Shortly after noon the next day, Starbuck returned with his men. Those who had remained behind were disappointed because the raiding party had come back empty-handed. Starbuck wasted no time adding fuel to the fire. "Has anyone seen that traitor, Johnny Hope?" he demanded. "You mean the new man, the one Diane brought?" someone asked him. "He's here." "The ingrate, the dirty ingrate," Starbuck boomed so all the encampment heard him. "One of us saved his life and first chance he gets he turns traitor. Next thing you know he'll want us to be conscripted by the Robots." "You should talk," Diane cried as she and Johnny emerged from her tent. "You're always talking about how nice it would be to live with the Robots. Johnny Hope isn't like that at all." Starbuck raised a finger to his lips and whispered, "Keep it quiet. If they hear about this, they'll lynch Johnny." "All of a sudden you want to keep it quiet," Diane hissed at him. "That's right, softly." "Well, for your information, Johnny was with me all along. We went hunting yesterday, just the two of us. Didn't we, Johnny?" Johnny mumbled something under his breath and waited for Starbuck to speak. Suddenly the man was shouting again. He slapped Diane on the shoulder, smiled, roared: "Thank you, Diane, thank you. I thought so. Did you all hear her? Diane told me she saw this man sneak off to warn Hamilton Village yesterday." "That's a rotten lie!" Diane cried. But Starbuck smiled blandly. "That's all right. I know you didn't want him to know you told me, but there's nothing to worry about. You all heard her, didn't you?" "We heard her whispering something to you," one of the men admitted. "She whispered because she didn't want the traitor to hear. She was afraid. She should have known we'd protect her. I'm surprised at you, Diane." For answer, she flew at him with her knife. He laughed softly, so softly that only she heard it. A shocked look appeared on his face as he parried the blow, twisted her arm up, spun her around and held her that way while she writhed helplessly and dropped the knife to the ground. "I don't know what's the matter with you," he said. He still looked shocked. "That should be proof enough," she panted. "I never told Starbuck what he claims." "If you're covering up I can only assume you went with him. I am deeply shocked." "I did not go with him. I was hunting." "Then you admit he went!" "I didn't admit anything. You are hurting me." Starbuck's big hand had twisted her wrist painfully. He gave no indication of letting her go. "She said you're hurting her," Johnny snarled. "Let her go!" "I'm all right," Diane said. Starbuck was going to let her go, but Johnny did not wait. He circled Starbuck's arm with his hand and wrenched until the bigger man bellowed and released Diane. "Good," Johnny said. "I have no fight with you, but--" He had turned to look at Diane when Starbuck's balled fist slammed against the side of his jaw, knocking him down.