The other trading post goes on placid. They sell their stuff at half the price we sell ours for. So, on Inspector Caldwell's orders, we cut ours again to half what they sell theirs for. So they sell theirs for half what we sell ours for, so we sell ours for half what they sell theirs for. And so on. Meanwhile we sweat. Three days before the _Palmyra_ is due, our goods are marked at just exactly one per cent of what they was marked a month before, and the other trading post is selling them at half that. It looks like we are going to have to pay a bonus to Moklins to take goods away for us to compete with the other trading post. Otherwise, everything looks normal on the surface. Moklins hang around as usual, friendly and admiring. They'll hang around a couple days just to get a look at Inspector Caldwell, and they regard her respectful. Brooks looks grim. He is head over heels crazy about her now, and she knows it, and she rides him hard. She snaps at him, and he answers her patient and gentle--because he knows that when what he hopes is going to happen, she is going to need him to comfort her. She has about wiped out our stock, throwing bargain sales. Our shelves are almost bare. But the other trading post still has plenty of stock. "Mr. Brooks," says Inspector Caldwell, bitter, at breakfast, "we'll have to take most of the _Palmyra's_ cargo to fill up our inventory." "Maybe," he says, tender, "and maybe not." "But we've got to drive that other post out of business!" she says, desperate. Then she breaks down. "This--this is my first independent assignment. I've got to handle it successfully!" He hesitates. But just then Deeth comes in. He beams friendly at Inspector Caldwell. "A compliment for you, ma'am. Three of them." She goggles at him. Brooks says, gentle, "It's all right. Deeth, show them in and get some presents." Inspector Caldwell splutters incredulous, "But--but--" "Don't be angry," says Brooks. "They mean it as a compliment. It is, actually, you know." Three Moklin girls come in, giggling. They are not bad-looking at all. They look as human as Deeth, but one of them has a long, droopy mustache like a mate of the _Palmyra_--that's because they hadn't ever seen a human woman before Inspector Caldwell come along. They sure have admired her, though! And Moklin kids get born fast. Very fast. They show her what they are holding so proud and happy in their arms. They have got three little Moklin kids, one apiece. And every one of them has red hair, just like Inspector Caldwell, and every one of them is a girl that is the spit and image of her. You would swear they are human babies, and you'd swear they are hers. But of course they ain't. They make kid noises and wave their little fists.