next place I want to get some shots of both of you together."

"All right, George," Dotty said obediently.

She and Herb were forced to find separate seats. They would do no
talking, so I faced around and studied the three alternately. The man in
the pith helmet, George, was a normal blend; totally unconcerned about
his reactions on others so long as he could pursue his hobby.

The bus detoured a roped-off area in the center of the ancient city, the
part considered too dangerous because of cave-in possibilities, and made
its way out to the northern edge of ruins to the part that resembled the
ancient cemeteries on Earth. The only major difference was that there
were no remains under the evenly spaced stones. There was some doubt
that it had been a cemetery. But the guide announced it as one. And that
announcement as the bus came to a stop had a pronounced effect on Herb.
He began his fluttery elbow movements again and looked around at Dotty
with a triumphant smile. I moved up quickly to keep him in earshot.

He protested when George insisted on taking camera shots, then gave in
and cooperated in order to get it over with.

Finally George snapped his camera shut. Herb mumbled something to Dotty
that I didn't catch, and started down one of the lanes between rows of
stones as though headed for a definite goal.

I couldn't very well follow after they left the main group. It would
have been obvious. Instead, I veered off to one side, gambling that when
they reached their destination I would be able to read their lips.

I got well away from stragglers and took out my mirroscope, pointing if
off in the distance and swinging the objective lens around until it
centered on them. I was lucky. They were facing in my direction.

"It isn't a cemetery," Herb was saying with emphatic motions of his
hands. "It was a parking area, and this stone was where I parked my
airsled. I can remember it as though it were yesterday."

[Illustration: _If this was a cemetery, the old Martians should have
been here. But there were no voices--no bones._]

I had to admire the man's subconscious. It was a remarkably shrewd
guess. The experts wouldn't play along with it, but they would probably
never be able to prove him wrong on that count. But Dotty was arguing
with him. "How can you prove it was a parking area?" Her eyes roamed
over the large field with its regularly spaced stones. "It certainly
looks impractical for a parking lot."

"Just