He said: "To kill you would be like opening the cell door for a
lifer. You know what you are while you're alive; maybe you'd forget
if you were dead. I--"

He ceased, fiddling absently with the dull-colored weapon on his
knee; and for a while they remained silent, not looking at each
other. And when Drene spoke again he was still intent upon the
automatic.

"If I knew what happens after a man dies I could act intelligently."
He shot an ugly look at Graylock: "I don't know about you, either.
You're a rat. But you might fool me at that. You might be repentant.
And in that case you'd get away--if it's true that the eleventh hour
is not too late. . . . If it's true that Christ is merciful. . . .
So I'll take no chances of a getaway. You might fool me--one way or
another--if you were dead."

Graylock lifted his head from his hands: "I don't know how much of
the other debt I've already paid, Drene. But I've paid heavily since
I knew her--if that is any satisfaction to you. And since I knew she
cared for you, and when I realized that you meant to strike me
through her--I have paid, heavily. . . . Yet, if you were honestly
in love with her--"

"Is that any of your damned business?"

"She's only a child--"

"You rat! That's what's coming to you!"