She must have fallen asleep. The morning announcements came on as usual, waking her. She listened to the instructions for that day, and the areas announced as forbidden. She made no effort, however, to indicate them on the day-map. She knew that, now, none of this applied to her. With a very great effort she got up and shut off the children's ramp, so that they could not come down. She knew how much this would count in her favor. Then she began, as hurriedly as she could, to collect the things they would need. She knew that she could not possibly get the things together in time, and that so late an effort was more likely to count against her. She was not even close to finished when the announcer flashed on. Without asking who it was, she pressed the admitter. She was glad that they had troubled to announce themselves. She offered to go into another room while they removed the children. They did not answer. One of them threw a sack over her. After a moment, they took it off again and, rather apologetically, asked her to indicate where the child-ramp control was. She showed them. Their leader said that perhaps it would be all right for her to go into another room if one of them went with her. When she saw the one chosen, she put the sack back on herself. They laughed so hard at this that she did not hear the children leave. * * * * * When the children had been taken out, the leader came back and removed the sack from around her. He asked if she had applied for protection. She showed her card. "Well, that's too bad," he said. "Do you have any refreshment left?" She did not dare to lie to him. She showed him. He helped himself. "How about credits?" he asked. "I gave it all to the ones who were here," she answered carefully. She felt quick panic because she remembered that she had not so instructed her account. She had merely dictated it to the children. If he didn't find out, though, that would be all right. The dictation was proof enough. But while she was still in this house, the credits were still in her control. "My credit indicator is here," she said, holding it out. He didn't take it. "Thanks for the refreshment," he said, getting up. "Make yourself comfortable. The others will be here shortly." She had nothing to do to make herself ready. She could not take anything from this house. Sometimes they let you wear what you were wearing, if it did not look as though you had put on your best things. They did not always allow it, but they did sometimes. She remembered that she had expressed strong disapproval of that to Yan, when they were newly married. Then they both felt the same way about Abandoneds.