swaying action in time with the line as he continued to watch the undulating movement: up and down, back and forth, up and down, back and forth, up and down. And stayed down.
Old Mike, not noticing the other's staring eyes now fixed glazedly on the floor, continued to watch the flickering lights on the panel that was Sarah's face. "You see me, girl?" He said the words to himself, but he was sure that she heard. "You see me in here? I'm laughing at you, Sarah. You tried so hard, didn't you, but I told you I'd be a'watching you all the time. And Old Mike caught you, didn't he?"
He found his eyes being drawn back and forth across the board as the lights changed their pattern and he chuckled out loud. "You do hear me, don't you, Sarah?" And his eyes went back and forth across the board trying to read a message in the changing lights that regarded him for a second and then blinked off. It was a game that he had played ever since the security people had decided to guard the interior of the plant as well as the outside. Mr. Stacey had seen to it, as he had promised. And each night Old Mike goaded her mentally, and tried to make out a message in the board. A sign from Sarah of her defeat.
He wasn't aware of the fact that the pacing feet outside the door had stopped; that the sentries on the head of the ramp and patrolling the floor were staring in evident fascination at the intricately moving belts; that the press had once more moved aside and the other machine had once more come silently down and was working; that other machines had shouldered in beside those already on the floor and were also working; that the crate with the miniature brains resting inside it was maneuvered aside and another, much larger one now stood in its place and was being filled with larger boxes, boxes grooved so that each one on a casual glance appeared to be four lesser boxes. Old Mike was trying to read a message from the pattern of changing lights.
The guards were due to change at six; and at five thirty, the larger crate was once more shuffled behind others that minimized its size. The extra machines silently began their climb back to the ceiling to circle needlessly until next brought down by Sarah. The guard at the head of the ramp shook himself slightly and resumed his steady pacing, noticing with satisfaction that his tour was nearly over for another night. He threw a wave of greeting to his pal showing briefly between the machinery on the floor.
The sergeant turned again from the desk and asked peevishly, "Are you going to sit there all day and watch that thing?"
Old Mike hid his disappointment well as he answered "I'm heading for bed, same as you are, Sergeant." He knew she would try nothing in the daylight when there were so many wide awake people around. She had almost spelled out something; he was sure of it. That first time he had thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but tonight he was sure that she was trying to get a message to him. "Well," he thought to himself, "let her stew about it until tonight."
He yawned and shook his thermos to see if there were any more coffee. Great thing, coffee, on an all night watch; it certainly kept him awake. He shared the small amount remaining with the sergeant and was rinsing out the cups when the shift changed.
Later he made his usual call to Mr. Stacey. Usual since first he saw the machine lower itself. "Quiet night, Mr. Stacey. She's behaving herself now that she has people around to make her be good." His listened to the other man for a second and laughed in a croaking tone, "Well, l'll tell you, sir, I was getting scared. First you showed her how to make the bodies, and then you showed her how to make the brain for them. I figured that she was going into business for herself." He hung up still laughing and shaking his head over his foolishness.
GIFT FROM THE STARS
Mr Talbot didn't have to look far to find the shop. It stood out among the closed and boarded windows as if it were
Old Mike, not noticing the other's staring eyes now fixed glazedly on the floor, continued to watch the flickering lights on the panel that was Sarah's face. "You see me, girl?" He said the words to himself, but he was sure that she heard. "You see me in here? I'm laughing at you, Sarah. You tried so hard, didn't you, but I told you I'd be a'watching you all the time. And Old Mike caught you, didn't he?"
He found his eyes being drawn back and forth across the board as the lights changed their pattern and he chuckled out loud. "You do hear me, don't you, Sarah?" And his eyes went back and forth across the board trying to read a message in the changing lights that regarded him for a second and then blinked off. It was a game that he had played ever since the security people had decided to guard the interior of the plant as well as the outside. Mr. Stacey had seen to it, as he had promised. And each night Old Mike goaded her mentally, and tried to make out a message in the board. A sign from Sarah of her defeat.
He wasn't aware of the fact that the pacing feet outside the door had stopped; that the sentries on the head of the ramp and patrolling the floor were staring in evident fascination at the intricately moving belts; that the press had once more moved aside and the other machine had once more come silently down and was working; that other machines had shouldered in beside those already on the floor and were also working; that the crate with the miniature brains resting inside it was maneuvered aside and another, much larger one now stood in its place and was being filled with larger boxes, boxes grooved so that each one on a casual glance appeared to be four lesser boxes. Old Mike was trying to read a message from the pattern of changing lights.
The guards were due to change at six; and at five thirty, the larger crate was once more shuffled behind others that minimized its size. The extra machines silently began their climb back to the ceiling to circle needlessly until next brought down by Sarah. The guard at the head of the ramp shook himself slightly and resumed his steady pacing, noticing with satisfaction that his tour was nearly over for another night. He threw a wave of greeting to his pal showing briefly between the machinery on the floor.
The sergeant turned again from the desk and asked peevishly, "Are you going to sit there all day and watch that thing?"
Old Mike hid his disappointment well as he answered "I'm heading for bed, same as you are, Sergeant." He knew she would try nothing in the daylight when there were so many wide awake people around. She had almost spelled out something; he was sure of it. That first time he had thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but tonight he was sure that she was trying to get a message to him. "Well," he thought to himself, "let her stew about it until tonight."
He yawned and shook his thermos to see if there were any more coffee. Great thing, coffee, on an all night watch; it certainly kept him awake. He shared the small amount remaining with the sergeant and was rinsing out the cups when the shift changed.
Later he made his usual call to Mr. Stacey. Usual since first he saw the machine lower itself. "Quiet night, Mr. Stacey. She's behaving herself now that she has people around to make her be good." His listened to the other man for a second and laughed in a croaking tone, "Well, l'll tell you, sir, I was getting scared. First you showed her how to make the bodies, and then you showed her how to make the brain for them. I figured that she was going into business for herself." He hung up still laughing and shaking his head over his foolishness.
GIFT FROM THE STARS
Mr Talbot didn't have to look far to find the shop. It stood out among the closed and boarded windows as if it were
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