ONE-WAY TICKET TO NOWHERE
By LEROY YERXA
[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories December1942. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Blake forced the hatch up with all his strength. A fewseconds delay would mean disaster.
"Jeff Blake!" Holly O'Toole's knotted hand reached out and grasped theright hand of the passenger descending from the rocket transport. "Thisis a hell of a night to come home, when a man's been away as long as youhave."
Jeff Blake laughed, and swung down to his side to stand on the wind- andrain-swept dock. He towered above O'Toole, lanky and smooth skinned. Hisface was tanned a deep brown from space travel and little wrinklescurled out from the corners of his mouth. Wrinkles that indicated awilling smile. There was a cheerful warmth of sincerity in his voice.
"Weather doesn't seem to bother me much any more. I've been in and outof a lot of it. This rain isn't much compared to those space turn-overswe've had around moon the last few weeks."
They walked together toward the lighted office. Once inside, HollyO'Toole tossed his coat across the warm elector-rad heater and turnedadmiring eyes on Jeff Blake's tall frame.
"They sure made a man of you in space service," he said. "The last timeyou left Hope you were a half-baked kid with a yen for a ray gun."
O'Toole sat back comfortably as Blake removed his jacket and threw itover the heater. Blake was hard, and yet as Holly watched him, thereseemed to be a touch of softness in his eyes that hadn't been there whenBlake was a kid. A little more of Wade Blake, maybe. When two men wereborn identical twins, they were bound together in a lot of odd littleways.
The faintest suggestion of a bitter smile started across Jeff Blake'syoung face. Then he relaxed, sat down. Lighting a cigarette he suckeddeeply and let the smoke drift from his lips.
"The last time I saw you, O'Toole, you were a little red-headed Irishmanwho stirred up more trouble than my brother and I could get out of in amonth. What is it now?"
Holly O'Toole's dark face grew concerned. At once Blake knew his tripwould be interesting. Knew that the trouble he had been expecting wasclose at hand.
"It's your brother, Wade," O'Toole went on. "Wade's in hot water again,and he's in over his head."
That same sardonic smile flitted across Blake's face, and fadedimmediately. O'Toole was under a terrific strain. The man was onlyforty-five, yet the once brilliant battle flag of red hair had grownthin in spots. His eyes, once clear and snapping, were a washed-outblue.
"Go on," Blake said kindly. "When I got your message it wasn't easy todrop everything and come. I expected something like this."
O'Toole stared at him, hating to say what he knew he had to.
"Wade is planning to marry Dauna Ferrell."
"Dauna?" Blake was plainly puzzled. "Why, Dauna was a tow-headed bratwhen I left Earth. But if Wade wants her, why not?"
O'Toole shook his head a little impatiently.
"It isn't that he wants her," he said. "I can't explain everything now.Let's just say that Wade is giving up every chance he'll ever have ofowning the 'Hope to Horn' line. He's stirring up