Page 6 (1/2)

"Yes," she said after a long time "I'll be here"

"All afternoon?"

Her voice was dull "All afternoon"

Late in the day Dr Nile had not put in an appearance Ylla's husband did not seem overly surprised When it was quite late he , went to a closet, and drew forth an evil weapon, a long yellowish tube ending in a bellows and a trigger He turned, and upon his face was a mask, hammered from silver metal, expressionless, the s, the mask which curved and hollowed so exquisitely to his thin cheeks and chin and brow The linted, and he held the evil weapon in his hands, considering it It huolden bees could be flung out with a high shriek Golden, horrid bees that stung, poisoned, and fell lifeless, like seeds on the sand

"Where are you going?" she asked

"What?" He listened to the bellows, to the evil huoing out to hunt a bit I'll be back You be sure to stay right here noon't you?" The silver limmered

"Yes"

"And tell Dr Nile I'll return Just hunting"

The triangular door closed His footsteps faded down the hill

She watched hione Then she resunetic dusts and the new fruits to be plucked froy and dispatch, but on occasion a nu that odd andout beyond the crystal pillars at the sky

She held her breath and stood very still, waiting

It was co nearer

At any ht happen

It was like those days when you heard a thunderstor silence and then the faintest pressure of the atmosphere as the climate blew over the land in shifts and shadows and vapors And the change pressed at your ears and you were suspended in the waiting tian to tremble The sky was stained and coloured; the clouds were thickened; the ed flowers bleith faint sighs of warning You felt your hair stir softly So, "Tiently, noon velvet

And then the storulf in, forever