Shadow on the Sun by Richard Matheson Page B

stared at him, feeling as though he were involved in some bewildering nightmare.
    He drew back a little involuntarily as Dodge moved toward him. He felt the small man’s shaking hand clutch at his arm. “Please,” Dodge said. “
Please.
Take me into custody.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œArrest me. Lock me in the jail,” Dodge begged.
    â€œProfessor, I’m the local Indian agent, I’m not the—”
    â€œTake me to Fort Apache then,” Dodge interrupted. His eyes were brimming tears now. “Hand me over to the cavalry.”
    â€œProfessor, you are going to have to tell me what is going on.”
    â€œI
can’t
!” Dodge cried in agony. “There isn’t time! I have to be protected or—”
    He stopped abruptly.
    â€œOr?” Finley said.
    â€œPlease take me with you,” Dodge said. “When I’m safe, I’ll tell you what it is, I promise you.”
    â€œIt would help if you told me now, Profess—”
    â€œNo! It wouldn’t! There isn’t time!” The little man was weeping now. Finley felt the sense of dark alarm within him growing. Who in God’s name was that man that he could cause such blind terror in everyone he encountered?
    Â 
    As he led the professor out through the front door of the hotel, he started in surprise as Dodge jerked back with a hiss, pulling his arm free and shrinking back into the doorway.
    â€œWhat is it?” Finley asked.
    Dodge couldn’t speak. He made a faint noise of dread as he stared out at the street. Finley looked in that direction and winced.
    Across the street, the man was just dismounting from one of the Corcoran horses. But they had galloped off, Finley thought in confusion. How did the man . . . ?
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” Dodge whispered, terrified.
    Finley drew in a deep, restoring breath. He wasn’t going to let this thing completely spook him, he resolved. He simply wasn’t.
    â€œWe are going to walk to my office, Professor,” he said as calmly as he could. “Then we are going to the stable, get two horses, and ride out of town to Fort Apache.”
    He wondered if Dodge had heard a single word he’d said. The little man could not remove his stricken gaze from the man acrossthe street. Finley looked in that direction. The man was just sitting down in the chair again to watch the hotel.
    â€œCome on,” Finley said, taking hold of Dodge’s arm.
    â€œNo.”
The little man hitched back in blind alarm.
    Finley grimaced with anger. “Professor, I’m going down to my office now. Come with me or stay here alone.”
    Dodge looked at him in a sudden panic. “Don’t leave me,” he begged.
    â€œThen come with me,” Finley said. “I’m not going to stay.”
    He stepped off, glancing back. Dodge hadn’t budged. He was still gaping at the man across the street. Again, Finley looked in that direction. An icy shiver ran up his back.
    The man was looking toward the hotel doorway. Could he see Dodge? Finley wondered.
    He looked back at Dodge, who still stood frozen just inside the hotel doorway.
    â€œProfessor,” he said, “the street is filled with people. The man isn’t going to go after you with all these people around.”
    He glanced around. There weren’t that many, he saw. He wasn’t going to tell Dodge that, however. “Come on,” he said, “I’m going now.”
    â€œWait,” Dodge pleaded pathetically.
    He came out slowly, pretending that he didn’t know the man was across the street. Finley glanced aside, stiffening as he saw the man rise suddenly. Jesus, was he going to approach Dodge anyway?
    He grabbed the professor’s arm and started leading him toward the office.
    â€œJust walk smoothly,” he said. He had to force himself not to glance across the street. Not that he’d know what to do if the man was crossing