With a faint flourish Shandy held out the wild flowers. "For you, Miss
Nancy."
"Why, thank you, Shandy."
Holman leaned against the wall under the clock and eyed Shandy. "You
back to stay?"
"Well," Shandy said. "I've known Miss Nancy quite a while. And am
really quite fond of her. I hate to see her go." He looked at the
flowers Nancy held against her chest. "I have come to ask Miss Nancy
to allow me to court her. With all due respects to Mr. Holman."
"Damn it to hell," Holman said, straightening.
Nancy placed the flowers on the table and smiled at Shandy. He stood as
she approached him. Nancy laughed and put her arms around the young man.
With her head against Shandy's chest Nancy said, "Poor Shandy. Poor
Shandy." She made him sit down again. Then she patted him fondly on the
head. "Stay right there, Shandy." Nancy hurried from the room.
Holman followed her. "Listen, are you _sure_ he isn't intelligent?
Because, my God, the scientists down at the settlement--"
Nancy said, "Oh, no, Ken. He just copies things he's heard people say.
Wait a minute." She disappeared into the storeroom. When she returned
she was holding a dusty album in her hand. Holman followed her back
into the kitchen.
Shandy looked at the album for a moment and then smiled. "I meant
well," he said.
"I knew I recognized you," Nancy said, turning a third through the
book. "My Uncle Maxwell when he graduated from Mars-Yale." She slid the
picture out and held it toward Holman, but he didn't take it.