Jennifer and the Duchess met them at the door. Jennifer had been crying, Norman saw with satisfaction.
"Norman, Norman," the girl said and flew to his arms.
He patted her shoulder, disengaged himself gently. "We've still got work to do."
"We had to kill Del Solar and a plant man," Koal explained briefly. "The Dohlmites are going to be furious, but I don't think they will suspect us. Norman has an experiment he wants to try with the body of the Dohlmite."
The Duchess turned to him, astonished.
"The blight," he explained. "I'm going to try to infect the plant man with the blight. When the Dohlmites find his body and carry it into their city, I'm gambling on it spreading."
He retrieved the infected plant from the balcony. Even in that short time the shrub had visibly wilted. The blight had spread over twice its former area.
"It seems to be a virulent disease," observed the Martian.
They carried the infected plant to the basement. Norman dusted the corpse from head to foot with the rust-like scales. Anything touching the body would be bound to come in contact with them.
"All right," said Acpsahme, "let's take him out and get this over with."