"Your lady-love is about two hundred feet over the citadel, with a
signalling gadget on her. There's been an aircar hovering on its
antigravs up there for the last two hours. When they pick up the
signal, they'll pick up the girl. Simple, isn't it?"
"But what are they going to do?"
Newhouse grinned. "I think I'll let you suffer a while longer. Teach
you to keep away from strange females."
"I've already learned that," di Vino said morosely.
"Then this ought to drive it home, pal. Just sit down and relax; we've
got several hours to kill. Got a drink?"
"Some Scotch," said di Vino in a glum tone. "And a deck of cards, if we
have to kill time. Play cribbage?"
"Yup. Drag 'em out."
The cord moved a little, and Newhouse knew they were taking the Shannil
out of the harness, which would be left there until they came back.
"That's that for a while," he said. "Get the bottle out."
* * * * *
By the time the rope was jiggled once more, Lieutenant Newhouse had
taken a week's wages from di Vino at cribbage, to be payable when the
diplomat returned to Dynak Base. Newhouse blew out the candle, went
over and pushed the blanket aside, and took a cautious look up. He
couldn't see a thing, but a second tug on the rope told him that all
was well. He began hauling down on the line. The girl came easily,
since the men in the aircar had reduced her negative weight to zero,
and then added a couple of ounces of positive weight.
When she appeared at the window, the two men pulled her in, and
Newhouse took off the antigravity harness and began putting it on
himself. "Just let her sleep," he told di Vino. "She won't know a thing
in the morning."