I looked again and now I saw two faces in the mirror and both of them were young. One was low down, just above my ankles, and it belonged to a cat I had known as Itzenca. The other, higher up, was that of a man I had known as Ommodurad. But this was a clear-eyed Ommodurad, just under twenty-one. "Onto the blank slate we traced your mind," said Gope. "He owed you a life, Legion," Foster said. "His own was forfeit." "I guess I ought to kick and scream and demand my original ugly puss back," I said slowly, studying my reflection, "but the fact is, I like looking like Mr. Universe." "Your earthly body was infected with the germs of old age," said Foster. "Now you can look forward to a great span of life." "But come," said Gope. "All Vallon waits to honor you." He led the way to the tall window. "Your place is by my side at the great ring-board," said Foster. "And afterwards: all of the Two Worlds lie before you." I looked past the open window and saw a carpet of velvet green that curved over foothills to the rim of a forest. Down the long sward I saw a procession of bright knights and ladies come riding on animals, some black, some golden palomino, that looked for all the world like unicorns. My eyes traveled upward to where the light of a great white sun flashed on blue towers. And somewhere trumpets sounded. "It looks like a pretty fair offer," I said. "I'll take it." * * * * * A TRACE OF MEMORY Help wanted: Soldier of fortune seeks companion in arms to share unusual adventure. Foster, Box 19. Legion was desperate--but not that desperate. Even petty larceny seemed preferable to that kind of proposal. But fate stepped in, and now he is on the run, pursued by cops, the CIA and a few not-so-friendly acquaintances of Foster. And Foster has lost his memory--not to mention about thirty years of his age! The key to Legion's dilemma, and to Foster's forgotten past, is in a row of metal cylinders aboard a spaceship that has been orbiting Earth for thousands of years. And Legion's troubles have really only begun.... A Tom Doherty Associates Book End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Trace of Memory, by Keith Laumer