es.

"I know how you feel," said James. "You'd like to stick a knife into me
now. But until you succeed in disposing of Boggs, you need to be sure
I'm alive. When that's over you'll send someone around to take care of
the traitor, James. But you may be sure I won't be here. I'll get
through your guards!"

The man was half crazed, Jorden thought, from infection and fever in
half treated wounds, and probably from the effects of radiation itself.
"We aren't going to set up any guards," he said. "We're going to send
you medical care. Don't try to get away down the river. I'll have some
men who'll take you where you'll be safe and have care."

Jorden left, on the hope that James would not attempt further flight
until he was assured of Boggs' defeat. But the colony could not quickly
administer the kind of defeat James wanted. They had to be orderly, even
if it was a frontier community. There had to be a trial. There had to be
evidence, and James had to be called to give it.

He returned to the village and made arrangements with Adamson to get
medical care for James. Dr. Babbit, one of the four physicians with the
colony, was sufficiently out of sympathy with Boggs to be trusted.

Then, with his family, he accompanied Tibbets to Maintown. On the
bulletin board outside the Council Hall he hung an announcement of his
candidacy for the governorship, which Tibbets had prepared for him.
Tibbets made a little speech to the handful of people who gathered to
read what was on the bulletin, but Jorden declined to make any personal
statement just now. He had enough to say when it came time to accuse
Boggs of the crimes involved in destruction of the power plant.

But among those who squinted closely at Tibbets' fine, black printing
there came a look of mild awe. It had been generally assumed that Boggs
would go unopposed for re-election.

On the way back Tibbets' car passed the length of Maintown and took them
by the deserted house which Jorden had built in their first year on
Serrengia. Bonnie gave it a covetous look, contrasting its spaciousness
with the primitive cabin in which she now lived.

Tibbets caught her glance. "If it were not for Boggs you would still be
living there," he said.

Bonnie made no answer. Both she and Roddy stared ahead, as if unable to
bring their attention to bear upon the present, because of the fear
incited by everything about them. Jorden was also silent, but his eyes
wandered incessantly over the