"The Robot Brains." - читать интересную книгу автора (Bounds Sidney J.)

- 12 -

It was a few days later, in the evening, when the show was over and the public had gone. It was late, the stars were shining brightly in a frosty sky. Christian was alone. He was doing some work on the territory, when he heard a loud scream from the direction of the Brains' trailer. He ran.

He came to where the Brains' trailer stood, and in the light of the moon saw the Brains and Jo. They had the dwarf-woman between them. The Brain with the flat ears held her by her dark long hair; the second Brain held a piece of cloth to her mouth; and the third cruelly twisted her arms.

Still running, Christian shouted: "Stop that, you devils - leave her alone!"

The Brains were too busy to hear him. He seized one of them - the one with the scar on the nose - and threw him aside.

The other two Brains turned to him, releasing Jo, who fell to the ground. The Brain with the scar stood up and ran up to Christian. He was shaking with rage.

"I'll teach you to interfere!" he shouted.

He was ready to attack Christian, when Victor, the Brain with the flat ears, who seemed to be their leader, said quietly:

"Waldo!"

This one word sounded as a command. The Brain with the scar stopped at once. All three looked coldly at the captain, then turned and marched into their trailer.

Christian bent over Jo and said:

"It's all right, Jo, they've gone."

She opened her eyes.

"Hello, Sailor! It's good that you came. Thank you!"

Christian helped her to get up. Her face was pale. She laughed.

"That's what I get for not minding my own business," she said. "Seeing that they know all the answers, I decided to ask them who did the murders. They did not answer me; just stood there and looked at me as if I were some insect. I did not like their look. Then one of them seized me by the hair. 'Little girls must not ask questions,' he said, 'we'll have to teach you a lesson.' Waldo started twisting my arm, and I screamed. Then you came up."

She smiled a little.

"Thanks again."

Christian walked with her to her trailer. At the door he stopped and said: "Jo, you must not go near the Brains. They are dangerous. And don't ask any more questions."

She looked up at him.

"And you? They won't forgive you for stopping them. You must be careful. They'll do something horrible."

"I can take care of myself," said the captain. "Do you feel all right now?"

Jo nodded.

"I'm fine… Good night, Sailor."

Christian went to his own trailer. He was sure that the Brains would not forget him.. When he was in the trailer, he took his automatic gun out of his bag and checked its mechanism. He thought a little, then he decided that he would not need it that night.

He put the gun under his pillow and went out. He went to the Cross Keys, a fine of old pub where he and Miller had agreed to meet.