The driver, Walt saw now, was a girl. Forential had shown him pictures of female Lyrians; and this girl—but for the fact she was an earthling—would have been beautiful. Now that he had begun to master his hate reaction, he felt the stirrings of curiosity.
He became visible.
After a mile or so, she must have heard his breathing. The car was on automatic, following the guide beam on the center of the lane. She turned. She studied him for a long moment with beautiful grey eyes.
"Hello, where did you come from?"
Walt moved his lips.
The girl was sizing him up carefully. She seemed to like what she saw. She nodded. "You got on back there? I didn't see you."
Walt stared at her.
"You wanted a lift, that's it, isn't it?"
Walt said nothing. She wore soft perfume. If I did not hate her so much ... he thought.
"You deaf and dumb."