Astounding Stories of Super-Science, May, 1930. Various

crawling, inside, with an unspeakable repulsion to the man and the things for which he stood. But he seemed dazed and dull, and when Ribiera began to ask questions he babbled his answers in a toneless, flat voice. He babbled very satisfactorily, in Ribiera's view.

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      When Ribiera shook him roughly by the shoulder he started, and let his eyes clear. Ribiera was laughing heartily.

      "Senhor! Senhor!" said Ribiera jovially. "My hospitality is at fault! You come to be my guest and I allow you to be so bored that you drop off to sleep! I was detained for five minutes and came in to find you slumbering!"

      Bell stared ruefully about him and rubbed his eyes.

      "I did, for a fact," he admitted apologetically. "I'm sorry. Up late last night, and I was tired. I dropped in to see those planes you suggested I'd be interested in. But I daresay it's late, now."

      Ribiera chuckled again. He was in his late and corpulent forties and was something of a dandy. If one were captious, one might object to the thickness of his lips. They suggested sensuality. And there was a shade – a bare shade – more of pigment in his skin than the American passes altogether unquestioned. And his hair was wavy… But he could be a charming host.

      "We'll have a drink," he said bluntly, "while the car's coming around to the door, and then go out to the flying field."