Darker Than You Think Read Online Free PDF

silver-knobbed collar. "Remember that,
Will!" she begged huskily. "I'm sure that girl would be
charming —very. But Turk can tell."
    Barbee
stepped back uncomfortably. He wondered if the black leopard's claws,
ripping out her sight, had left unhealed mental scars as well.
Rowena's apprehensions seemed somewhat beyond the rational. He was
glad to see the gangling figure of the Foundation manager coming back
down the steps from the silent plane.
    "There's
Bennett," he said. "I suppose the others will come off with
him."
    Rowena
caught her breath, and they waited silently. Barbee watched to see
Sam Quain's bronzed head, his blue-eyed face. He looked for Nick
Spivak, dark and slight, frowning wistfully through his glasses and
moving always with a nervous haste, as if knowledge had almost eluded
his zealous pursuit; and he pictured Rex Chittum, who for all his
scholarship still appeared as robustly ignorant as another Li'l
Abner. His mind saw old Mondrick himself, ruddy and stout and bald,
chin massively aggressive and mild eyes distant with rapt
preoccupations.
    But
they didn't come.
    "Where's
Marck?" Rowena whispered sharply. "And the others?"
    "I
don't see them." Barbee tried not to sound uneasy. "And
Bennett seems to be shooing everybody away from the plane. Now he's
coming this way."
    "Dr.
Bennett?" Her piercing call startled Barbee. "What's
keeping Marck?"
    Striding
back toward the terminal building, the gaunt scientist paused. Barbee
could see the lines of worry bitten into his frowning face, but his
voice was reassuring.
    "They're
all safe, Mrs. Mondrick," he told her. "They're getting
ready to come off the plane, but I'm afraid there'll be a little
delay."
    "Delay?"
gasped Rowena. "Why?"
    "Dr.
Mondrick has this announcement, on the results of the expedition,"
Bennett said patiently. "I gather that his finds were extremely
important, and he wishes to make them public before he leaves the
field."
    "Oh—no!"
Rowena's pale left hand flashed fearfully to her throat, the light
glowing cold on her paler silver rings and bracelets. "He
mustn't!" she sobbed. "They won't let him."
    Bennett
frowned with momentary puzzlement.
    "I
can't see why there should be so much fuss about any research
announcement," he said briskly. "But I assure you that you
needn't worry over any possible danger, Mrs. Mondrick. The doctor
appears rather unduly concerned about some trouble—precisely
what, I didn't gather. He has asked me to send for a police escort to
guard his person and his finds until the announcement is safely
made."
    Rowena
shook her proud head, as if in fearful scorn of police protection.
    "Don't
you worry, Mrs. Mondrick," Bennett insisted. "Your husband
told me what to do, and I'll take care of everything. I'll arrange
for the press to meet him as he steps off the plane. All the
reporters will be searched for weapons, and there'll be police enough
to stop any possible attempt at interference."
    "They
can do nothing!" the blind woman snapped bitterly. "Please
go back and tell Marck—"
    "I'm
sorry, Mrs. Mondrick," Bennett broke in with veiled impatience.
"But the doctor told me what he wants, and the arrangements must
be made at once. He asked me to hurry—as if he feels there is
danger in delay."
    "There
is." She nodded bleakly, clutching the dog's collar. "Go
on!"
    The
frowning Foundation man strode on toward the terminal building, and
Barbee fell in step beside him, angling hopefully: "Clarendon's
such a peaceful little city, Dr. Bennett —what sort of trouble
do you suppose Mondrick could expect?"
    "Don't
ask me," Bennett rapped. "And don't you try to beat the
gun. Dr. Mondrick doesn't want any premature leaks, or any fantastic
journalistic guesses. He says this is a big thing, and he wants the
people to get it straight. The Life photographers
and the AP staffers should be here now, and I'm trying to get a radio
reporter. Everybody will get an even break on the hottest story of
the year."
    "Maybe,"
Barbee