HELLFLOWER
GEORGE O. SMITH
PYRAMID BOOKS
NEW YORK
[Transcriber's Note: Extensive research did not uncover any
evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
HELLFLOWER
A PYRAMID BOOK
Published by arrangement with Abelard-Schuman, Inc.
Abelard-Schuman edition published 1953
Pyramid edition published November, 1957
Second printing February, 1969
Copyright 1953, by George O. Smith
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
PYRAMID BOOKS are published by Pyramid Publications, Inc.,
444 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, U.S.A.
For Doña
IT LOOKED AS INNOCENT AS A GARDENIA ...
But the Hellflower's perfume turned any woman into any man's woman.The haunting, pungent scent aroused desires too fierce to be slaked byordinary passions—and left its victims burnt-out husks!
Charles Farradyne knew that no woman could resist the Hellflower. YetCarolyn, the girl he wanted above all to possess, smiled when he gaveher the deadly bloom—smiled and inhaled the perfumed poison....
HELLFLOWER is the fantastic story of a lovely woman who was not quitehuman—and of a man who went through heaven and hell to win her.
1
The book had been thrown at Charles Farradyne. Then they had added thecomposing room, the printing press and the final grand black smear ofprinter's ink. So when Howard Clevis located Farradyne working in thefungus fields of Venus four years later, he found a beaten man who nolonger burned with resentment because he was all burned out. Farradynelooked up dully when Clevis came into the squalid rooming house.
"I am Howard Clevis," said the visitor.
"Fine," mumbled Farradyne. "So?" He looked at one of the few whiteshirts in a thousand miles and grunted disapprovingly.
"I've a job for you, Farradyne."
"Who do you want killed?"
"Take it easy. You're the Charles Farradyne who—"
"Who dumped the Semiramide into The Bog, and you're Santa Claus, hereto undo it?"
"This is on the level, Farradyne."
Farradyne laughed shortly, but the sound was all scorn and no humor.While his raw bark was still echoing in the room, Farradyne added,"Drop it, Clevis. With a thousand licensed spacemen handy everywhere,willing to latch onto an honest buck, any man that comes half wayacross Venus to offer Farradyne a job can't be on the level."
Clevis eyed Farradyne calculatingly. "I should think you might enjoythe chance."
"I'm a bum, but I'm no murderer."
"I told you—"
"You've said a lot of nothing. So you came here to offer me a legit?"
"Yes."
"It doesn't look good."
Clevis smiled calmly. He had the air of a man who knew what hewas doing. He was medium tall, a sprinkle of gray in his hair anddetermined lines near the eyes and across the forehead. There wascharacter in his face, but nothing to show whether this character washigh or low. Just strong and no doubt about it. "I'm here, Farradyne,just because of the way it looks. The fact is that I need you. I knowyou're bitter, but—."
"Bitter!" roared Farradyne, getting to his feet and stalking across thewretched little room toward Clevis. "Bitter? My God! They haul me homeon a shutter so they can give me a fair trial before they kick me out.You don't think I like it in this rat hole, do you?"
"No, I don't. But lis