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ashion plates。 They were； strangely enough； quite different from the French。 It was not that they were less bizarre； it was not that the models had any more meat on them； it was not that the （bleeping） homos had been any less industrious in trying to make women look awful and thus get the men into their own beds： they were just entirely different。 The American gays were pushing The Marionette Look。 The magazine was even full of little side sketches showing marionettes with their legs all tangled up and crossed and bending the wrong way and the strings strangling them。
〃Dearie； I see you're studying fashions。〃 A new voice。 Krak looked sideways at her seat panion。 The speaker was a blowzy blonde of about forty； with peroxided hair。 〃I can see it's about time！〃 She smiled。 〃I'm Mamie Boomp； heading back to the Big Apple and bright lights。 Who're you？〃
That's what I like about American travellers。 Very direct。 No beating around the bush。
〃I'm supposed to be Joy Krackle；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃How do you do？〃
〃Well； I'm doing quite all right； thank you； after a star tour of the hot spots of the Middle East。 I'm a famous singer。 The Arabs loaded me with loot and I'm on my way back to God's Country to spend it。 Jesus Christ； I don't think I'll get in another bed for a year！ But； honey； you look like you got caught in a camel crash。〃
〃Really？〃
〃Yeah； them clothes；〃 said Mamie Boomp with a contemptuous wave at Krak's cloak。 〃Where'd you get such rags？〃
〃I was held captive for three years in a fortress；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃They stole all my clothes。〃
〃No （bleep）？〃 said Mamie。 〃Jesus Christ； them （bleeped） Arabs will do anything。 Much as a girl's life is worth to leave the U。 S。 of A。 these days。 I can see you need some coaching if you let them get away with that！ You got to keep your wits about you。 Same thing almost happened to me in Morocco。 But I told the king； I said； 'Listen； Buster； if you don't e across with a few diamonds； I'll not just amputate your （bleeps）； I'll cut off your American aid。' He can't exist without American aid so he just filled my pockets up with the old glitter and let me go。 Look； here's one of them yet！〃
She showed Krak a huge diamond ring； nestling amongst many others on her puffy hand。 〃Diamonds are a girl's best friend；〃 she added。
〃Are emeralds and rubies also very valuable on this planet？〃 said the Countess。
〃You said it； baby。 Mind if I help you with that fashion mag and show you what really puts the beasts in heat？〃
Suddenly a chill like the Arctic wind coursed through me。 I abruptly had a vivid recollection！ The Countess Krak's sudden burst of affection！ The pletely out…of…character kiss on my cheek！
Sleight of hand！ She was an expert at it。 She had trained magicians by the score！ All she had to do was unhook the clasp with one hand and catch it as it fell into the other！
Conviction！ The Countess Krak had the emerald locket！
It all added up。 She had made sure in her hypnotic implant that I would let her take away anything she wanted！ She had been so concerned about her appearance when she first met Heller。
I knew exactly what she intended to do now。 She would land in New York。 She would buy a truckload of clothes。 And she would pay for them with the locket！ With Utanc's fifty…thousand…dollar locket that I could not hope to replace！
Oh； it was true she was a criminal！ I immediately believed her police record down to the last dot！ A thief！
Chapter 5
Torn between rage and despair； I was an unwilling participant in that flight。
Fashions； fashions； fashions。 Clothes； clothes； clothes。 Up the snow…banked Danube far below； fashions； fashions； fashions and clothes； clothes； clothes。 Across the Alps and Germany and through the Brussels change； fashions； fashions； fashions and clothes； clothes； clothes。 Across the tip of England and above Atlantic storms； fashions； fashions； fashions and clothes； clothes； clothes。 They even neglected their lunch…the Countess Krak because she couldn't figure how to eat it and Mamie Boomp because she was getting too fat and could no longer get into some of her fashions； fashions； fashions and clothes； clothes； clothes。
They had taken time out now and then to exchange theatrical experiences。 They had both been on the stage。 And I also had to suffer through some items from Countess Krak that would have been flagrant Code breaks if Mamie Boomp had not gotten the idea that Atalanta was Atlantic City and Voltar was a place just outside of Peoria； Illinois。
At length； Mamie said； 〃Now that we have got it all laid out even down to the organdy sea…green negligees； dearie； I still get the sneaking hunch you're not entirely happy about it。 You got some problem you ain't telling Mamie？〃
〃Well； yes；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃I'm going to meet my man； you see。 He's been on this planet for months all by himself。 He's the handsomest； most gorgeous man you'd ever hope to see。 You get some idea when I tell you that his sister is considered one of the best…looking women in the whole Confederacy。〃
〃Ah； yah；〃 said Mamie Boomp。 〃One of them 'you all' southern belles。〃
〃And he's considered one of the best…looking officers in the whole Fleet。 For months he's undoubtedly been waist deep in the most beautiful and most gorgeously dressed women on the planet。〃
〃Oho； a sailor； eh？ Well； I don't blame you for worrying。 Them Navy officers knock 'em dead。 It's the uniform！〃
〃And that's the problem；〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃If I show up looking like a frump； I'll be playing way at the back of the orchestra from there on out。 He'll ignore me！〃
〃I get it。 That first meeting after the long absence。 Jesus； kid。 That speeds this all up。 I thought we had some time。 You're telling me you got to do it all in a couple of hours before you meet the shore boat。 Jesus； that's tough。 Even a perm takes longer than that！〃 She thought it over； shaking her head。 〃Jesus。 You get just one walk…on and you have to knock 'em from the orchestra seats right out into the lobby。 And out of the balcony as well！ Cripes； that's a tough spot！ No soft music or even an M。 C。 with some funny jokes to give it a buildup。〃 She was very pensive； rolling her diamonds around on her puffy fingers。
Suddenly Mamie dived at the mound of fashion magazines on the floor。 She got out one called Ultra Ultra。 She was thumbing through the ads。 She came to the double centerspread and in triumph pushed it at the Countess Krak。 〃There！ Bonbucks Teller！ They're too rich for my blood but they're one of the top four women's stores in the world。 And they got branches； see？〃 She pointed at the bottom of the posh display ad。 〃There's a branch right at JFK Airport where we're landing！ They got everything and they are fast。 There's just one problem： boy； do they cost the do…re…mi…an arm； a leg and your head！ Have you got the loot； Joy？ I mean； the MONey。〃 She made the money motion with her thumb and two fingers。
〃Money？〃 said the Countess Krak。 〃I've got that all figured out。〃
A new chill took me。 I had been wondering how she could buy so many five…dollar magazines。 Almost not daring to look； I felt in my pockets。
My fingers encountered； in my trousers； the sheaf of credit cards。 I took them out and put them back as a pack： thank Gods； I still had that fatal deck。
I explored further。 I usually kept my wallet in my hip pocket。 I didn't want to reach for it。 One's supply of adrenalin is limited to a finite number of severe shocks and when it is gone one begins to faint。 I risked it。 My wallet？
IT WAS GONE！
Oh； my Gods！ Her sleight of hand must have been up to getting the wallet； too！ The whole nine hundred dollars I had taken from their travel money was missing！
A pickpocket！ The lowest； vilest sort of criminal； the type that even other criminals looked down upon！ Oh； the police record had been right！
The Countess Krak was not only a jewel thief of wanted…poster proportions； she was also a Gods （bleeped） pickpocket！
I was utterly penniless again！
The fatal kiss of the Countess Krak！
Rage gave way t