Would it be presumptuous of me to ask how you're going to pay
for them when you're virtually giving your old houses away?"

"I'm afraid it would be, Mr. Myles." She withdrew another paper from the
envelope and handed it to him. "This is the other copy. If you'll kindly
affix your signature to both, we can bring our business to a close. As
you'll notice, I've already signed."

"But if you're going to be incommunicado," Philip pointed out, anger
building up in him despite all he could do to stop it, "what good will
your copy do you?"

Judith's countenance took on a glacial quality. So did her voice. "My
copy will go into the hands of a trusted attorney, sealed in an envelope
which I have already instructed him not to open till five years from
this date. If, at the time it is opened, you have violated the terms of
our agreement, he will institute legal proceedings at once. Fortunately,
although the Valleyview post office is closed, a mail truck passes
through every weekday evening at eight. It's not that I don't trust you,
Mr. Myles--but you are a man, you know."

Philip was tempted to tear up the two copies then and there, and toss
the pieces into the air. But he didn't, for the very good reason that he
couldn't afford to. Instead, he bore down viciously on his pen and
brought his name to life twice in large and angry letters. He handed
Judith one copy, slipped the other into his breast pocket and got to his
feet. "That," he said, "brings our official business to a close. Now I'd
like to add an unofficial word of advice. It seems to me that you're
exacting an exorbitant price from the world for your husband's having
sold you out for a brunette and a redhead and a pint of Scotch. I've
been sold out lots of times for less than that, but I found out long ago
that the world doesn't pay its bills even when you ask a fair price for
the damages done to you. I suggest that you write the matter off as a
bad debt and forget about it; then maybe you'll become a human being
again."

She had risen to her feet and was standing stiffly before him. She put
him in mind of an exquisite and fragile statue, and for a moment he had
the feeling that if he were to reach out and touch her, she would
shatter into a million pieces. She did not move for some time, nor did
he; then she bent down, picked up three of the manila envelopes,
straightened, and handed them to him. "Two of these contain the deeds,
maps and other records you will need,"