under a safe incognito out in the sticks. Got a wife and two kids out
there that even Wayne didn't know about." He stuck out a hand. "You're
like Security, Gordon. You do all the wrong things, but you get the
right results. Goodbye!"

Sheila watched him go, shaking her head. "He likes you, Bruce. But he
can't say it. Men!"

"Women!" Gordon answered.

Then he stiffened. Coming down through the thin air of Mars was the
bright blue exhaust of a rocket. The real Security was arriving!

Chapter XVII

SECURITY PAYOFF

It was three days before Bruce Gordon made up his mind to hunt up
Security; another four days passed after they had sent him back to wait
until they received orders from Headquarters for him. There was a man
coming from Earth on a second ship who would see him. They gave him a
chauffeur back to the Chicken Coop, and politely indicated that it would
be better if he stayed within reach.

The dome had been down a full week when he watched the last of
Randolph's equipment packed onto a truck and hauled away. The little
publisher was back at the _Crusader_ again. Rusty was busy opening his
bar, and the others were all busy. Only Gordon and Sheila were left.

He heard her coming down the old stairs, and ducked out through the
private exit, snapping his helmet in place as he went through the seal.
She must have sensed his desire to be left alone, since she made no
attempt to follow. She'd asked no questions and hadn't even tried to
convince him that he'd be sent back to Earth now.

He muttered to himself as he headed over the rubble toward the
previously domed section.

Out at the spaceport, ships were dropping down from Deimos with the
supplies that had been held up so long, and a long line of trucks went
snaking by. Credit had been established again, and the businesses were
open.

For the time being, the hoods and punks were having a tough time of it,
with working papers demanded as constant identification. And while it
lasted, at least, Marsport was beginning to have its face lifted. Wrecks
were being broken up, with salvageable material used for newer homes.
Gordon came to a row of temporary bubbles, individual dwellings built
like the dome, but opaque for privacy.

As Gordon drew closer to the old foundation of the dome, the feeling
around began to clarify into something halfway between what he had seen
on the real frontier and what he had known as a kid in Earth's slums.

They had been l