"You poor man. You--" Suddenly Alice Cooper's eyes grew big. She gasped and clutched at Marsden's arm. "Harry, over there! Ooo, Harry!" Marsden turned, saw a small dog bounding across the field playfully, turning and twisting and barking at its own shadow. "It's nothing to be afraid of." "An animal, nothing to be afraid of? Harry, it's coming this way." The dog had seen them. Yelping, its tail wagging, it came right up to them, nuzzling against Marsden's leg while he crouched and petted it. "Better take me back to town, Harry." "There boy, there boy." Marsden scratched the dog's ear, cuffed it gingerly with his big hand, turned it around, thumped its rear and watched it leap away across the rocky meadow. "Don't worry, Miss. A little dog like that never hurt anyone." "I feel faint, Harry. I expected wilderness and that's what I came to see--but animals running around loose? That's too much." "Dogs and men get along fine on Talbor." "On Earth dogs are in the zoo where they belong." Alice Cooper patted her brow daintily with a handkerchief. "I do wish we could get out of this sun." A person not liking dogs. It wasn't right, Marsden thought. And hating the sun and the soil out of which crops grew and.... Well, he couldn't blame Alice Cooper. Everything was so strange and new to her and she was just plain upset. "I could take you to my cabin," he told her. "It's nearby." Alice Cooper nodded, took one step forward, turned her ankle and tripped. She fell heavily, catching one of her high heels against the hem of her frilly dress. There was a ripping sound and a long tear appeared in the bottom of the dress. "It's ruined," said Alice Cooper in despair. "My wife can fix it." "Your what?" "My wife." "Don't tell me you get married here on Talbor? I knew this was a primitive society, really primitive--but not to that extent. You get married and--and stay with one partner for life, for your whole life? Really?" "That's right," said Marsden. "Don't you?" "Well--you wouldn't understand, Harry. You just wouldn't understand. Here, help me up." He got her to her feet, but her twisted ankle wouldn't support her. "You'd better carry me." Marsden nodded, got one hand under her arms from behind, the other in back of her thighs. Cradling her thus, he began to walk. She weighed almost nothing, she was incredibly feather-light, but pleasant to the touch and smelling, this close, of some delightful perfume. "You're strong," she said. Gulping audibly, Marsden averted his face from hers, only inches away. * * * * * When he pushed the cabin door open with one foot, Marie started to smile at him from inside. The smile faded. "Harry. Oh. Is she--hurt or something?" "Aren't you the bright one," Alice Cooper said. "I'm too lazy to walk." "Be quiet, Marie," Marsden said. "What's the matter with you?" "Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry." "It's to be expected," Alice Cooper declared.