September 24, 2025 • 19 mins
Join us as we explore three captivating science fiction tales by the legendary Frank Herbert. In this episode, we dive into Missing Link, originally published in Astounding SF in 1959; Operation Haystack, also from Astounding SF in the same year; and Old Rambling House, which graced the pages of Galaxy SF in 1958. Immerse yourself in these imaginative narratives, brought to life by Phil Chenevert.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Old rambling House by Frank Herbert. This LibriVox recording is
in the public domain. Recording by Phil Chinevert Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
On his last night on Earth, tag Graham stepped out
of a glass walled telephone booth, ducked to avoid a
(00:20):
swooping moth that battered itself in a frenzy against a
bare globe above the booth. Tag Graham was a long
necked man with a head of pronounced egg shape topped
by prematurely bawling sandy hair. Something about his lanky, intense
appearance suggested his occupation certified public accountant. He stopped behind
(00:43):
his wife, who was studying a newspaper classified page, and frowned.
They said, to wait here, they'll come get us, said,
the places hard to find at night. Martha Graham looked
up from the newspaper. She was a doll faced woman,
heavily pregnant, a kind of pink prettiness about her. The
(01:05):
yellow glow from the light above the booth subdued the
red auburn cast of her ponytail hair. I just have
to be in a house when the baby's born, she said,
What did they sound like? I don't know. There was
a funny kind of interruption, like an argument in some
foreign language. Do they sound foreign in a way? He
(01:30):
motioned along the night shrouded line of trailers toward one
with two windows glowing amber. Let's wait inside. These bugs
out here are fierce. Did you tell them which trailer
is ours? Yes? They didn't sound anxious at all to
look at it. That's odd them wanting to trade their
(01:51):
house for a trailer. There's nothing odd about it. They've
probably just got itchy feet like we did. He appeared
not to hear her. Funniest sounding language you ever heard
when that argument started, like a squirt of noise inside
the trailer. Ted Graham sat down on the green couch
(02:13):
that opened into a double bed for company. They could
use a good tax accountant around here, he said. When
I first saw the place, I got that definite feeling.
The valley looks prosperous. It's a wonder nobody's opened an
office here before. His wife took a straight chair by
the counter separating kitchen and living area, folded her hands
(02:35):
across her heavy stomach. I'm just continental tired of wheels
going around under me, she said, I want to sit
and stare at the same view for the rest of
my life. I don't know how a trailer ever seemed
glamorous when it was The inheritance gave us itchy feet,
he said, tires gritted on gravel outside. The Graham straightened.
(03:01):
Could that be them? Awful quick? If it is. He
went to the door and opened it. Stared down at
the man who was just raising a hand to knock.
Are you mister, Graham asked the man. Yes, he found
himself staring at the collar. I'm Clint Rush. You called
(03:22):
about the house. The man moved farther into the light.
At first, he seemed an old man, fine wrinkled, the
lines in his face a tired leather looked to his skin.
But as he moved his head in the light, the
wrinkles seemed to dissolve, and with them the years lifted
from him. Yes, we called, said Ted Graham. He stood aside.
(03:49):
Do you want to look at the trailer now? Martha
Graham crossed to stand beside her husband. We've kept it
in awfully good shape, she said, We've never let anything
gets seriously wrong with it. She sounds too anxious, thought
Ted Graham. I wish you'd let me do the talking
for the two of us. We can come back and
(04:10):
look at your trailer tomorrow in daylight, said Rush. My
car is right out here if you'd like to see
our house. Ted Graham hesitated. He felt a nagging worry
tug in his mind. Tried to fix his attention on
what bothered him. Hadn't we better take our car? He asked,
(04:30):
we could follow you, No need, said Rush. We're coming
back into town tonight. Anyway we can drop you off then,
Ted Graham nodded, be right with you as soon as
I lock up. Inside the car, Rush mumbled introductions. His
wife was a dark shadow in the front seat, her
(04:50):
hair drawn back in a severe bun. Her features suggested
gipsy blood. He called her ray me odd name, thought
Ted Graham, and he noticed that she too, gave that
strange first impression of age that melted in a shift
of light. Missus Rush turned her gipsy features toward Martha Graham.
(05:13):
You are going to have a baby, It came out
as an odd, veiled statement. Abruptly, the car rolled forward.
Martha Graham said, it's supposed to be born in about
two months. We hope it's a boy. Missus Rush looked
at her husband. I have changed my mind, she said,
(05:34):
Rush spoke, without taking his attention from the road. It
is too He broke off, spoke in a tumble of
strange sounds. Ted Graham recognized it as the language he'd
heard on the telephone. Missus Rush answered in the same tongue,
anger showing in the intensity of her voice. Her husband replied,
(05:56):
his voice calmer presently, Missus Rushrush fell moodily silent. Rush
tipped his head toward the rear of the car. My
wife has moments when she does not want to get
rid of the old house. It has been with her
for many years. Ted Graham said, oh, then, are you Spanish?
(06:21):
Rush hesitated, No, we are a bosque. He turned the
car down a well lighted avenue that merged into a highway.
He turned onto a side road. There followed more turns left, right, right.
Ted Graham lost track. They hit a jolting bump that
made Martha gasp. I hope that wasn't too rough on you, said, Rush,
(06:45):
We're almost there. The car swung into a lane, its
lights picking out the skeleton outlines of trees, peculiar trees, tall, gaunt,
leafless they added to Ted Graham's feeling of uneasiness. The
lane dipped ended at a low wall of a house,
(07:07):
red brick, with celestory windows beneath overhanging eaves. The effect
of the wall and a wide beamed door they could
see to the left was ultra modern. Ted Graham helped
his wife out of the car, follow the Rushes to
the door. I thought you told me it was an
old house, he said. It was designed by one of
(07:30):
the first modernists, said Rush. He fumbled with an odd
curved key. The wide door swung open onto a hallway
equally wide, carpeted by a deep piled rug back a
glimpse floor to ceiling view windows at the end of
the hall city lights beyond. Martha Graham gasped entered the
(07:52):
hall as though in a trance. Ted Graham followed, heard
the door close behind them. It sows, oh so big,
exclaimed Martha Graham. You want to trade this for our trailer,
asked Tag Graham. It's too inconvenient for us, said Rush.
(08:13):
My work is over the mountains on the coast. He shrugged.
We cannot sell it. Tag Graham looked at him sharply,
isn't there any money around here. He had a sudden
vision of a tax accountant with no customers, plenty of money,
but no real estate customers. They entered the living room.
(08:35):
Sectional divans lined the walls. Subdued lighting glowed from the corners.
Two paintings hung on the opposite walls oblongs of odd
lines and twists that made Tag Graham dizzy. Warning bells
clamored in his mind. Martha Graham crossed to the windows,
(08:56):
looked at the lights far away below. I had no
idea We climbed that for she said, It's like a
fairy city. Missus. Rush emitted a sharp, nervous laugh. Taed
Graham glanced around the room. Thought, if the rest of
the house is like this, it's worth fifty or sixty thousand.
(09:19):
He thought of the trailer, a good one, but not
worth more than seven thousand. Uneasiness was like a neon
sign flashing in his mind. This seems so, he shook
his head. Would you like to see the rest of
the house, asked Rush. Martha Graham turned from the window.
(09:39):
Oh yes, tag Graham shrugged. No harm in looking, he thought.
When they returned to the living room, Tag Graham had
doubled his previous estimate on the house's value. His brain
reeled with the summing of it. A solarium with an
entire ceiling covered by sun lamps, an automatic laundry where
(10:01):
you drop soil clothing down a chute took it washed
and ironed from the other end. Perhaps you and your
wife would like to discuss it in private, said Rush.
We will leave you for a moment, and they were
gone before Ted Graham could protest. Martha Graham said, Ted,
I honestly never in my life dreamed something's very wrong, honey.
(10:27):
But Ted, this house is worth at least one hundred
thousand dollars, maybe more, and they want to trade this.
He looked around him for a seven thousand dollars trailer. Ted,
they're foreigners, and if they're so foolish they don't know
the value of this place, then why should I don't
(10:49):
like it? He said again, He looked around the room,
recall the fantastic equipment of the house. But maybe you're right.
Stilled out of the city lights, they had a lace
like quality, tall buildings linked by lines of flickering incandescence,
(11:09):
something like a Roman candle shot skyward in the distance. Okay,
he said, if they want to trade, let's go push
the deal. Abruptly, the house shuddered, the city lights blinked out.
A humming sound filled the air. Martha Graham clutched her
husband's arm, ted, what was that? I don't know, he turned,
(11:34):
mister Rush. No answer, only the humming. The door at
the end of the room opened. A strange man came through.
He wore a short, toga like garment of gray metallic cloth,
belted at the waist by something that glittered and shimmered
through every color of the spectrum. An aura of coldness
(11:58):
and power emanated from him, a sense of untouchable hauteur.
He glanced around the room spoke in the same tongue
the Rushes had used. Tay Graham said, I don't understand you, mister.
The man put a hand to his flickering belt. Both
(12:18):
Tad and Martha Graham felt themselves rooted to the floor,
a tingling sensation vibrating along every nerve. Again, the strange
language rolled from the man's tongue, but now the words
were understood. Who are you? My name's Graham, This is
my wife. What's going? How did you get here? The
(12:43):
Rushes they wanted to trade us this house for our
trailer they brought us. Now look we what is your talent?
Your occupation tax? The countant say, why all these? That
was to be expected, said the man. Clever, Oh, clever.
His hand moved again to the belt. Now be very quiet,
(13:07):
this may confuse you. Momentarily, cauter lights filled both the
Graham's mines. They staggered. You are qualified, said the man.
You will serve. Where are we demanded Martha Graham. The
coordinates would not be intelligible to you, he said. I
(13:29):
am of the Rojack. It is sufficient for you to
know that you are under Roejack sovereignty. Ted Graham said,
but you have in a way been kidnapped, and the
Rams have fled to your planet, an unregistered planet. I
am afraid, Martha Graham said, shakily. You have nothing to fear,
(13:51):
said the man. You are no longer on the planet
of your birth, nor even in the same galaxy. He
glanced at Ted Graham wrist. That device on your wrist.
It tells your local time. Yes, that will help in
the search and your son. Can you describe its atomic cycle?
(14:13):
Ted Graham groped in his mind for his science memories
from school. From the Sunday supplements, I can recall that
our galaxy is a spiral, like most galaxies are spiral.
Is this some kind of a practical joke, asked Ted Graham.
(14:33):
The man smiled a cold, superior smile. It is no joke.
Now I will make you a proposition. Ted nodded wearily.
All right, let's have the stinger. The people who brought
you here were tax collectors we rojack recruited from a
(14:55):
subject planet. They were conditioned to make it impossible for
them to leave their job untended. Unfortunately, they were clever
enough to realize that if they brought someone else in
who could do their job, they were released from their
mental bonds. Very clever. But you may have their job,
(15:18):
said the man. Normally you would be put to work
in the lower echalons, but we believe in meeting out
justice wherever possible. The Rams undoubtedly stumbled on your planet
by accident and lure you into this position without How
do you know I can do your job? That moment
of brilliance was an aptitude test you passed. Well, do
(15:42):
you accept? What about our baby Martha? Graham warrily wanted
to know, you will be allowed to keep it until
it reaches the age of decision, about the time it
will take the child to reach adult stature. Then, what
insisted Mortha Graham, The child will take its position in
(16:03):
society according to its ability. Will we ever see our
child after that? Possibly, Taed Graham said, what's the joker
in this? Again? The cold superior smile. You will receive
conditioning similar to that which we gave the Rummies, and
(16:26):
we will want to examine your memories to aid us
in our search for your planet. It would be good
to find a new inhabitable place. Why do they drap
us like this, asked Martha Graham. It's lonely work. The
man explained. Your house is actually a type of space
conveyance that travels along your collection route, and there is
(16:49):
much travel to the job, and then you will not
have friends nor time for much other than work. Our
methods are necessarily severe at timesimes travel, Martha Graham repeated
in dismay, almost constantly. Ted Graham felt his mind whirling,
(17:11):
and behind him he heard his wife sobbing. The Ramis
sat in what had been the Graham's trailer for a
few moments, I feared he would not succumb to the bait.
She said, I knew you could never overcome the mental
compulsion enough to leave them there without their first agreeing
Remy chuckled, Yes, And now I'm going to indulge in
(17:37):
everything the road Jack never permitted. I'm going to write
ballads and poems, and I'm going to paint. She said, Oh,
the delicious freedom greed won this for us. He said.
The long study of the grams paid off. They couldn't
(17:57):
refuse the trade. He knew they'd agree. The looks in
their eyes when they saw the house they both had.
She broke off, a look of horror coming into her eyes.
One of them did not agree. They both did. You
heard them the baby, he stared at his wife. But
(18:20):
but it is not at the age of decision. In
perhaps eighteen of this planet's years, it will be at
the age of decision. What then, His shoulders sagged. He shuddered.
I will not be able to fight it off. I
(18:42):
will have to build a transmitter called the Roejack and confess,
and they will collect another inhabitable place. She said, her
voice flat and toneless. I've spoiled it, he said, I've
spoiled it. End of Old Rambling House by Frank Herbert.
(19:08):
End of three science fiction stories by Frank Herbert. This
recording was by Phil Schinevert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I
certainly hope you enjoyed it.
Old rambling House by Frank Herbert. This LibriVox recording is
in the public domain. Recording by Phil Chinevert Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
On his last night on Earth, tag Graham stepped out
of a glass walled telephone booth, ducked to avoid a
(00:20):
swooping moth that battered itself in a frenzy against a
bare globe above the booth. Tag Graham was a long
necked man with a head of pronounced egg shape topped
by prematurely bawling sandy hair. Something about his lanky, intense
appearance suggested his occupation certified public accountant. He stopped behind
(00:43):
his wife, who was studying a newspaper classified page, and frowned.
They said, to wait here, they'll come get us, said,
the places hard to find at night. Martha Graham looked
up from the newspaper. She was a doll faced woman,
heavily pregnant, a kind of pink prettiness about her. The
(01:05):
yellow glow from the light above the booth subdued the
red auburn cast of her ponytail hair. I just have
to be in a house when the baby's born, she said,
What did they sound like? I don't know. There was
a funny kind of interruption, like an argument in some
foreign language. Do they sound foreign in a way? He
(01:30):
motioned along the night shrouded line of trailers toward one
with two windows glowing amber. Let's wait inside. These bugs
out here are fierce. Did you tell them which trailer
is ours? Yes? They didn't sound anxious at all to
look at it. That's odd them wanting to trade their
(01:51):
house for a trailer. There's nothing odd about it. They've
probably just got itchy feet like we did. He appeared
not to hear her. Funniest sounding language you ever heard
when that argument started, like a squirt of noise inside
the trailer. Ted Graham sat down on the green couch
(02:13):
that opened into a double bed for company. They could
use a good tax accountant around here, he said. When
I first saw the place, I got that definite feeling.
The valley looks prosperous. It's a wonder nobody's opened an
office here before. His wife took a straight chair by
the counter separating kitchen and living area, folded her hands
(02:35):
across her heavy stomach. I'm just continental tired of wheels
going around under me, she said, I want to sit
and stare at the same view for the rest of
my life. I don't know how a trailer ever seemed
glamorous when it was The inheritance gave us itchy feet,
he said, tires gritted on gravel outside. The Graham straightened.
(03:01):
Could that be them? Awful quick? If it is. He
went to the door and opened it. Stared down at
the man who was just raising a hand to knock.
Are you mister, Graham asked the man. Yes, he found
himself staring at the collar. I'm Clint Rush. You called
(03:22):
about the house. The man moved farther into the light.
At first, he seemed an old man, fine wrinkled, the
lines in his face a tired leather looked to his skin.
But as he moved his head in the light, the
wrinkles seemed to dissolve, and with them the years lifted
from him. Yes, we called, said Ted Graham. He stood aside.
(03:49):
Do you want to look at the trailer now? Martha
Graham crossed to stand beside her husband. We've kept it
in awfully good shape, she said, We've never let anything
gets seriously wrong with it. She sounds too anxious, thought
Ted Graham. I wish you'd let me do the talking
for the two of us. We can come back and
(04:10):
look at your trailer tomorrow in daylight, said Rush. My
car is right out here if you'd like to see
our house. Ted Graham hesitated. He felt a nagging worry
tug in his mind. Tried to fix his attention on
what bothered him. Hadn't we better take our car? He asked,
(04:30):
we could follow you, No need, said Rush. We're coming
back into town tonight. Anyway we can drop you off then,
Ted Graham nodded, be right with you as soon as
I lock up. Inside the car, Rush mumbled introductions. His
wife was a dark shadow in the front seat, her
(04:50):
hair drawn back in a severe bun. Her features suggested
gipsy blood. He called her ray me odd name, thought
Ted Graham, and he noticed that she too, gave that
strange first impression of age that melted in a shift
of light. Missus Rush turned her gipsy features toward Martha Graham.
(05:13):
You are going to have a baby, It came out
as an odd, veiled statement. Abruptly, the car rolled forward.
Martha Graham said, it's supposed to be born in about
two months. We hope it's a boy. Missus Rush looked
at her husband. I have changed my mind, she said,
(05:34):
Rush spoke, without taking his attention from the road. It
is too He broke off, spoke in a tumble of
strange sounds. Ted Graham recognized it as the language he'd
heard on the telephone. Missus Rush answered in the same tongue,
anger showing in the intensity of her voice. Her husband replied,
(05:56):
his voice calmer presently, Missus Rushrush fell moodily silent. Rush
tipped his head toward the rear of the car. My
wife has moments when she does not want to get
rid of the old house. It has been with her
for many years. Ted Graham said, oh, then, are you Spanish?
(06:21):
Rush hesitated, No, we are a bosque. He turned the
car down a well lighted avenue that merged into a highway.
He turned onto a side road. There followed more turns left, right, right.
Ted Graham lost track. They hit a jolting bump that
made Martha gasp. I hope that wasn't too rough on you, said, Rush,
(06:45):
We're almost there. The car swung into a lane, its
lights picking out the skeleton outlines of trees, peculiar trees, tall, gaunt,
leafless they added to Ted Graham's feeling of uneasiness. The
lane dipped ended at a low wall of a house,
(07:07):
red brick, with celestory windows beneath overhanging eaves. The effect
of the wall and a wide beamed door they could
see to the left was ultra modern. Ted Graham helped
his wife out of the car, follow the Rushes to
the door. I thought you told me it was an
old house, he said. It was designed by one of
(07:30):
the first modernists, said Rush. He fumbled with an odd
curved key. The wide door swung open onto a hallway
equally wide, carpeted by a deep piled rug back a
glimpse floor to ceiling view windows at the end of
the hall city lights beyond. Martha Graham gasped entered the
(07:52):
hall as though in a trance. Ted Graham followed, heard
the door close behind them. It sows, oh so big,
exclaimed Martha Graham. You want to trade this for our trailer,
asked Tag Graham. It's too inconvenient for us, said Rush.
(08:13):
My work is over the mountains on the coast. He shrugged.
We cannot sell it. Tag Graham looked at him sharply,
isn't there any money around here. He had a sudden
vision of a tax accountant with no customers, plenty of money,
but no real estate customers. They entered the living room.
(08:35):
Sectional divans lined the walls. Subdued lighting glowed from the corners.
Two paintings hung on the opposite walls oblongs of odd
lines and twists that made Tag Graham dizzy. Warning bells
clamored in his mind. Martha Graham crossed to the windows,
(08:56):
looked at the lights far away below. I had no
idea We climbed that for she said, It's like a
fairy city. Missus. Rush emitted a sharp, nervous laugh. Taed
Graham glanced around the room. Thought, if the rest of
the house is like this, it's worth fifty or sixty thousand.
(09:19):
He thought of the trailer, a good one, but not
worth more than seven thousand. Uneasiness was like a neon
sign flashing in his mind. This seems so, he shook
his head. Would you like to see the rest of
the house, asked Rush. Martha Graham turned from the window.
(09:39):
Oh yes, tag Graham shrugged. No harm in looking, he thought.
When they returned to the living room, Tag Graham had
doubled his previous estimate on the house's value. His brain
reeled with the summing of it. A solarium with an
entire ceiling covered by sun lamps, an automatic laundry where
(10:01):
you drop soil clothing down a chute took it washed
and ironed from the other end. Perhaps you and your
wife would like to discuss it in private, said Rush.
We will leave you for a moment, and they were
gone before Ted Graham could protest. Martha Graham said, Ted,
I honestly never in my life dreamed something's very wrong, honey.
(10:27):
But Ted, this house is worth at least one hundred
thousand dollars, maybe more, and they want to trade this.
He looked around him for a seven thousand dollars trailer. Ted,
they're foreigners, and if they're so foolish they don't know
the value of this place, then why should I don't
(10:49):
like it? He said again, He looked around the room,
recall the fantastic equipment of the house. But maybe you're right.
Stilled out of the city lights, they had a lace
like quality, tall buildings linked by lines of flickering incandescence,
(11:09):
something like a Roman candle shot skyward in the distance. Okay,
he said, if they want to trade, let's go push
the deal. Abruptly, the house shuddered, the city lights blinked out.
A humming sound filled the air. Martha Graham clutched her
husband's arm, ted, what was that? I don't know, he turned,
(11:34):
mister Rush. No answer, only the humming. The door at
the end of the room opened. A strange man came through.
He wore a short, toga like garment of gray metallic cloth,
belted at the waist by something that glittered and shimmered
through every color of the spectrum. An aura of coldness
(11:58):
and power emanated from him, a sense of untouchable hauteur.
He glanced around the room spoke in the same tongue
the Rushes had used. Tay Graham said, I don't understand you, mister.
The man put a hand to his flickering belt. Both
(12:18):
Tad and Martha Graham felt themselves rooted to the floor,
a tingling sensation vibrating along every nerve. Again, the strange
language rolled from the man's tongue, but now the words
were understood. Who are you? My name's Graham, This is
my wife. What's going? How did you get here? The
(12:43):
Rushes they wanted to trade us this house for our
trailer they brought us. Now look we what is your talent?
Your occupation tax? The countant say, why all these? That
was to be expected, said the man. Clever, Oh, clever.
His hand moved again to the belt. Now be very quiet,
(13:07):
this may confuse you. Momentarily, cauter lights filled both the
Graham's mines. They staggered. You are qualified, said the man.
You will serve. Where are we demanded Martha Graham. The
coordinates would not be intelligible to you, he said. I
(13:29):
am of the Rojack. It is sufficient for you to
know that you are under Roejack sovereignty. Ted Graham said,
but you have in a way been kidnapped, and the
Rams have fled to your planet, an unregistered planet. I
am afraid, Martha Graham said, shakily. You have nothing to fear,
(13:51):
said the man. You are no longer on the planet
of your birth, nor even in the same galaxy. He
glanced at Ted Graham wrist. That device on your wrist.
It tells your local time. Yes, that will help in
the search and your son. Can you describe its atomic cycle?
(14:13):
Ted Graham groped in his mind for his science memories
from school. From the Sunday supplements, I can recall that
our galaxy is a spiral, like most galaxies are spiral.
Is this some kind of a practical joke, asked Ted Graham.
(14:33):
The man smiled a cold, superior smile. It is no joke.
Now I will make you a proposition. Ted nodded wearily.
All right, let's have the stinger. The people who brought
you here were tax collectors we rojack recruited from a
(14:55):
subject planet. They were conditioned to make it impossible for
them to leave their job untended. Unfortunately, they were clever
enough to realize that if they brought someone else in
who could do their job, they were released from their
mental bonds. Very clever. But you may have their job,
(15:18):
said the man. Normally you would be put to work
in the lower echalons, but we believe in meeting out
justice wherever possible. The Rams undoubtedly stumbled on your planet
by accident and lure you into this position without How
do you know I can do your job? That moment
of brilliance was an aptitude test you passed. Well, do
(15:42):
you accept? What about our baby Martha? Graham warrily wanted
to know, you will be allowed to keep it until
it reaches the age of decision, about the time it
will take the child to reach adult stature. Then, what
insisted Mortha Graham, The child will take its position in
(16:03):
society according to its ability. Will we ever see our
child after that? Possibly, Taed Graham said, what's the joker
in this? Again? The cold superior smile. You will receive
conditioning similar to that which we gave the Rummies, and
(16:26):
we will want to examine your memories to aid us
in our search for your planet. It would be good
to find a new inhabitable place. Why do they drap
us like this, asked Martha Graham. It's lonely work. The
man explained. Your house is actually a type of space
conveyance that travels along your collection route, and there is
(16:49):
much travel to the job, and then you will not
have friends nor time for much other than work. Our
methods are necessarily severe at timesimes travel, Martha Graham repeated
in dismay, almost constantly. Ted Graham felt his mind whirling,
(17:11):
and behind him he heard his wife sobbing. The Ramis
sat in what had been the Graham's trailer for a
few moments, I feared he would not succumb to the bait.
She said, I knew you could never overcome the mental
compulsion enough to leave them there without their first agreeing
Remy chuckled, Yes, And now I'm going to indulge in
(17:37):
everything the road Jack never permitted. I'm going to write
ballads and poems, and I'm going to paint. She said, Oh,
the delicious freedom greed won this for us. He said.
The long study of the grams paid off. They couldn't
(17:57):
refuse the trade. He knew they'd agree. The looks in
their eyes when they saw the house they both had.
She broke off, a look of horror coming into her eyes.
One of them did not agree. They both did. You
heard them the baby, he stared at his wife. But
(18:20):
but it is not at the age of decision. In
perhaps eighteen of this planet's years, it will be at
the age of decision. What then, His shoulders sagged. He shuddered.
I will not be able to fight it off. I
(18:42):
will have to build a transmitter called the Roejack and confess,
and they will collect another inhabitable place. She said, her
voice flat and toneless. I've spoiled it, he said, I've
spoiled it. End of Old Rambling House by Frank Herbert.
(19:08):
End of three science fiction stories by Frank Herbert. This
recording was by Phil Schinevert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I
certainly hope you enjoyed it.
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