"You will not be required further," the warden told the young man. "See that you spread not the plague by repeating any of this Jezebel's loose talk!" The guard left hurriedly. Maria discovered the warden gaping at her knees, and defiantly tossed her head. "You never see a leg before?" she demanded. "Or are all the Greenie girls bowlegged? Is that why they wear those horrible Mother Hubbards?" She gave her skirt a malicious twitch, revealing a few more inches of firm thigh. The warden began to turn red. He muttered something that actually sounded closer to a prayer than a curse, and turned his eyes away. "I hope those in authority will yield to the importunities of your depraved fellow who calls himself the Terran consul, and sullies the clean air of Greenhaven by his very--I hope they do deport you!" "Oh, honey! Could you arrange it?" cried Maria, leaping up and advancing on him. She grabbed him just above the elbows, and he broke her hold by sweeping both hands upward and outward. This offered Maria the opportunity to take a double grip upon his belt. When he lowered his hands to free himself, she threw both arms about his neck. "I knew someone could fix things up!" she exclaimed. "You're going to let me out of here until they decide what ship to put me on, aren't you?" The warden's expression was horror-stricken. With a heavy effort, he got both hands against her and shoved. Maria staggered back all the way to the bunk. The warden, apparently not quite sure what he had done, looked down at his hands. He turned them palm up, then, as his gaze met Maria's, made as if to thrust them behind his back. "Relax, honey," she said. "You were a little high. I don't imagine you have any laws here against shoving a lady on her can--as long as you're careful where you shove." "May the Founders protect me from a forward woman!" breathed the warden. "Will you be still and listen to me, Jezebel? Or would you continue ignorant of the news I brought?" "What news?" "I am instructed to inform you that you have an official visitor. Do you wish to see him?" Maria shoved herself away from the edge of the bunk and assumed a dignified stance. She tugged her clothing into order. "I should be most honored to receive this visitor," she said in her best imitation of Greenie formality. "I deeply appreciate your announcing his presence--at last!" The warden glared at her. Finding no words worthy of the state of his blood pressure, he stepped back and slammed the heavy door shut. It muffled somewhat his departing footsteps. "I'm out!" yipped Maria. She did a little jig, ran to the door to press an ear against it, and turned to survey the cell with the fingers of one hand beating a light tattoo against her lips.