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I grinned。 〃No； they won't。 They'll only think it a cry of grief。 Robair's got them in the kitchen and not one will e up unless I send for her。〃
〃Wait！〃 she begged。 〃Please wait。 For your father's sake？〃
〃Why should I？〃 I asked。 〃He didn't wait for me。〃 I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom。 Her fists and hands scratched at my face and beat against my chest。
I threw her on the bed； the white satin cover still on it。 She tried to roll off on the other side。 I grabbed her shoulder and spun her back。 She bit my hand and tried to scramble away when I pulled it back。 I placed my knee across her thighs and slapped viciously at her face。 The blow knocked her back on the pillow。 I could see the white marks left by my fingers。
She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them； they were clouded and there was a wildness in them that I had never seen before。 She smiled and her arms went up around my neck； pulling me down to her。 Her mouth fastened against mine。 I could feel her body begin to move under me。
〃Do it to me； Jonas！〃 she breathed into my mouth。 〃Now！ I can't wait any more。 I've waited so long。〃 Her searching fingers ran down my hip and found my core。 She turned her face into the pillow； her movements being more frenetic。 I could hardly hear her fierce； urgent whisper。 〃Hurry； Jonas。 Hurry！〃
I started to get up but she couldn't wait for me to get my clothing off。 She pulled me down again and took me inside her。 She was like a burning bed of coals。 She drew my head down to her neck。
〃Make me pregnant； Jonas；〃 she whispered into my ear。 〃Make me pregnant like you did to those three girls in Los Angeles。 Put your life into me！〃
I looked into her face。 Her eyes were clear and there was a taunting triumph in them。 They reflected none of the passion of the body beneath me。 Her arms and legs tightened around me。
She smiled； her eyes looking into mine。 〃Make me pregnant； Jonas；〃 she whispered。 〃Like your father never would。 He was afraid someone would take something away from you！〃
〃What… what？〃 I tried to get up but she was like a bottomless well that I couldn't get out of。
〃Yes； Jonas；〃 she said； still smiling； her body devouring me。 〃Your father never took any chances。 That's why he made me sign that agreement before we got married。 He wanted everything for his precious son！〃
I tried to get up but she had moved her legs in some mysterious manner。 Laughing； triumphant； she said； 〃But you'll make me pregnant； won't you； Jonas？ Who will know but us？ You will share your fortune with your child even if the whole world believes it to be your father's。〃
She rose beneath me； seeking and demanding my life force。 In a sudden frenzy； I tore myself from her； just as my strength drained from me。 I fell across the bed near her feet。
The agony passed and I opened my eyes。 Her head was turned into the pillow and she was crying。 Silently I got to my feet and left the room。
All the way down the hall to my room； I kept thinking； my father cared； he really cared。 Even if I didn't see it； he loved me。
He loved me。 But never enough to show it。
By the time I got to my room； the tears were rolling down my cheeks。
7
I WAS ON THE TINY INDIAN PINTO THAT I HAD WHEN I was ten years old； galloping insanely across the dunes。 The panic of flight rose within me but I didn't know what I was running from。 I looked back over my shoulder。
My father was following me on the big strawberry roan。 His jacket was open and blowing in the wind and I could see the heavy watch chain stretched tight across his chest。 I heard his voice； weird and eerie in the wind。 〃e back here； Jonas。 Damn you； e back！〃
I turned and urged the pinto to even greater speed； I used my bat unmercifully and there were tiny red welts on the horse's side from where I had hit him。 Gradually； I began to pull away。
Suddenly； as if from nowhere； Nevada was beside me； riding easily on his big black horse。 He looked across at me calmly。 His voice was low。 〃Go back； Jonas。 It's your father calling you。 What kind of a son are you； anyway？〃
I didn't answer； just kept urging my horse on。 I looked back again over my shoulder。
My father was pulling his horse to a stop。 His face was very sad。 〃Look after him； Nevada。〃 I could hear him only faintly； for there was a great distance between us。 〃Look after him； for I haven't the time。〃 He turned the strawberry roan around and began to gallop away。
I stopped my pony and turned to look after him。 He was already growing smaller in the distance。 Even his outline was fading in the sudden tears that leapt to my eyes。 I wanted to cry out after him； 〃Don't go； Father。〃 But the words stuck in my throat。
I sat up in bed； my skin wet with perspiration。 I shook my head to get the echo of the dream out of it。 Through the open window I could hear the sound of horses ing from the corral in back of the house。
I went over to the window and looked out。 The sun was at five o'clock and casting a long morning shadow。 Down in the corral； several of the hands were leaning against the fence； watching a rider trying to break a wiry bay colt。 I squinted my eyes against the sun。
I turned from the window quickly。 That was the kind of medicine I needed。 Something that would jar the empty feeling out of me； that would clean the bitter taste from my mouth。 I pulled on a pair of Levi's and an old blue shirt and started from the room。
I headed down the corridor to the back stairs。 I met Robair just as I came to them。 He was carrying a tray with a glass of orange juice and a pot of steaming coffee。 He looked at me without surprise。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Jonas。〃
〃Good morning； Robair；〃 I replied。
〃Mr。 McAllister is here to see you。 I showed him into the study。〃
I hesitated a moment。 The corral would have to wait。 There were more important things I had to do。 〃Thank you； Robair；〃 I said； turning for the front staircase。
〃Mr。 Jonas；〃 he called after me。
I stopped and looked back at him。
〃If you're goin' to talk business； Mr。 Jonas； I find you always talk better if you got something in your stomach。〃
I looked at him； then at the tray。 I nodded and sat down on the top step。 Robair set the tray down beside me。 I picked up the glass of orange juice and drained it。 Robair poured the coffee and lifted the cover from the toast。 I sipped at the coffee。 Robair was right。 The empty feeling was in my stomach。 It was going away now。 I picked up a slice of toast。
If McAllister noticed the way I was dressed； he made no ment about it。 He came directly to the point。 〃The ten per cent of minority stock is divided as follows；〃 he said； spreading some papers on the desk。 〃Two and one half per cent each； Rina Cord and Nevada Smith； two per cent each； Judge Samuel Haskell and Peter mack； president of the Industrial Bank of Reno； and one per cent to Eugene Denby。〃
I looked at him。 〃What's the stock worth？〃
〃On what basis？〃 he asked。 〃Earnings or net worth？〃
〃Both；〃 I answered。
He looked down at his papers again。 〃On the basis of average earnings the past five years； the minority stock is worth forty…five thousand dollars； on the basis of net worth maybe sixty thousand dollars。〃 He lit a cigarette。 〃The earning potential of the corporation has been declining since the war。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃There just isn't the demand for our product in peacetime that there is in war；〃 he answered。
I took out a cigarette and lit it。 I began to have doubts about the hundred thousand a year I was paying him。 〃Tell me something I don't know；〃 I said。
He looked down at the papers again； then up at me。 〃mack's bank turned down the two…hundred…thousand…dollar loan your father wanted to finance the German contract you signed yesterday。〃
I put the cigarette out slowly in the ash tray。 〃I guess that leaves me a little short； doesn't it？〃
McAllister nodded。 〃Yes。〃
My next question took him by surprise。 〃Well； what did you do about it？〃
He stared at me as if I were psychic。 〃What makes you think that I did？〃
〃You were in my father's office when I got there and I know he wouldn't call you just to settle with that girl's parents。 He could have done that himself。 And you took the job。 That meant you were sure of getting your money。〃
He began to smile。 〃I arranged another loan at the Pioneer National Trust pany in Los Angeles。 I made it for three hundred thousand； just to be on the safe side。〃
〃Good；〃 I said。 〃That will give me the money I need to buy out the minority stockholders。〃
He was still staring at me with that look of surprise in his eyes when I dropped into the chair beside him。 〃Now；〃 I said； 〃tell me everything you've been able to find out about this new thing my father was so hot about。 What was it you called it？ Plastics？〃
8
ROBAIR SERVED A RANCH…STYLE BREAKFAST： STEAK AND eggs； hot biscuits。 I looked around the table。 The last plate had been cleared away and now Robair discreetly withdrew； closing the big doors behind him。 I drained my coffee cup and got to my feet。
〃Gentlemen；〃 I said； 〃I know I don't have to tell you what a shock it was yesterday to find myself suddenly with the responsibility of a big pany like Cord Explosives。 That's why