Naked, her hair, black and silken fine, half-clothed her to her knees. Through it the pale golden flesh
gleamed. Only the eyes, the hands, the doll still clasped to one of the round, high breasts told who she
was.
Ricori's automatic dropped from his hand. I heard the weapons of the others fall to the floor. I knew they
stood rigid as I, stunned by that incredible transformation, and helpless in the grip of the power streaming
from the doll-maker.
She pointed to Ricori and laughed: "You would kill me-me! Pick up your weapon, Ricori-and try!"
Ricori's body bent slowly, slowly…I could see him only indirectly, for my eyes could not leave the
woman's…and I knew that his could not…that, fastened to them, his eyes were turning upward, upward
as he bent. I sensed rather than saw that his groping hand had touched his pistol-that he was trying to lift