yes. "No use
lying to you--if I know you at all you'd rather take it standing up.
That talk of Jovians or Neptunians is the bunk--nothing like that ever
grew in our Solarian system. All the signs say that we're going for a
long, long ride!"

CHAPTER V

Nevian Strife

The Nevian space-ship was hurtling upon its way. Space-navigators both,
the two Terrestrial officers soon discovered that it was even then
moving with a velocity far above that of light and that it must be
accelerating at a stupendous rate, even though to them it seemed
stationary--they could feel only a gravitational force somewhat less
than that of their native earth.

Bradley, seasoned old campaigner that he was, had retired promptly as
soon as he had completed a series of observations, and was sleeping
soundly upon a pile of cushions in the first of the three
inter-connecting rooms. In the middle room, which was to be Clio's,
Costigan was standing very close to the girl, but was not touching her.
His body was rigid, his face was tense and drawn.

"You are wrong, Conway; all wrong," Clio was saying, very seriously. "I
know how you feel, but it's false chivalry."

"That isn't it, at all," he insisted, stubbornly. "It isn't only that
I've got you out here in space, in danger and alone, that's stopping me.
I know you and I know myself well enough to know that what we start now
we'll go through with for life. It doesn't make any difference, that
way, whether I start making love to you now or whether I wait until
we're back on Tellus--I've been telling you for half an hour that for
your own good you'd better pass me up entirely. I've got enough
horsepower to keep away from you if you tell me to--not otherwise."

"I know it, both ways, dear, but...."

"But nothing!" he interrupted. "Can't you get it into your skull what
you'll be letting yourself in for if you marry me? Assume that we get
back, which isn't sure, by any means. But even if we do, some day--and
maybe soon, too, you can't tell--somebody is going to collect fifty
grams of radium for my head."

"Fifty grams--and everybody knows that Samms himself is rated at only
sixty? I _knew_ that you were somebody, Conway!" Clio exclaimed,
undeterred. "But at that, something tells me that any pirate will earn
even that much reward several times over before he collects it. Don't be
silly, dear heart--good-night."

She tipped her head back, holding up to him her red, sweetly curved,
smiling