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BORGO PRESS BOOKS BY JOHN RUSSELL FEARN
1,000-Year Voyage: A Science Fiction Novel
Anjani the Mighty: A Lost Race Novel (Anjani #2)
Black Maria, M.A.: A Classic Crime Novel (Black Maria #1)
The Crimson Rambler: A Crime Novel
Don’t Touch Me: A Crime Novel
Dynasty of the Small: Classic Science Fiction Stories
The Empty Coffins: A Mystery of Horror
The Fourth Door: A Mystery Novel
From Afar: A Science Fiction Mystery
Fugitive of Time: A Classic Science Fiction Novel
The G-Bomb: A Science Fiction Novel
The Genial Dinosaur (Herbert the Dinosaur #2)
The Gold of Akada: A Jungle Adventure Novel (Anjani #1)
Here and Now: A Science Fiction Novel
Into the Unknown: A Science Fiction Tale
Last Conflict: Classic Science Fiction Stories
Legacy from Sirius: A Classic Science Fiction Novel
The Man from Hell: Classic Science Fiction Stories
The Man Who Was Not: A Crime Novel
Manton’s World: A Classic Science Fiction Novel
Moon Magic: A Novel of Romance (as Elizabeth Rutland)
The Murdered Schoolgirl: A Classic Crime Novel (Black Maria #2)
One Remained Seated: A Classic Crime Novel (Black Maria #3)
One Way Out: A Crime Novel (with Philip Harbottle)
Pattern of Murder: A Classic Crime Novel
Reflected Glory: A Dr. Castle Classic Crime Novel
Robbery Without Violence: Two Science Fiction Crime Stories
Rule of the Brains: Classic Science Fiction Stories
Shattering Glass: A Crime Novel
The Silvered Cage: A Scientific Murder Mystery
Slaves of Ijax: A Science Fiction Novel
Something from Mercury: Classic Science Fiction Stories
The Space Warp: A Science Fiction Novel
A Thing of the Past (Herbert the Dinosaur #1)
Thy Arm Alone: A Classic Crime Novel (Black Maria #4)
The Time Trap: A Science Fiction Novel
Vision Sinister: A Scientific Detective Thriller
Voice of the Conqueror: A Classic Science Fiction Novel
What Happened to Hammond? A Scientific Mystery
Within That Room!: A Classic Crime Novel
THE GOLDEN AMAZON SAGA
1. World Beneath Ice
2. Lord of Atlantis
3. Triangle of Power
4. The Amethyst City
5. Daughter of the Amazon
6. Quorne Returns
7. The Central Intelligence
8. The Cosmic Crusaders
9. Parasite Planet
10. World Out of Step
11. The Shadow People
12. Kingpin Planet
13. World in Reverse
14. Dwellers in Darkness
15. World in Duplicate
16. Lords of Creation
17. Duel with Colossus
18. Standstill Planet
19. Ghost World
20. Earth Divided
21. Chameleon Planet (with Philip Harbottle)
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Copyright © 1947 by John Russell Fearn
Copyright © 2007 by Philip Harbottle
Published by Wildside Press LLC
www.wildsidebooks.com
DEDICATION
To “Brooky” (Edwy Searles Brooks)
CHAPTER ONE
To refer to Betty Shapley as the ‘belle of the village’ might suggest a touch of the 1890s—yet what else can one call an attractive young lady revelling in the fact that she has three susceptible young men all hovering to respond to her slightest wish? Neither ‘siren’ nor ‘vamp’ could be applied to Betty. She had not the background to justify either term. One does not expect to find a sultry seducer behind the prosaic counter of a general store, or handing out stamps, cigarettes, or matches with an air of perfunctory detachment. So ‘belle of the village’ it must be.
Langhorn village had seen Betty Shapley mature from a very tiresome shrieking child with blonde pigtails into a robust schoolgirl receiving her education—thanks to her winning a scholarship—at Roseway College two and a half miles beyond the village. This process, under the omnipotent eye of Miss Maria Black, M.A., had eliminated the tendency to shriek.
Imperceptibly, Betty had grown up. Her pigtails had gone, and her frocks were decorously lengthened. Schooldays were gone. She had assumed the position of sub-post-mistress in the general store-cum-post-office owned by her father. The title was purely arbitrary, since in it she included serving tobacco, together with confectionery and green groceries. She felt it was a comedown after her education.
Betty did not like postal work, and she hated routine. But Joseph Shapley had his own ideas concerning his daughter’s future—Roseway education notwithstanding.… So, being but nineteen and fully realizing that Nature had been generous to her face and figure, Betty did the natural thing—she opened her blue eyes wide in innocent appeal to every young man who bought cigarettes or chocolates. She cultivated a fluttering charm, and would often have difficulty in replacing the big covers on the toffee jars. This line always worked,
