Show FICTION O ONE MORE JUMP P III By ROBERT OB C. C BLACKMON A tt IVE VE told you it it makes no difference difference difference differ differ- ence to me Ralph and I 1 meant B. B it It really if Dusk dimmed the coral gold of Harriet Marnes Marne's hair dimmed the blue of her dress and blurred the they y 1 outlines of the light dotted buildings rising above the flat roofs upon 5 which she and Ralph Pell PeU stood it filled with deep shadow the narrow slot of of the alley b between them a. a and d the noise of the tile city was a screen a about them isolating them from the rest rest of the world 5 i i f what you think now but T oud get straight in your thinking jn Tina ina a fey few weeks or months or y years ars Then it would make a lot of differ differ- c cx nce Across the alley Ralph Pell x Cleaned leaned bronzed arms on the low lowr r brick parapet of the other building I 6 Vand Yand t nd shook his head m in slow delibera- delibera I fi tion Pink Fink neon glow dow spilling into nu d the I 1 alley from the street eight floors his brown and own down glinted on eyes made ade odd shadows in his curly rown hair It changed to an imi im- im im- im i color the tan of his knitted iap sport ort shirt After 1 that it would 1 tt always be there between us Or Orather Orather ather it wouldn't be there 2 1 He laughed harshly and reached own to feel through brown trouser fabric brie bric the device which substituted r the flesh and bone he had left on ona tr Ir a field in Normandy when gunfire from om the ground met parachutes rifting drifting silently in the darkness He tj would never forget that I I No Ralph Harriets Harriet's small fist Struck the stained brick of the low parapet bordering her own flat roof I ps S if to drive understanding across he dark drop of the alley between em em It would never make any to me To me you would was wa's be be- be beShe She groped moment momentarily momen momen- t rily for a word that would not fitting ting g l Normal His voice was flat and Skitter bitter Please Ralph Her voice rose rosea B a little 1 Sorry but Id I'd never be that even With faith tW two real legs He laughed shortly Service medico says Im I'm wart part art of a mind as well as part of a j man Lets Let's dont don't kid ourselves Too ouch uch is riding on it It would al al- ways lays rays be there between us like well like well eke ke this alley is between us now Id rd have bave as much chance getting never Diver ver it as I would getting over this galley iney He glanced down at the c story story drop the sliver of pave- pave z tent below Imagine me doing that Be your age Get wise to facts The best thing for both bf f us to do is to forget we ever ever ever- Ml Ah He made a savage gesture Lets talk about something else Al arriet said that quickly almost i Lets talk about you peeping at ate atme me e on my roof here this summer L Lets Let's ts t's talk taIk about you waiting down- down J hairs irs to introduce yourself as the ther r peeper Lets Let's talk about the places y Iva ie e have been together the things jre e have done Lets Let's talk about our fleeting up here with the alley be- be een us in the evening Lets Let's talk I pout pout- Her voice stopped for a I foment on an odd sharp gasp ets et's talk about the big ape ng g from the city zoo this afternoon t tet's ts t's Ape escaping from the zoo alph pell stood tall and slender the night I haven't heard any- any hing g about it Youre You're sure You You probably missed it Hariet Har- Har Hart Hari I. I iet i t laughed a little shrilly The pe is big and black and ferocious I certainly wouldn't like to meet n up here on my roof alone with i ib O one here to help me Goodness She shivered aud- aud bly No No chance of that There was used tolerance in his grin The I k apes ape's probably back in his zoo cage and glad gIad to get away from humans And I 1 didn't peep at you on your roof I 1 looked It cant can't be a crime to look at softness and beauty and sweetness with so much hardness and ugliness and bitterness in the world It cant can't be a crime for a aAb a- a Ah Ab Lets Let's talk about the ape he finished quickly harshly Well Vell I like that Harriet laughed She moved away from the parapet parapet parapet para para- pet small and shapely in the night against the sky Im cold Ill I'll have to get a wrap Dont Don't go away Ill I'll be back in a minute She ran Ralph Pell watched her cross the flat fiat roof of the other building to the small structure that housed the stairway It was about forty II III I For a moment he was drifting down through the black Normand night a huge silk dome above him bracing himself for the blast fron the ground the numbing shock a bullets striking His artificial foot struck the other othel parapet and slipped off He fell feU There was a quick taking breath drop toward the pavement eight floors down then his ant arnt struck brick Brown fingers curled curIe over a sharp edge gripping Strait came on the arm as he stopped the fall fan and his weight all but tore hi his hig fingers loose Small sharp sound sounds came from his lips and he got hi his hh good leg up hooked the heel over the edge of the parapet then levered lev levered ered the rest of him up He rolled rolle over the parapet top and dropped to the flat gravel roof of the other othel S v r r 1 I r It would never make any difference to me To me you would always be be- be beShe She groped momentarily for a word that would not sting sting- feet away Then he jammed his hands lands down into his trouser pockets pockets pockets pock pock- ets swore softly and kicked at gravel grav grav- el on his own flat roof with his good foot bot balancing himself on the artificial artificial arti- arti limb His eyes were stormy his lips tight Harriet was swell people That made it tough but positive She deserved deserved deserved de de- de- de served a whole man Years or maybe only months or weeks from now shed she'd look back and be glad I that things turned out as they had Shed She'd realize that he was right and maybe shed she'd understand why why and and well well everything It was tough now but but but- H HARRIETS HARRIET'S JARRIET'S T-JARRIET'S small figure appeared appeared appeared ap- ap in the doorway of the stairway shed on the other roof Even as she appeared a strange black shape came between them all but blocking her from his view Then he heard her scream shrill shall and clear in the night Ralph Ralphl The ape apel The impact of the two words drove him forward until his knees struck the edge of the low brick parapet bordering the story eight-story drop into the alley between the two buildings He heard Harriet scream again Shouting for help would be use use- less By the time someone heard and understood and reached the other other other oth oth- er roof It would take many minutes to run downstairs cross to the other building and get to the roof In the meantime Sweat came out on his face as he put his good foot up on the edge of the brick parapet and thrust his lean weight up with the other leg Grunting Grunting Grunting Grunt Grunt- ing with effort he flung himself out over the alley and toward the brick parapet of the other building roof building and his heart beat was shaking him Even as he struck he was up and running toward Harriet and the black shape He came within reach laced fingers fingers fingers fin fin- gers into stiff coarse fur and jerked savagely to drag the black shape away from Harriet The fur yielded with an ease that all but made him fall and he found himself holding the furred black-furred pelt of a small ani ani- mal There was felt sewn to the underside of the pelt and he recognized recognized recognized the thing I Hey I This is the little black blackI bearskin from your apartment I He yelled at Harriet Marne standing before him in the darkness small and quiet Hey You made me jump that that that-I 1 I 1 might have have- have have- I II I knew you wouldn't fall fall fall- couldn't fall Harriet Marne started started started start start- ed laughing and crying at the same time It was just one more jump you had to make make to to prove prove prove-Oh Oh Ralph Her lifted arms were slim and white in the night Ralph Pell dropped the pelt and there was no further need for words |