Argosy: The Short Story Magazine — page 109: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CHRYSALIDS 109 see that she is not taken for questioning If you have to kill some- one to prevent it, then you must. Remember, if they do move at all, it will be to exterminate us—by the slow method, if not by the fast. “If you can’t save Petra, then you must kill her. I[t will be more merciful than sterilization and banishment to the Fringes.” ‘Their agreements came in. Michael went on, “ It might be best it the four of you, with Petra, made arrangements to run for it, if necessary.” He went on to explain in more detail. ‘The overall plan was, | think, quite reasonable . . . Unfortunately, we had no means of knowing that events were already overtaking us . | went as tar as to make some preparations before going to bed that night—at least, I put a bow and fifty arrows handy, also a sack with several loaves of bread and a cheese in it—I was still thinking of all sorts of desirable additions I would make next day when I fell asleep. No more than a couple of hours could have passed before I was awakened by a small sound. There was no moon, but enough starlight came in to show a small white-nightgowned figure by the door. ‘‘ David,” she said, “‘ Rosalind .. .” But she did not need to tell me. Rosalind’s thoughts had broken in already. ‘‘ David,” she urged me. ‘“‘ You must come at once. They’ve taken Sally and Katherine.” Michael crowded in.~ “‘ Hurry, you two. It was a deliberate surprise. If they know anything much they’ll have timed it to send a party for you too. Best be on the safe side and get out.” ** Meet below the mill. Hurry,” Rosalind added. ‘* Get dressed as fast as you can. Overalls. And be very quiet,” I told Petra, in words. Possibly she had not understood our thought-shapes in detail, but she had caught their urgency. She nodded and slipped back into the dark passage. ‘ I pulled on my clothes as fast as I could, and rolled my blankets into a bundle. Groping in the shadows, I found the bow and the arrows and the bag of food, and made for the door. Petra was nearly dressed already. I grabbed an armful of clothes from her cupboard, and rolled them up in the blankets. “Don’t put on your shoes yet. Come on, tiptoe like a cat,” I told her. Outside the yard door | laid down the bundle and the sack, and we both put our shoes on. Petra started to speak, but I put my finger on my lips, and gave her a thought-shape of Rachel, the black mare. She nodded. I just had the stable door open when I caught a distant sound, and paused to listen. ** Horses,” said Petra. Horses it was. Several sets of hoots, and the jangle of bits. There was no time to find the saddle and bridle for Rachel. We brought her out on the halter, and mounted from the block. comiclooks.conn