o bolt the door with, and he used it. But it wasn't going to
hold long, he knew. If the mob outside ever got straightened out, the
door would go down like a piece of cardboard, bolt or no bolt.
Undoubtedly the gigantic Mongol could do the job with one hand tied
behind his back.

Malone turned around and put his own back to the door. Women were
looking up and making up their minds whether or not to scream. Time
stood absolutely still, and nobody seemed to be moving--not even the
two directly before him: a frightened-looking little old lady, who was
trying to hold up a semiconscious redhead.

And, somewhere behind him, he knew, was a howling mob of thoroughly
maddened Russians.

8

The door rattled against Malone's back as a hand twisted the knob and
shook it. He braced himself for the next assault, and it came: the
shudder of a heavy body slamming up against it. Miraculously, the door
held, at least for the moment. But the roars outside were growing
louder and louder as the second team came up.

Where was the Mongol? he wondered. But there was no time for idle
contemplation. The scene inside the room demanded his immediate
attention.

He was in the anteroom, a gilded and decorated parlor filled with
overstuffed chairs and couches. There was a door at the far side of
the room, and a woman suddenly came out of it holding a pocketbook in
one hand and a large powder-puff in the other. She saw Malone and
reacted instantly.

Her scream seemed to be a signal. The two other women sitting on
couches screamed, too, and jumped up with their hands to their faces.
Malone shouted something unintelligible but very loud at them and
brandished a fist menacingly. They shrieked again and ran for the
interior room.

Malone heard the roaring outside, and pressed his back tighter against
the door. Then, suddenly, he broke away from it and ran over to Her
Majesty and Lou. He looked down. Lou was apparently completely
unconscious by this time, and there was a peaceful look on her face.
The Queen looked down at her, then up at Malone.

"I'm sorry, Sir Kenneth," she said, "but we really haven't time for
romantic thoughts just now."

Malone passed a hand over his brow. "We haven't got time for
anything," he said. "You can see what's going on outside."

"My goodness," Her Majesty said. "Oh, yes. My goodness, yes."

"Okay," Malone said. "We've got to teleport out, if we can--and if we
can take Lou with us."

"I don't know, Sir K