Chelsea Quinn Yarbro - Time of the Fourth Horseman

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None of the kids who surrounded Natalie were more than fifteen. They were dressed in standard, tattered clothes, and nothing but the feral light in their eyes revealed their intent. One of them, a little taller than the others, was the first to speak. “Where you going, lady?â€

TIME OF THE FOURTH HORSEMAN

Copyright © 1976 by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without permission in writing from the publisher.

All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

An ACE Book

This ACE printing: November 1981

Published simultaneously in Canada

Printed in U.S.A.

 

This is for my friend
Tom Scortia
for his
in-
as-
and per-
sistence

 

F
ROM THE FIRST SIGHT
of the boy, something felt wrong. Natalie bent over him while Gil read off the results of his pulse, temperature, blood pressure, hemoglobin, respiration and the others as they were displayed on the vital signs unit.

“What is it, Nat?â€

 

W
HEN SHE ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL
, the girl Natalie had tested for diphtheria had been transferred. After two phone calls, Natalie knew that there was no way she could locate the child. When she told Gil this, he raised an eyebrow.

“She had diphtheria,â€