years--"
"It'll make money, too," said Burt flatly.
"Money ain't everything by a long shot. It won't buy trees and creeksand rain."
"It'll buy trees to make lumber." Burt was getting mad. "I don't wantany opposition from you, Yoris. I've had enough trouble from people whotry to hold back progress. If you don't like the way we run things here,you can--hell, you can go back to Mars!"
It seemed to me that it was just about time to start in. I could havetaken Burt easiest, but I knew Rusty would probably swing on him firstand get in my way, so I planned to work on the two guys on Burt's right,leaving the one on his left for Lew. I didn't want Pop to get tangled upin it.
I don't generally wait too long after I make up my mind, but then Inoticed Rusty reaching out slowly for a cue stick, and I thought maybeI'd better take Burt first, while Rusty got set. I never did see a guyso one way about having something in his hands.
But Doc didn't drop out. "There ain't nothing but a few scrub trees onMars," he said to Burt, looking him square in the eye. "And no creeksand no rain."
Burt curled his lip sarcastically. "The hell you say! Is that why youdidn't like it there?" You could see he was just trying to egg Doc intosaying he'd come from Mars, so he could give him the horse laugh. Theguys he was with were getting set for a fracas, but they were waitingfor Burt to lead off.
Doc didn't get caught. "But there's gold," he said, like he hadn't heardBurt at all. "Tons of it--laying all over the ground."
I guess Burt decided to ride along. "Okay, Yoris," he said. "Tell youwhat I'll do. For only one ton of Martian gold I'll agree to drop allplans for a pulp mill, here or anywhere else. In fact, I'll get out ofbusiness altogether."
Doc moved in like a log falling out of the loading tongs. "That's adeal," he said. "You ready to go?"
Burt started to look disgusted, then he smiled. "Sure. Mars must bequite a place if you came from there."
"Okay," said Doc. "You just stand up against the wall, Mr. Holden."Burt's smile faded. He figured Doc was trying to maneuver him into alikely position for us. But Doc cleared that up quick. "You boys get upand stand aside," he ordered. "Get back a ways and give Mr. Holdenplenty of room." We didn't like it, but we cleared out from around thetable. A bunch from the bar and pool tables, sensing something was up,came drifting over to watch. I could feel tension building up. "Now,"said Doc, pointing, "you just stand right over there, Mr. Holden, andfold your arms."
Burt didn't like the audience, and I guess he figured his plans werebackfiring when Doc didn't bluff. "You hill-happy old coot," hesnarled. "You'd better go home and sleep it off!" I grabbed hold ofLew's arm and shook my head at Rusty. I wasn't going to interfere withDoc now.
"You're not scared, are you, Mr. Holden?" said Doc quietly. "Just youstand against the wall and take it easy. It won't hurt a bit."
* * * * *
Burt Holden was plenty tough for an Outsider, and a hard-headedbusinessman to boot, but he'd never run into a customer like Doc before.You could see him trying to make up his mind on how to handle thisthing. He glanced around quick at the crowd, and I could tell he decidedto play it out to where Doc would have to draw in his horns. He actuallygrinned, for the effect it would have on everybody watching. "All right,Yoris," he said. He backed against the wall and folded his arms. "Buthadn't you better stand up here with me?"
"I ain't going," said Doc. "I don't like Mars. But you won't have notrouble getting your gold. There's nuggets the size of your fist layingall over the dry river beds."
"I hate to be nosey," said Burt, playing to the crowd, "but how are yougoing to get me there?"
"With his head, o'course!" blurted Rusty before I could stop him. "Justlike he cures you when you're sick!" Doc had pulled Rusty through two orthree bad kid sicknesses--and a lot of the rest of us, too.
"Yep," said Doc. "A man don't need one of them rocket things to getbetween here and Mars. Fact is, I never seen one."
Burt looked at the ceiling like he was a martyr, then back at Doc."Well, Yoris," he said in a tone that meant he was just about throughhumoring him, "I'm waiting. Can you send me there or can't you?" Thestart of a nasty smile was beginning to show at the corners of hismouth.
"Sure," said Doc. He slumped down in his chair and cupped his handslightly around his dark glasses. I noticed his fingers trembling alittle against his forehead.
The lights dimmed, flickered and went out, and we waited for thebartender to put in a new fuse. The power around here doesn't go haywireexcept in the winter, when trees fall across the lines. A small fightstarted over in a corner.
When the lights came back on, Doc and Pop started for the door, and Lewand Rusty and I followed. Burt's buddies were looking kind of puzzled,and a few old-timers were moving over to watch the fight. The rest wereheading back to the bar.
Rusty piled into the jeep with Doc and me. "When you going to bring himback, Doc?" he asked when we started moving.
"Dunno," said Doc. He took off his glasses to watch me shift gears. He'sbeen after me for a long time to teach him how to drive. "It only workson a man once."
THE END
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _If Worlds of Science Fiction_ November 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.
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