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The chickens； the sow； the goats； and even the humans were tasty temptations to wild lopers； but with the goats and kids shooed inside the kraal； two alert watchdogs； and sixteen mules grazing on all sides；； Smith felt reasonably secure at night。 True； a loper might get a mule； but it was much more likely that the mule would get the loper…especially as 'other mules would close in and help stomp the carnivore。 These mules dd not run from a 'loper； they struck out at him。 Smith thought that； in time； mules might clean out the varmints even more than men did； make them as scarce as mountain lions had been in his youth。
A mule…stomped loper was readily converted into loper steak； loper stew； loper jerky…and dog and cat food； and Mrs。 Porky the sow enjoyed the offal…all at no loss to the mules。 Smith did not care much for loper in any form； the meat was too strongly flavored for his taste…but it was better than nothing and kept them from digging too deeply into food they had hauled along。 Dora did not share her husband's distaste for loper meat； born there and having eaten it now and then since earliest childhood； it seemed to her a normal food。
But Smith wished that he； had time to hunt one of the herbivores that were the loper's natural prey…six…legged like the loper but otherwise resembling a misshapen okapi… their meat was much milder。 They were called 〃prairie goats；〃 which they were not； but systematic taxonomy of fauna and flora on …New Beginnings had not gone far； there had been as yet no time for such intellectual luxuries。 Smith had shot a prairie goat from the seat of the wagon a week earlier （now only a memory； bittersweet； of tasty tender meat）。 Smith did not feel justified in taking a day off to bunt until they had conquered Hopeless Pass。 But he kept hoping for another chance shot。
Maybe now… 〃Fritz！ Lady Macbeth！ Here！〃 The dogs trotted up and waited。 〃High sentry。 Loper！ Pr'airie goat！ Up！〃 The dogs immediately got on the very top of the lead wagon； …
making it in two jumps and a scramble； step； seat； and curved top。 ；There th~y split the duty； nigh side and off side… and there they would stay until told to get down。 Smith had paid a stiff price for the pair； but he had known they were good dogs； he had picked their ancestors on Earth and had fetched them with the first wave。 Smith was not a 〃doggie〃 man in any fanatic sense； he simply believed that a partnership that had lasted so long on Earth would serve men equally well on
strange plas。
Dora was… sobered by her husband's words；？but once she got busy working； she cheered up。 Shortly； while trying to plan a menu from little choice and without acooking fire； she came across something that vexed her…good for her as it displ~aced her worrisome thoughts。 Besides； she did not really believe that her husband could fail at anything。
She came around the end of the second wagon； crossed the little kraal to where her husband was making sure that his fence was tight。 〃Oh； that pesky little rooster！〃
Woodrow looked around。 〃Hon； you look cute in just a sunbon。〃
。〃Not just a sunbon； I'm wearing boots； too。 Don't you want to hear what that nasty little rooster did？〃
〃I would rather discuss how you look。 Adorable； that is。 Nevertheless； I'm not pleased with the way you are dressed。〃
〃What？ But it's so hot； dear。 Since I can't wash； I thought an air bath might make me smell better。〃
〃You smell good to me。 But an air bath is a good idea； I'll peel down； too。 Your gun； dear…where's your belt with your knife and gun？〃 He started shucking his overalls。
〃You want me to wear my gun belt now？ Inside the fence？ With you here to protect me？〃 …
… 〃As self…discipline and a standard precaution； my lovely one。〃 He hitched his own gun…and…knife belt back into place as he stepped out of his overalls； then pulled off boots and
shirt and got bare save for the belt and three other weapons that did not show when he was dressed。 〃In more years than
I like to think about I have never been unarmed except when locked in somewhere sale。 I want you to acquire the habit。 Not just sometimes。 Always。〃
〃All right。 I left my belt on the seat； F！！ get it。 But； Woodrow； I'm not much of a fighter at best。〃
〃You're fairly accurate with that needle … gun up to fifty meters。 And you're going to get better and better the longer
you live with me； Not just with it but with anything that shoots； cuts； burns； or even makes nasty bruises； from your bare bands to a blaster。 See over there； Dorable？〃 He pointed to nothing but flatness。 〃In just seven seconds a' horde of hairy savages will e pouring over the top of that rise and attack。 I get a spear through my thigh and go down 。 。 then you have to fight them off for both of us。 What are you going to do； you poor little girl； with your gun clear over there on the seat of that wagon？〃
〃Why〃…。she set her feet apart； put her hands back of her head； and gave a wiggle that was invented in the Garden of Eden； or perhaps just outside…〃I'll go this way at 'em！〃
〃Yes；〃 Lazarus agreed thoughtfully； 〃that should work。 If they were human。 But they aren't。 Their only interest in tall； beautiful； brown…eyed girls is to eat them。 Bones and all。 Silly of ~them； but that's how they are。〃
第39节
〃Yes； dear；〃 she said docilely。 〃I'll go put on my gun belt。 Then I'll kill the one who speared you。 Then I'll see how many more I can get before they eat me。〃
〃That's right； durable Dorable。 Always take an honor guard with you。 If you have to go； go down fighting。 Thesize of your guard of honor determines your status in hell。〃
〃Yes； dear。 I'm sure I'll enjoy hell if you're there； too~〃 She turned to fetch her weapons。 …
〃Oh； I'll be there！ They wouldn't take me anywhere else。 Dora！ When you put on your gun belt； take off your sunbon and boots…and put on your rubies； all of them。〃
She paused with a foot on the step of the wagon。 〃My。 rubies； dear？ Out here on the prairie？〃
〃Rangy Lil； I bought those rubies for you to wear and for me to admire you wearing them。〃 …
She flashed a' smile that turned her normally serious expression into sunshine； swung on up into the wagon and disappeared。 She was back quickly wearing weapons belt and rubies； but had taken a few seconds to b her hair； long and chestnut brown and shining。 That she had not been able to bathe for more than two weeks did not show； did not detract from her enchanting； youthful beauty。 She paused on the step and smiled at him。
〃Hold it！〃 he said。 〃Perfect！ Dora； you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in all my born days〃
She flashed him another smile。 〃I don't believe that； my husband…but I hope you will goon saying it。〃
〃Madam； I cannot … tell a lie'。 I say it only because it is the simple trutl~。 Now what were you saying about the little rooster？〃 … …
…〃Oh！ That perverted little monster！ I said he had been breaking eggs on purpose！ This time I caught him。 Pecking them。 Two freshly laid broken eggs！〃 … …
〃Royal prerogative； dear。 Afraid one of them would hatch Out a rooster。〃
〃I'll wring his neck！ If we had a fire； I'd do it right now。 Darling； I was trying to see what we could eat cold without opening anything not already open； and it occurred to me that salt crackers crumbled into raw eggs would almost make a meal。 But there were only three eggs today and he broke the two laid by his hens。 I'd put plenty of grass in ；both cages； the' one egg on the' other side wasn't even cracked。 Danus him。 Woodrow； why do we have to have two roosters？〃
〃For the same reason I carry two throwing knives。 Sweetheart； after we arrive and hatch our first chicks； once they're big enough that I'm certain of a spare rooster； we can have rooster and dumplings with him as guest of honor。 Not before。〃
'But we can't have him breaking eggs。 Tonight's supper will be mostly cheese and hardtack…unless you want me to
… open something。〃…
〃Let's not rush it。 Fritz and Lady Mac are trying to spot game right now。 Prairie goat； I hope。 Loper if not。〃 …
〃But I can't cook meat。 You said。 You did say。〃
〃Raw； my dear。 Haunch of prairie goat； chopped fine and spread on 'hard crackers。 Beef Tartare a la New Beginnings。 Tasty。 Tastes almost as good as girl。〃 He smacked his lips。
〃Well 。 。 if you can eat it； I can eat it。 But half the time； Woodrow； I don't know whether you are joking or not。〃
〃I never joke about food or women； Dorable； those are sacred subjects。〃 He looked her up and down again。 〃Speaking of women； woman； dressing you in rubies is just right。 But why a bracelet around your ankle？〃
〃Because you gave me ~three… bracelets； sir。 As well as rings and a pendant。 And you said to wear 'all of them。'〃 …
〃So I did。 Where did this one e from？〃 〃Hey！ That's not a ruby； that's me！〃
…〃Looks like a ruby。 Here's another just like it。〃
〃Unh！ Maybe I'd better take my rubies off？ So we won't lose them。 Or should we water the mules first？〃
〃You mean before we eat？〃
〃Ub 。 。 yes； 'I guess that's what I mean； Tease。〃 …
〃You're not speaking very plainly； little Dora。 Tell Uncle Gil~bie what you want。〃
〃I'm not 'little Dora。' I'm Rangy Lil； the horniest girl south of Separation…you said so yourself。 I cuss and I swear and I spit between my teeth and I'm concubine to Lazarus Long； Super Stud of the Stars and better than any six men… and you know damn well what I want； and if you pinch my nipples again； I'm likely to trip you and take it。 But I guess we ought to water the mules。〃
Minerva； Dora was just plain nice' to be around； always。 It wasn't her physical beauty 。 。 which wasn't that outstanding by the usual criteria in any case…although she was utterly beautiful to me。 Nor was it her enthusiastic interest in… sharing 〃Eros〃…although she was indeed enthusiastic； ready ~any time； and always on a short fuse。 And skilled at it and got more so。 Sex is a learned art； …as much so as ice skating or tightwire walking or fancy diving； it is not instinct。 Oh； two animals couple by instinct； but it takes intelligence and patient willingness to turn copulation into a high and lively art。 Dora was good at it and got better and better； always eager to learn； free of fetishes or silly preconceptions； patiently willing to practice anything she learned or was taught…and with it that spiritual quality that turns sweaty exercise into a living sacrament。
But Minerva； love is what still goes on when you are not horny。
Dora was good pany at any time； but the tougher things were； the better panion she was。 Oh； she fretted about broken eggs because chickens were her responsibility； she' did not plain that she was thirsty。 Instead of nagging me to do something about that rooste？； she figured out what had to be done and did it…shoved all the hens in with the other rooster； tied the feet of the egg breaker and laid him aside while sh