nds held high.

"You win, Lord; leave them alone."

It was victory, but Lord felt no triumph--only a crushing bitterness. He
motioned Howard to take the path back to the ship. To Niaga he said,

"If your council of elders ever gets around to meeting, you might tell
them that, as far as I'm concerned, you've already signed the trade
treaty with me. We're leaving in the morning to register the franchise."

"You'd break your own law? You said the negotiations had to be--"

"Our men will come shortly to build the first trade city. I advise you not
to resist them; they'll be armed with guns more powerful than mine."

She reached for his hand, but Lord turned away from her quickly so that
she could not again open the raw wound of shame in his soul. He followed
Don Howard into the forest.

"You won't get away with it, Lord," Howard said grimly. "No trade agent
can impose a treaty--"

"Would a trusteeship be any better?"

"Lord, no!"

"There are only two alternatives, and a Hamilton Lord trade city is by
far the better."

"Yes--for Hamilton Lord."

"No, for these people. Don't forget, I'll be running Hamilton Lord.
The exclusive franchise will keep out the other traders, and I can see
to it that our trade city does no harm. We've a thousand planets in the
Federation; who's going to know if one of the cities doesn't really
function?"

"I get it. But why the hell did you have to bring me back?"

"To make a deal with--with your wife."

After a long pause, Don Howard said wearily, "If Hamilton Lord can
sacrifice the richest franchise in the galaxy, I suppose I can do my bit,
too."

At dawn the _Ceres_ departed. Lord drove his men to work throughout the
night stowing the prefabs and the trade goods aboard the ship. Just before
the power tubes stabbed the launching fire into the earth, a delegation of
villagers came into the clearing. Niaga led them and she spoke to Lord at
the foot of the landing ladder.

"We still want you to stay among us, Martin Lord; we have come again to
offer--"

"It is impossible!"

She put her arms around his neck and drew his lips against hers. The
temptation washed over his mind, shattering his resolution and warping
his reason. This was what he wanted: the golden dream of every man. But
for Lord only one idea held fast. Niaga's primitive, naive world had to be
preserved exactly as it was. If he gave in to the dream, he would destroy
it. Only in the central office of Hamilton Lord