"Heinlein, Robert A - Assignment In Eternity" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

"Okay, chief." The runner was first man into an
empty uft; he went to the back of the car and set the
bag down beside him. Gilead placed himself so that
his foot rested firmly against his bag and faced for-
ward as other travelers crowded in. The car started.

Tlie lift was jammed; Gilead was subjected to body
pressures on every sideЧbut he noticed an addi-
tional, unusual, and uncalled-for pressure behind him.

His right hand moved suddenly and clamped down
on a skinny wrist and a hand clutching something.
Gilead made no further movement, nor did the owner
of the hand attempt to draw away or make any objec-
tion. They remained so until the car reached the
surface. When the passengers had spilled out he
reached behind him with his left hand, recovered his
bag and dragged the wrist and its owner out of the
car.

It was, of course, the runner; the object in his fist
was Gilead's wallet. "You durn near lost that. chief,"

6 Robert A. Heinlein

the runner announced with no show of embarrass-
ment. "It was falling out of your pocket."

Gilead liberated the wallet and stuffed it into an
inner pocket. "Fell right through the zipper," he
answered cheerfully. "Well, let's find a cop.'

The runt tried to pull away, "You got nothing on
me!"

Gilead considered the defense. In truth, he had
nothing. His wallet was already out of sight. As to
witnesses, the other lift passengers were already
goneЧnor had they seen anything. The lift itself was
automatic. He was simply a man in the odd position
of detaining another citizen by the wrist. And Gilead
himself did not want to talk to the police.

He let go that wrist. "On your way, comrade.
We'll call it quits."

The runner did not move. "How about my tip?"

Gilead was beginning to like this rascal. Locating a
loose half credit in his change pocket he flipped it at