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our visit. They seem very cordial."
"Good, Sartan. Let us continue."
One hundred yards further they were confronted by still another brace of signs. They stopped once more.
CITY LIMITS (Gambling allowed)
JUBILATION! WHERE TROUBLES never come due, 'cause the Good Lord takes a likin' to YOU!
Where gloom and doom are outlawed and there's never any sadness.
Where a smile lights up the midnight sky and gives off only gladness!
(Gambling allowed)
The second sign was another in the shape of a horseshoe.
BEYOND THIS POINT YOU HAVE 4372 FRIENDS YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE!!!
(Gambling allowed)
Suddenly Toryl stopped and played with several switches and dials on the crypterpreter.
"What is wrong, Brother?" asked the puzzled Sartan.
"I receive no direct translation for the term 'gambling'."
"What is the closest term the machine gives?"
"Fraternizing."
Sartan laughed. "Now it is you who fret, Toryl. According to the signpost legends 'fraternizing' would seem to be accurate."
* * * * *
A steady rolling sound of passionless one-armed bandits drowned out all other noise in Okie's Oasis Bar. As a result, Toryl and Sartan drew little attention when they entered. Except for their blue-metallic space suits they looked like and were ordinary humans.
They proceeded rather timidly toward the bar. Okie, the proprietor, was on duty readying the place for the night shift. Toryl held up his hand. The crypterpreter had already informed him that oral conversation was the manner of communication on the strange planet. Such conversation had long ago been abandoned on the planet Capella, but learned men such as Toryl and Sartan were familiar with how it was done, though when they spoke they sometimes had to halt between syllables.
"How-dy!" Toryl flashed a wide grin at the barkeep.
"Just hold your horses there, mister!" was Okie's sharp r