The Time-vision was humming. It covered the slight noise we made. We got through the window; stalked noiselessly. With a leap we seized Turber. He seemed unarmed, he did not struggle or cry out. He was startled; but he sat back with almost instantly recovered poise. "Well! You here?" We stood over him. Alan gripped him. There was a moment when I thought that Alan might plunge the dagger into him and have it over. "Alan--easy!" Alan shook him. He did not resist. Alan gritted: "God, I ought to kill you! Where is Nanette?" "Nanette? Nanette?" * * * * * He began to stall. It was too much for me. I cuffed him in the face with the flat of my hand. He winced and went livid white; his eyes bored into me. But he held firm. He said: "Why--Nanette? Take your hands off me, young fellow!" Alan eased up. He motioned me off. "We want Nanette, understand? We're desperate, Turber. If you balk I'll stab you now and have done. Understand?" He said: "Yes." He managed a wry smile. "If I raise my voice I can bring a dozen of my men here in a minute." "But we'll kill you first," said Alan. He could not doubt it. He said: "All right--then let's be quiet. I'm no more anxious to die than you are." His poise was coming back. He was gauging us; his glance seemed roving the room. "What do you want?" "Nanette," I said. "Where is she? The truth, damn you!" I felt he was going to say in the aero. Instead he said: "Down in the city, not far from here." There was a local audiphone hanging on a hook near him. Alan said: "Order her up. Be quick! Give the order and have one man only bring her up." He moved his hand to take down the receiver. He stopped. He said: "You see, I've told you the truth. I could just as easily have said she was in my aero. Did you see my aero passing?" "Yes," said Alan. "I've sent it after your tower. With Bluntnose and Jonas." The Time-vision instrument was still operating; he gestured to the screen, which still showed our speeding phantom tower. The dials here were illegible to us. Turber added: "Where has your tower been? I just picked up this image. Is your tower coming here?" * * * * * I realized he was again stalling. I said: "You take down that receiver--" He took it down. He said: "Shall I open the circuit?" "Yes," commanded Alan. "And speak quietly--if you say a wrong word I'll run this dagger in your throat." This clever scoundrel! We realized afterward that he had drawn our attention to the screen and thus had turned our backs to the door of the room which he could see out of the tail of his eyes. As we bent alert while he reached for the audiphone a figure crept up behind us; launched full upon us.