The Veiled Lady Read Free Page A

chair, blowing smoke toward the ceiling. "I suppose you've heard the other stories about our Veiled Lady?"

    Karl said, "If you think we came to search for the mysterious treasure of , Colonel, let me put your mind at ease. We don't believe hi such nonsense."

    "Many people do, however," the colonel told them. "Which is one reason I know how treacherous is. Dangerous and difficult for the best of men. Two parties in the past decade have made a try for that treasure. No one ever returned from either attempt."

    "We're not anthropologists or folklore collectors," said the slender blonde girl. "We're only interested in what really may exist in the volcano, in life-forms we can study and classify. The legends about sacrifices of maidens and gold and jewels in the dim past don't interest us at all."

    Gesturing at the file in Colonel Weeks's hands, Karl said, "You'll notice Jan has been in a good many rough and out-of-the-way places, Colonel. She's never let the real hazards of a place get the best of her. She's certainly never been much worried about local superstitions."

    Jan Love said, "If I start believing in the legend of a fabulous treasure, I may even come to believe in this jungle bogey man of yours."

    "In what?" asked Colonel Weeks.

    "In the legend of this undying mystery man who skulks around the jungle," said Jan. "What is it they call him? The Phantom?"

    "Yes, the Phantom," said Karl. "You find similar naive beliefs in many parts of the world?'

    The colonel watched both of them for a moment before he grinned. "No doubt," he said, closing the file. After clearing his throat, he continued, "I'm in sympathy with your intentions, Doctor Love.
    However, I'm very much afraid I can't allow you to explore ."

    8

    Karl half-rose out of his chair. "You mean you'll try to prevent us from flying into that volcano?"

    "Yes. The Jungle Patrol has all the licensing authority for the area," the colonel pointed out. "I'm re-fusing permission. Sorry."

    Jan ran a finger along her cheek. "I think I know why, Colonel."

    "Oh, so?"

    "It's because I'm a woman, isn't it?"

    Colonel Weeks cleared his throat once more. "Well, yes, in a way. I'm really thinking of your safety, Doctor Love. is too dangerous-much too dangerous-for a girl."

    "Yes, I've heard that before." Jan left her chair, and moved to face the colonel across his desk. "If I were a man then, you'd permit us to fly into the volcano?"

    "Well," said the colonel, meeting the lovely biologist's eyes. "I'd still advise against it, but, yes, the license would be granted."

    There was a silence and in it they all heard the crack of shots out on the rifle range.

    "Suppose," said Jan suddenly, "I prove I'm as capable as the average man of taking care of myself.
    Will you give us the darn license then?"

    "I hadn't thought of putting you to a test, Doctor Love," said Colonel Weeks, grinning, a little puzzled. "However, I suppose I'm open to being convinced. What exactly did you have in mind?"

    Jan straightened, jerked a thumb at the window. "Let's go outside. I'll show you, Colonel."

    The slender blonde girl removed a thick rubber band from between the pages of her black notebook.
    After tossing the notebook to Karl, she pulled back her hair and used the elastic to hold it in place.
    "Okay," she announced, "I'll take my turn now if I may."

    They were standing out in the hot afternoon, at the shooting end of the Jungle Patrol target range.
    Dry, brown scrub grass grew around the fenced-in area and some kind of tiny imperturbable insects hovered in the air all about.

    The half-dozen young recruits who'd been using the range stood in a semi-circle a short distance from Jan, Karl, and the commander. They were watching the girl, and talking among themselves.

    Down at the rack end of the range, a brown, balding Jungle Patrol corporal was tacking up fresh targets. When he had finished he crunched away off the gravel, then waved a hand at the colonel.

    Colonel Weeks had let his pipe