r power, starman. If you do not come, he must surely
die."

"All right, Bila. I'll do whatever I can." He ducked inside the office,
and came out again with his bag. They set off down the path.

* * * * *

"Your second major mistake," said Cassidy. "You were lucky with the boy,
but you should have come to your senses enough to leave the bag behind
on the second call. You were just stepping out into deeper water."

"But the man was sick, and I didn't know what else to do but use the
medicines. I couldn't let him die!"

"Why not?"

"Why not? I've got feelings and a conscience. That's why! I couldn't
just stand by and do nothing. Especially when the sedative worked on the
boy!"

"It would have been far better to let one man die than to have the
aliens come to regard you as higher than their own priests."

"It's easy enough for you to say what I should have done here, but I
think your own actions would have been far different if you had been in
my place."

"I doubt it. I'd never have been made trouble-shooter, if I didn't have
the brains to avoid a mess like that. I still think you're just plain
stupid."

"My thoughts of you are better left unsaid. At any rate, when we got to
the village...."

* * * * *

It was the same hut, and a crowd that may or may not have been present
the earlier night. The numbers were the same. The only change was the
lack of the overhanging pall of smoke from the lamps.

The man occupied the same pallet as the boy, and the crowd made way for
Dillon as he moved to his side. It was readily apparent that he was very
ill, and Dillon uttered a silent prayer that he had something in the kit
to help him.

The leg wound was nasty and crusted over. He swabbed it clean, blanching
when he saw its depth. Steadying himself, he bound it tightly, and sat
back on his heels to ponder his next move.

The bandage would prevent any further infection, but the Earthman was
afraid the damage had already been done. The fever lay heavily on the
native, and he tossed and turned in his coma. The drugs in the bag were
all intended for use by Terrans only, and an attempt to aid the slight
alien might only result in death. Whereas if he were left alone to ride
out the fever, he just might come through all right.

Kylano let out a muted sob, and struck out wildly, nearly hitting Dillon
in the face. He cursed, and turned to his bag, selecting the mo