it. Dim lights
showed at intervals.

The humming of the ship was more apparent here. It drowned the light
humming of my cloak. I crept after Anita; my hand under the cloak
clutched the ray weapon.

A steward passed us. I shrank aside to avoid him.

Anita spoke to him. "Where is Miko, Ellis?"

"In the ventilator room, Miss. Prince. There was difficulty with the
air renewal."

Anita nodded and moved on. I could have felled that steward as he
passed me. Oh, if I only had, how different things might have been!

But it seemed needless. I let him go, and he turned into a nearby door
which led to the galley.

Anita moved forward. If we could come upon Miko alone! Abruptly she
turned and whispered, "Gregg, if other men are with him, I'll draw him
away. You watch your chance."

What little things can overthrow one's careful plans! Anita had not
realized how close to her I was following. And her turning so
unexpectedly caused me to collide with her sharply.

"Oh!" She exclaimed it involuntarily. Her outflung hand had
unwittingly gripped my wrist, caught the electrode there. The touch
burned her, and short-circuited my robe. There was a hiss. My current
burned out the tiny fuses.

My invisibility was gone! I stood, a tall, blackhooded figure,
revealed to the gaze of anyone who might be near!

The futile plans of humans! We had planned so carefully! Our
calculations, our hopes of what we could do, came clattering now in a
sudden wreckage around us.

"Anita! Run!"

If I were seen with her, then her own disguise would probably be
discovered. That above everything, would be disaster.

"Anita, get away from me! I must try it alone!"

I could hide somewhere, repair the cloak perhaps. Or, since now I was
armed, why could not I boldly start an assault?

"Gregg, we must get you back to your cubby!" She was clinging to me in
panic.

"No. You run! Get away from me! Don't you understand? George Prince
has no business here with me! They'll kill you!"

"Gregg, let's get back to the deck."

I pushed at her, both of us in confusion.

From behind me there came a shout. That accursed steward! He had
returned, to investigate perhaps what George Prince was doing in this
corridor. He heard our voices. His shout in the silence of the ship
sounded horribly loud. The white-cloaked shape of him was in the
nearby doorway. He stood stricken with surprise at seeing me. And then
turned to run.

I fired my paralyzing cylinder thro