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school let out； Briggs having gone back up for a couple of days。 〃Got time for a ride today？〃 …
She flashed him a smile。 〃You know I have。 Half a minute while I change。〃
They rode out of town； Gibbons as usual riding Beulah but with Dora on Betty。 Buck was saddled （for his pride）； but the saddle was empty； he was now ridden only ceremonially； by mule years he was quite old。
They paused on a sunny hilltop well out of town。 Gibbons said； 〃Why so silent； little Dora？ Buck has had more to say than you have。〃
She turned in the saddle an…d faced him。 〃How many more rides will we haye together？ Is this the last？〃
〃Why； … Dora！ Of course we will have more rides together。〃
〃I wonder。 Lazarus； I。…〃
〃What did you call me？〃
〃I called you by your name； Lazarus。〃
He stared at her thoughtfully。 〃Dora； you're not supposed to know that name。 I'm your 'Uncle Gibbie。'〃
〃'Uncle Gibbie' is gone； and so is 'Little Dora。' I'm almost as tall as you are now； and I've known for two years who you are； and I had guessed it before that…guessed that you were one of the Methuselahs； I mean。 But I said nothing to anyone。 And never will。〃
〃Don't make it a promise； Dora； it isn't necessary。 It's just that I never meant to burden you with it。 How did I give myself away？ I thought I had been most careful。〃
〃You have been。 But I have seen you nearly every day almost as far back as I can remember。 Little things。 Things no one would notice who didn't see you…really look at you every day。〃
〃Well； yes。 But I？didn't expect to have to keep it up so long。 Helen knew？〃
〃I think she did。 We never spoke of it。 But I think she guessed the same way I did and she may have figured out which Methuselah you are…〃
〃Don't call me that； dear。 It's like calling a Jew a 'kike。' I'm a member of the Howard Families。 A Howard。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't know that the name mattered。〃
〃Well 。 。 it doesn't； really。 It's just a word that reminds me of a time long gone。 A time of persecution。 Sorry； Dora； you were telling me how you learned that my name is 'Lazarus。' One of my names； that is； for I am 'Ernest Gibbons' just as truly。〃
〃Yes 。 。 Uncle Gibbie。 It was in a book； a picture。 A microbook one has to read with the viewer at the town library。 I saw this picture and winked on past it…then clicked back and looked again。 You weren't wearing whiskers in the picture and your hair was longer 。 。 but the longer I stared at it； the more it looked like my foster uncle。 But 1 couldn't be sure…and couldn't ask。〃
'Why not； Dora？ I would have told you the truth。〃
〃If you had wanted me to know； you would have told me。 You always have reasons for everything you do； everything you say。 I learned that when I was so little we used to ride the same saddle。 So I didn't say anything。 Until… Well； until today。 Knowing that you are leaving。〃
〃Have I said that I was leaving？〃
〃Please！ ~Once； when I was very little； you told me a story about when you were a little boy hearing wild geese honking in the sky…how； when you grew up； you wanted to find out where they went。 I didn't know what a wild goose was； you had to explain to me。 I know you follow the wild goose。 When you hear them honking； you have to go。 You've been hearing them in your head for three or four years。 I know 。 。 because when you hear them； I hear them； too。 And now the ship is here and it's very loud in your head。 So I knew。〃
〃Dora； Dora！〃
〃Don't； please。 I'm not trying to hold you back； truly I'm not。 But before you go； I want something very much。〃
〃What； Dora？ Uh； didn't mean to tell you this yet； but I'm leaving some property for you with John Magee。 Should be enough for…〃
〃No； no； please！ I'm a grown woman now； and self…supporting。 What I want doesn't cost anything。〃 She looked him steadily in the eye。 〃I want your child； Lazarus。〃
Lazarus Long took a deep breath； tried to steady his heartbeat。 〃Dora； Dora； my dear； you are hardly more than a child yourself； it is too soon for you to be talking about having one。 You don't want to marry me…〃
〃I did not ask you to marry me。〃
〃I was trying to say that； in a year or two…or three； or four
…you will want to marry。 Then you will be glad that you did not have my child。〃
〃You refuse me this？〃
〃I'm saying that you must not let an emotional upset over parting cause you to make any such hasty decision。〃
She sat very straight in the saddle； squared her shoulders。 〃It is not a hasty decision； sir。 I made up my mind long ago
even before I guessed that you were a…Howard。 Long before。 I told Aunt Helen； and she said that I was a silly girl and that I must forget it。 But I have never forgotten it； and if I was a silly girl then； I am much older now and know what I am doing。 Lazarus； I am not asking for anything else。 It could be syringes and such； with Doc Krausmeyer's help。 Or〃
…again she looked him squarely in his eyes…〃it could be the usual way。〃 She dropped her eyes； then looked up again； smiled briefly and added； 〃But； either way； it had best be quickly。 I don't know the ship's schedule； I do know mine。〃
Gibbons spent all of a half second reviewing certain factors in his mind。 〃Dora。〃
〃Yes 。 。 Err（est？〃
〃My name is not 'Ernest；' nor is it 'Lazarus。' My right name is Woodrow Wilson Smith。 So since I am no longer 'Uncle Gibbie'…and you are right on that point； 'Uncle Gibbie' is gone and will never be back…you might as well call me 'Woodrow。'〃
〃Yes； Woodrow。〃
〃Do you want to know why I had to change my name？〃
〃No； Woodrow。〃
〃So？ Do you want to know how old I am？'
〃No； Woodrow。〃
〃But you want to have a chil？ by me？〃
〃Yes； Woodrow。〃
〃Will you marry me？〃
Her eyes widened slightly。 But she answered at once：
〃No； Woodrow。〃
Minerva； at that point Dora and I almost had our first… and last； and only…quarrel。 She had been a sweet and lovable baby who had grown into a sweet…tempered and utterly lovable young woman。 But she was as stubborn as I am…with the sort of firmness that can't be argued with； because she would not argue。 I pay her the respect of believing that she had thought this through； all aspects； and had long since made up her mind to bear my child if I would let her…bi~t not to marry me。
As for me； I did not ask 。her to marry me on impulse； it just sounds like it。 A supersaturated solution will crystallize almost instantly； that's the shape I was in。 I had lost interest in that colony years earlier； as soon as it stopped presenting real challenges； I was itching to do something else。 At the top of my mind I thought I was waiting for Zack to return 。 。 but when the Andy J。 finally did orbit in that sky； two years overdue…well； I learned that it was not what I had been waiting for。
When Dora made that amazing request； I knew what I had been waiting for。