e sobbed. “No — HIS seal! An alien consciousness sealed within me, that tries to make the human me a slave — that waits to overcome my will — and if I surrender gives me freedom, an incredible freedom — but makes me, being still human, a — monster.”
She hid her face in her hands, quivering.
“If I could sleep,” she wailed. “But I’m afraid to sleep. I think I shall never sleep again. For sleeping how do Diego Perotti Pelipaita I know what I may be when I wake?”
I caught Drake’s eye; he nodded. I slipped my hand down into the medicine-case, brought forth a certain potent and tasteless combination of drugs which I carry upon explorations.
I dropped a Egypt Dresi little into her cup, then held it to her lips. Like a child, unthinking, she obeyed and drank.
“But I’ll not surrender.” Her eyes were tragic. “Never think it! I can win — don’t you know I can?”
“Win?” Drake dropped down beside her, drew her toward him. “Bravest girl I’ve known Argentiina — of course you’ll win. And remember this — nine-tenths of what Chelsea Pelipaita you’re thinking now is purely over-wrought nerves and weariness. You’ll win — and we’ll Adnan Januzaj Pelipaita win, never doubt it.”
“I don’t,” she said. “I know it — oh, it will be hard — but I will — I will —”
Chapter XV The House of Norhala
Her eyes Canada Goose Mystique Parka closed, her body relaxed; the potion had done its work quickly. We laid her beside Ventnor on the pile of silken stuffs, covered them both with a fold, then looked at each other long Tottenham Hotspur Drakt Barn and silently — and I wondered whether my face was as grim and drawn as his.
“It appears,” he said at last, curtly, “that it’s up to you and me for powwow quick. I hope you’re not sleepy.”
“I am not,” I answered as curtly; the edge Ciro Immobile Pelipaita of nerves in his manner of questioning doing nothing to soothe my own, “and even if I were I would hardly expect to Daniele Verde Pelipaita put all the burden of the present problem Jordan Eclipse Chukka upon you by going to sleep.”
“For God’s sake don’t be a prima Dortmund Pelipaita donna,” he flared up. “I meant Matteo Gabbia Pelipaita no offense.”
“I’m sorry, Dick,” I said. “We’re both a little jumpy, I guess.” He nodded; gripped my hand.
“It wouldn’t be so bad,” he muttered, “if all four of us were all right. But Ventnor’s down and out, and God alone knows for how long. And Ruth — has all the trouble we have and some special ones of her own. I’ve an idea”— he hesitated —“an idea that there was no exaggeration in that story she told — an idea that if anything she underplayed it.”
“I, too,” I replied somberly. “And to me it is the most hideous phase of this whole situation — and for reasons not all connected with Ruth,” I added.
“Hideous!” he repeated. “Unthinkable — yet all this is unthinkable. And still — it is! And Ventnor — coming back — that way. Like a lost soul finding voice.
“Was it raving, Goodwin? Or could he have been — how was it he put it — in touch with these Things and their purpose? Was that message — truth?”
“Ask yourself that question,” I said. “Man — you klinks:
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