Jerry vowed no woman would ever entice
him into matrimony. But of course, that was
before Professor Madigan's invention, the—
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy
December 1953
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Jerry Kerran watched the news analyst fade from the screen to bereplaced by a woman who looked directly at him and said, "Listen,girls! Professor Madigan's greatest invention. A new kind of magnetismmore powerful than gravity. Works as a supplement to a naturalmagnetism. Can be controlled—"
Kerran switched off the current. "Women," he growled. "Bah!"
He had three rules concerning woman: a) if she won't stay home and neckon the sofa get rid of her; b) if she will stay home and neck on thesofa suspect her of matrimonial intentions and get rid of her; c) don'tmonkey with her to begin with and avoid the nuisance of bothering withthe first two rules.
He rose to his lanky six feet of height, brushed the unruly red hairout of his eyes, strode to the door and turned the knob. The doorswung wide. He glanced about briefly, then looked down and saw the girl.
She had, he realized, removed her highheels. Ordinarily the top of herplatinum hair came an inch above his shoulders. Not that he was in thehabit of getting close enough to determine this factor accurately, buthe couldn't help seeing her enter and leave the apartment across theway from time to time.
"You knocked?" he said bruskly.
Her head was tilted back, her blue eyes wide. "I need a pound ofsugar," she said. "My pneumatic is out of order. Can't get deliveries."
"You mean, you cook?" He stared in awe.
"I'm making a cake," she breathed, inching closer.
He backed out of the doorway and she entered. Without giving himanother glance, she went to the pneumatic, cut in the phone and ordereda pound of sugar. She turned back to him.
"It shouldn't be a minute. I'll wait—if you don't mind."
He had tried to keep himself from studying her. Despite this, hiseyes told him that her figure was just about perfect and as both acounteraction and a stimulant to the mounting tension in him, her smilewas surprisingly bright and full. There was little danger of the flavorof her warpaint confusing a man. She wore little, if any. Her brightlips and cheeks seemed to need no added color.
"Don't bother to stand," she said considerately. She waited until hehad lowered himself to the couch, then dropped down beside him, atrifle too close to allow him to put his mind on other things.
"I hope I haven't troubled you." Her hand brushed his.
"Not at all." He drew his hand away.
"From the looks of your side-board," she went on cheerily, "you werejust getting ready to mix a drink. I'm an expert. Shall I mix a couple?"
He resisted the inclination to rise when she did, and deliberately kepthis eyes from following her. He snatched up the paper, rustled itnoisily and tried to concentrate on the headlines.
Two things distracted him. One was the faint scent of perfume and theother was the chinking of ice and glasses. He put the paper aside,tried to put his mind on distant things. This soon palled. He was aboutto get up and pace the floor when she returned and handed him a coolglass.
"Thanks," he said and leaned back.
She sat down again, so close that her shoulder brushed his. Heedged over against the arm of the couch, putting an inch of spacebetween them, glanced sidelong at her, and drank. He rolled his eyesceiling-ward, smacked his lips and drank again.
"What did you put