in custody and hold him for me."

"Darling, there aren't any police at Solis Lacus," Maya reminded him.
"This is a private resort area. The nearest police are at Ophir."

There was a silence while Nuwell digested this.

"You say he's staying overnight?" Nuwell said then. "I can be there
before midnight with some men to take him in custody."

"I'm a trained agent," said Maya. "I can take him in custody for you."

"You'll do no such thing!" squawked Nuwell in alarm. "It's, too
dangerous! Now you listen to me, Maya. You stay out of sight of this man
and wait till I get there!"

"All right, darling, I'll use my own judgment," replied Maya demurely,
and hung up.

She sat and cogitated for a time. She was dressed for dinner, and she
had been looking forward to appearing in the dining room in the somewhat
sensational moulded, flame-red gown she had bought recently in Mars
City. She didn't relish the idea of having dinner sent to her room, and
sitting up here alone to eat it.

With sudden decision, she arose. She donned dark glasses and tossed a
powder-red veil over her dark hair. Kensington had only seen her once
and would not be expecting to see her here. If he saw her now, he
wouldn't recognize her.

Fifteen minutes later, she was sipping an extremely expensive martini in
the dining room when she raised her eyes to see Dark Kensington enter,
wearing a dark-red, form-fitting evening suit.

He paused just inside the door and stood there, slowly surveying the
room. His eyes fell on Maya and paused. Then he walked straight to her
table.

"May I join you, Miss Cara Nome?" he asked in a deep, controlled voice,
a rather sardonic smile on his lips.

She felt trapped, and irrationally angry at him for recognizing her.

"I'm afraid you've made a mistake," she said coldly. "That isn't my
name."

At this juncture, a helpful waiter appeared at Maya's elbow and asked in
an appallingly distinct tone:

"Would you care for another drink, Miss Cara Nome, or do you wish to eat
now?"

"An understandable mistake, since it's such a common name," said Dark,
sitting down opposite her. He turned pale-blue eyes, remote and filled
with light, on the waiter, and added: "She'll have another drink, and
bring me one of the same."

The waiter left, and Maya removed her dark glasses to level furious
black eyes at Dark.

"I could call the manager and complain that you're annoying me, you
know," she said.

"You could," he agreed somb