Чужак в чужой стране

           SupposeIpickedupthisboxandthrewitatJill’shead?Threwithard,sothatitwouldhurther?"

           Smithsaidwithgentlesadness,"Jubal,youwouldnotdothattoJill."

           "Uh?damnit.IguessIwouldn’t.Jill,willyouthrowtheboxatme?Goodandhard–ascalpwoundatleast,ifMikecan’tprotectme."

           "Jubal,Idon’tliketheideamuchbetterthanyoudo."

           "Oh,comeon!Intheinterestofscience?andBenCaxton."

           "But-"Jilljumpedupsuddenly,grabbedthebox,threwitrightatJubal’shead.Jubalintendedtostandandtakeit–butinstinctandhabitwonout;heducked.

           "Missedme,"hesaid."Butwhereisit?"Helookedaround."Confoundit,Iwasn’twatching.Imeanttokeepmyeyesrightonit."HelookedatSmith."Mike,isthattheway–what’sthematter,boy?"

           TheManfromMarswastremblingandlookingunhappy.Jillhurriedtohimandputherarmsaroundhisshoulders."There,there,it’sallright,dear!Youdiditbeautifully–whateveritis.ItnevertouchedJubal.Itsimplyvanished."

           "Iguessitdid,"Jubaladmitted,lookingallaroundtheroomandchewinghisthumb."Anne,wereyouwatching?"

           "Yes."

           "Whatdidyousee?"

           "Theboxdidnotsimplyvanish.Theprocesswasnotquiteinstantaneousbutlastedsomemeasurablefractionofasecond.FromwhereIamsittingitappearedtoshrinkvery,veryrapidly,asifitweredisappearingintothefardistance.Butitdidnotgooutsidetheroom,forIcouldseeitrightuptotheinstantitdisappeared."