"Do you know what he wants?" "Yes." The brown curls drooped. Cole stood up. "So _that's_ the reason--well, I'll not do it, do you hear? Garth Bidgrass is an evil, greedy old man and maybe it runs in the blood." She jumped up, eyes more angry now than fearful. "He is not! He's trying to save you! He's good and noble and ... and _great_! If you only knew the truth--Morwenna forgive me!" She clapped her hand to her mouth. "_Tell_ me the truth then, since I'm still being made a Belconti fool of. What _is_ the truth?" "I've said too much. Now I'll have to tell Uncle Garth--" She began crying. "Tell him what? That I know he's a liar? That you failed as a--" He could not quite say the word. "It's true I was supposed to make you love me and I tried and I can't because ... because ..." she ended in incoherent sobbing. Cole stroked her hair and comforted her. "I've been hasty again," he apologized. "I'm still running in the dark, and that makes for stumbles. Let's go back, and I'll talk to your great-uncle again." * * * * * In the morning Garth Bidgrass, looking tired and stern, invited Cole to breakfast with the family. Cole had never been in the large, wood-panelled room overlooking the south garden through broad windows. Pia was subdued, Mrs. Vignoli strangely cheerful. The meal, served by a giant maid, was the customary plain porridge and fried meat. The women left when the maid cleared the table. Bidgrass poured more coffee, then leaned back and looked across at Cole. "Mr. Cole, I did you a wrong in having you sent here. I kept you in the dark for your own protection. Can you believe that?" "I can believe that you believe it." "You came too soon. You were too curious, too smart. I have had to compound that wrong with others to Pia and my own good name." Cole smiled. "I know I'm curious. But why can't I know--" "You can, lad. You've nosed through to it and I'll tell you if you insist. But it will endanger you even more and I wish you would forego it." Cole shook his head. "I'm an ecologist. If I have the big picture, maybe I can help." "I thought you'd say that. Well, history first, and settle yourself because it _is_ a big picture and not a pretty one. This planet was settled directly from Earth in the year 145 After Space, almost eight hundred years ago. It seemed ideal--native protein was actually superior to Earth protein in human metabolism. Easy climate, geophysically stable, no diseases--but planetology was not much of a science in those days. "The colony won political independence in 202 A.S. It had a thriving trade in luxury foods, mostly stomper egg concentrates--freight was dear then. Settlements radiated out from Car Truro across the plains. Food was to be had for the taking in the mild climate and it was a kind of paradise. _Paradise!_" The old man's voice rang hard on the last word and Cole stiffened. Bidgrass went on.