Lair of the Dragonbird

by Robert Silverberg

LAIR OF THE DRAGONBIRD

By Robert Silverberg

Nobody on Venus knew if the dragonbird
was flesh and blood or a robot. But one thing
was certain—some men would kill to find out!

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
December 1956
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

---

Dan Elliot sat in the muggy gloom of the Vestend Bar on the outskirts of Venus City, and grinned at his reflection in the mottled mirror.

"Congratulations," he said to himself. "You are now the owner of the Space Needle II."

It had taken him five years, but it was worth it. The insurance money from the crashed Space Needle had just barely covered the down payment on the new ship, and it had taken five years to pay for the rest of it.

But now—the ship was his. And he was celebrating. The only trouble was the final payment had nearly left him penniless, and the only place he could afford to bend an elbow was a dive like the Vestend.

Suddenly someone lurched against his back, and the drink in his hand slopped over the bar.