“All right.” The girl tramped out and slammed the door behind her.
7: BATTLE AT THE BARRIER
DARD CHEWED mechanically on food which now had no savor. As Kimber forked a thick slice of ham he spoke to the pilot:
“Shall I give the girl instructions, sir?”
Kimber swallowed. “Very well. Be sure she gets it straight. I don’t propose to sit around here waiting for a couple of days. Let her tell the repair master they may find us at the ’copter. We’ll go back there after we thaw out. But get her started right away-the sooner she leaves the sooner they will come for us.”
Dard went out into the farmyard. Lotta was saddling a horse. As his boots squeaked on the snow she looped up.
“Where’s Dessie? Wotta you done with her?”
“She’s safe.”
Lotta studied his face before she nodded. “That’s the truth, ain’t it? You really want I should go to town? Why? You ain’t no Peaceman—”
“No. And the more you can delay your trip in, the better. But Lotta—” he had to give her some protection. If later she were suspected of aiding their escape her fate would not be pleasant. “When you get in and report at the Temple, tell them you are suspicious of us. We’ll be gone from here by then.”