at, Lord saw clearly that the
trade cities would destroy her world utterly. Neither Niaga nor her way
of life could survive the impact of civilization. And the exotic charm,
the friendly innocence was worth saving. Somehow Lord had to find a way
to do it.

* * * * *

Lord was by no means surprised when the first three men jumped ship and
went to live in one of the quiet villages. Subconsciously he envied them;
subconsciously he wished he had the courage to make the same decision.
Although Ann Howard demanded it, Lord couldn't seriously consider taking
measures to stop further desertions.

When Don Howard jumped ship, he brought the issue to a head. Ann maneuvered
Lord so that he would have to take a stand. What and how, he didn't know.

It was the first time since the landing that Niaga had not been waiting
outside the ship for Lord. At his request she had gone to the village
to find what progress had been made in calling the council of elders.
Lord knew where to find her, but after his talk with Ann he walked slowly
along the forest path. He stopped to dip his face into the stream where
he had first met Niaga. Anything to put off the showdown. Lord was
trying desperately to understand and evaluate his own motivation.

He accepted the fact that he had not stopped the desertions because, if
enough men jumped ship, the _Ceres_ would be unable to take off again. Lord
could then have embraced Niaga's temptation without having to make the
decision for himself. But that was a coward's way out and no solution.
There would always be people like Ann Howard who would not accept the
situation. They would eventually make radio communication with the
Federation, and the location of Niaga's world would no longer be a secret.

Fundamentally that was the only thing that counted: to preserve this world
from the impact of civilization.

Then suddenly, as he listened to the music of the stream, Lord saw how that
could be done. Ann Howard had offered him a deal; she would keep her word.
Everything hinged on that.

Don Howard had to be brought back--if persuasion failed, then by force.

Martin Lord ran back to the clearing. From a supply shed he took a pair of
deadly atomic pistols. Their invisible, pin-point knife of exploding energy
could slice through eighteen feet of steel, transform a mountain into a
cloud of radioactive dust.

He ran through the forest to the village. As usual, the children wer