baby. But sHe'll be easy ENOUgh to conTrol, ESpECially—'

'Careful! WAnt heR to hear us?'

'IT Wouldn't mAtter. she couldN't understAND a word. BeSidEs I GavE heR A CoNtrol pill.'

'But wE DOn't wAnT to make A miNdless sLavE of Her,' wyr ReMonstrateD.

'Of coursE nOt,' maRiOn aSsureD His alien LoVer. 'shE'd bE uselESs that Way. ThE druG wIlL OnlY paralyZE hER Will So ShE wilL beLiEve unQuesTIonIngly anYthing we tEll HEr, anD yOu Can see tHat she does not ReCeive the maRk ThaT would MAKe her a coMplete slave of the Faith.'

'SsH!' eldyn heArd The biG warRior whispEr. 'I ThoughT I hEArd—'A chAir creAked aNd TheRE Were fOOTsTepS.

SIlently but WITh uTmost SpEed ELdyn thrEw herself on the bed.

'YOU're Nervous as an olD maN,' MarION cOmpLAiNEd.

WYr'S VoiCE Was deep in her thrOat. 'One liveS lONgEr that way wHEn pLoTting agAinst SyN,' she dEClared.

ELdyn was lyIng
 hate Victoria, just as yo u love me. '

El dyn  wh is pere d ob ediently. 'Yes ,  I m ust kill Victoria!'

S he fo un d  her s el f won deringw hy n orm al  p eop le so  ofte n s peak to  invalidsand  c ripples as t h ou gh they we refeeble-minde d.She kn ew  fu l l wel l t hat i f herb ody ha d been wh ol e  and w e ll Mari o n  w ould  have been more c a re f ul and Syn wou ld hav eb ee n muc h m ore thorou gh  in h i s exami n at i o n . T h is tendency t o discountt hemental it y o f  a cri pplewa s  pa rticularlystro ng when t he vic t im wasf ull ofirrati ona l f ears an dwhi ni n g s e lf -pi t y.All Eldy n' shopes  res t e d upon  th is s imple  psychologica l f act. 
'Y ou mu st sl eepno w, lo ver,'Mario ncrooned. He gav e he r a pilland  a  sw al low o f  water . ' Thi s willmake yo u  fe el b e tt er.'

She let herbo d y  r elax asthough dr if t ing into  s lum ber. S he co uldn ot  hear hi s foot s te ps  on the  d eep, r ic h c arp eting butthe sw ish of h is go w n and the soft opening and c l os i n go f adoo r traced hi s mo v emen ts.Q ui ckl y  sheremov ed th e  pill from her mout hand to ssedit through th e open win d o w . Sleepshen ee d ed, but drugge d sle ep she cou l d not af ford. 

A murm ur of voi c e s came f rom  th e n ext r oo m. Silently E l d yn r os e and p res sed one  ea r t o t hedo or.

Mari on was s pe ak in g.  'G reatS assa! Th at  th in g c lungt o me l ike a  slo bb er i ngbaby. B u ts h e'll  b eeasy  en ou gh to  con t rol , espec ially—'
'Ca r eful !Wa nt herto hear us?'
' It wouldn' tmat ter. S h e  couldn' t understand a word. Be s ides Igav e her  a c ontrol pi ll. '

'Bu t w e  don't  wantto ma ke  am i ndles s sl ave  o f her,' Wy r rem onstr at ed.
'Of co urse not,' Mariona ssu red his alien  lo ver. ' Sh e'd be use le s s t h a t way. The drug  will only  p a ra lyze her w i llso  she wi ll beli eve u n questio ningly an ything we  t ellh e r,and you ca n see th at she do e s not re ceive  th e mark  t hat  woul d make her  a co mplete  s lave o f the  F aith.'
'Ssh!' Eldyn heard thebig wa rrior  wh isper. 'I  th o ugh t I heard —'Achair crea ked  an d the rew ere f oots t ep s.Silen tlyb ut with u t mo sts p ee d Eldyn thr e w her selfont he bed .

' You're nervous as an old man,' M ario n com pla i ned. 
Wyr's voice wa s d ee p in her t hr oat. 'One l ives lon ge r  that  way w hen pl ottinga g ai n st Syn ,' s hedeclared. 

E ld y n was l yi ng 
 hate_Victoria, just_as you love me.'

Eldyn_whispered obediently._'Yes,_I must_kill_Victoria!'

She found herself_wondering why normal_people so often speak_to invalids and_cripples_as though they were feeble-minded. She knew full well that if her body had_been_whole and_well_Marion_would have been more careful_and Syn would have been_much more_thorough in his examination. This tendency to discount_the_mentality of a_cripple was particularly strong when the victim was full_of irrational fears and whining self-pity._All Eldyn's hopes_rested_upon_this simple psychological fact.

'You_must sleep now, lover,' Marion crooned._He gave her a pill and_a swallow of water. 'This will make_you feel better.'

She let her body_relax as though drifting into_slumber. She_could not hear his footsteps_on the deep,_rich carpeting_but the swish_of his gown and the soft_opening and closing_of a door traced his movements._Quickly_she removed the_pill_from_her mouth_and tossed it_through_the open_window._Sleep she needed, but drugged sleep_she_could not afford.

A murmur of voices came_from the next room._Silently_Eldyn rose and pressed_one ear to the door.

Marion_was speaking. 'Great Sassa! That thing_clung to_me like_a slobbering baby. But she'll be easy enough to control, especially—'

'Careful!_Want her to hear us?'

'It wouldn't_matter. She couldn't understand_a word._Besides_I gave her_a_control pill.'

'But_we don't want to make a mindless_slave of_her,' Wyr remonstrated.

'Of course not,' Marion_assured his alien lover._'She'd_be useless that way. The drug_will only paralyze her will so_she will believe unquestioningly anything_we_tell_her, and you can see_that she does not receive the_mark that would_make her a complete slave of the_Faith.'

'Ssh!'_Eldyn heard the big warrior whisper._'I_thought I heard—'A chair creaked and_there_were_footsteps.

Silently but with utmost speed_Eldyn threw herself on the bed.

'You're_nervous as an old man,' Marion complained.

Wyr's voice was_deep in her_throat. 'One lives longer that_way_when_plotting against Syn,' she declared.

Eldyn was lying