ermitted. I'm going to write ballads and poems."

"And I'm going to paint," she said. "Oh, the delicious freedom!"

"Greed won this for us," he said. "The long study of the Grahams paid
off. They couldn't refuse to trade."

"I knew they'd agree. The looks in their eyes when they saw the house!
They both had ..." She broke off, a look of horror coming into her eyes.
"One of them did not agree!"

"They both did. You heard them."

"The baby?"

He stared at his wife. "But--but it is not at the age of decision!"

"In perhaps eighteen of this planet's years, it _will_ be at the age of
decision. What then?"

His shoulders sagged. He shuddered. "I will not be able to fight it off.
I will have to build a transmitter, call the Rojac and confess!"

"And they will collect another inhabitable place," she said, her voice
flat and toneless.

"I've spoiled it," he said. "I've spoiled it!"

--FRANK HERBERT

Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from _Galaxy Science Fiction_ April 1958.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S.
copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and
typographical errors have been corrected without note.

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