y store was a half-block down the street--as he remembered it, one
of the big Interplanet Company stores.

Johnson waited until the storekeeper finished with two of the
hairy-eared natives before giving his order. As he paid for the
purchase, he asked: "Have you ever seen me before?"

The storekeeper glanced at him uneasily, and shifted his feet before
answering. "Am I supposed to have?"

Johnson ignored the question. "Where can I find the manager?" he
asked, slipping into the heavy coat the clerk held for him.

"Go up that stairway by the door," the clerk said. "You'll find him in
his office."

* * * * *

The manager was an old man. Old and black, with the deep blackness
only an Earth-born Negro possesses. But his eyes retained their
youthful alertness.

"Come in and sit down," he told Johnson as he looked up and saw him
standing in the doorway.

Johnson walked over and took the chair at the manager's left. "I've
had an accident," he said, without preliminary, "and I seem to have
lost my memory. Do you, by any chance, know who I am?"

"Never saw you before in my life," the manager answered. "What's your
name?"

"Don Johnson."

"Well, at least you remember something," the old man said shrewdly.
"You didn't come during the last six months, if that'll help any.
There've been only two ships in that time. Both the Company's. I meet
all Company ships. If you came in during the tourist season I wouldn't
know."

"Where else could I make inquiries?"

"Son," the old man said kindly, "there's three Earthmen on Marlock,
that I know of--besides yourself, of course--the clerk at the hotel,
my storekeeper, and myself. If you started asking questions at the
hotel, you're at the end of the line now."

Something in Johnson's expression caused the old man to go on. "How
you fixed for money, son?"

Johnson drew a deep breath. "I've got enough to last me about two
weeks."

The manager hesitated, and carefully surveyed the ceiling with his
eyes before he spoke again. "I've always felt we Earthmen should stick
together," he said. "If you want a job, I'll find something for you to
do and put you on the payroll."

Twenty minutes later Johnson took the job--and twenty years later he
was still working for the Company. He worked for them until....

* * * * *

Johnson was glad when the first twinge of fear came that it brought no
panic. Instead it washed throu