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〃Now look；〃 said Tom as firmly as he could。 〃Dream or no dream； you're not ing with us。 We need a younger man。
〃Or woman；〃 said Sally。
〃I will bring two young men with me； Chori and Pingo。 I'm the only one besides Don Orlando who knows the way through the Meambar Swamp。 Without a guide you will die。〃
〃I must decline your offer； Don Alfonso。〃
〃You don't have much time。 The soldiers are after you。〃
〃They were here？〃 Tom asked； alarmed。
〃They came this morning。 They will be back。〃
Tom glanced at Sally and then back to Don Alfonso。 〃We haven't done anything wrong。 I'll explain…〃
〃You do not need to explain。 The soldiers are evil men。 We must start provisioning immediately。 Marisol！〃
〃Yes； grandfather？〃
〃We will need tarpaulins； matches； petrol； two…cycle engine oil； tools； a frying pan； cooking pot； silverware； and water canteens。〃 He continued to reel off the list of supplies and food。
〃Do you have medicine？〃 Tom asked。
〃We have much North American medicine； thanks to the missionaries。 We did a lot of clapping for Jesus to get those medicines。 Marisol； tell the people to e with the items for sale at fair prices。〃
Marisol ran off； her braids flying； and in less than ten minutes she returned； leading a file of old men； women； and children； each carrying something。 Don Alfoso remained in the hut； aloof from the lowly business of buying and selling while Marisol handled the crowd。
〃Buy what you want and tell the others to go away；〃 Marisol said。 〃They will tell you the price。 Do not bargain； it is not our way。 Just say yes or no。 The prices are fair。〃
She spoke sharply to the ragged line of people； and they shuffled together； standing up straighter。
〃She's going to be chief of this village；〃 Tom said to Sally in English； looking over the orderly row of people。
〃She already is。〃
〃We are ready；〃 Marisol said。 She gestured at the first man in line。 He stepped forward and held out five old burlap sacks。
〃Four hundred；〃 said the girl。
〃Dollars？〃
〃Lempiras。〃
〃What's that in dollars？〃 said Tom。
〃Two。〃
〃We'll take them。〃
The next person stepped forward with a large sack of beans； a sack of loose dry corn； and an indescribably battered aluminum pot and lid。 The original handle was missing； and in its place was a beautifully carved and oiled piece of hardwood。 〃One dollar。〃
〃We'll take them。〃
The man laid them down and retreated； while the next one stepped forward； holding out two T…shirts； two pairs of dirty shorts； a trucker's hat； and a brand…new pair of Nikes。
〃Here's my change of clothes；〃 said Tom。 He looked at the shoes。 〃Just my size； too。 Imagine finding a brand…new pair of Air Jordans down here。〃
〃They make them here；〃 said Sally。 〃Remember the sweatshop scandals？〃
〃Oh yeah。〃
The procession of goods continued： plastic tarps； sacks of beans and rice； dried and smoked meats that Tom decided not to inquire too closely about； bananas； a fifty…five…gallon drum of petrol； a box of salt。 Quite a few had arrived with cans of extra…strength Raid； the insect repellent of choice； which Tom declined。
Suddenly a hush fell over the crowd。 Tom could hear the faint buzz of an outboard motor。 The girl spoke rapidly。
〃You must follow me into the forest。 Quickly。〃
Instantly the crowd had dispersed； and the village fell silent； seemingly empty。 The girl calmly led the way into the forest； following an almost invisible trail。 A twilight mist drifted through the trees。 There was swamp all around them； but the trail wound this way and that； keeping to high ground。 The sounds of the village died away； and they were wrapped in the muffled cloak of the forest。 After ten minutes of walking； the girl stopped。
〃We wait here。〃
〃How long？〃
〃Until the soldiers leave。〃
〃What about our boat？〃 Sally asked。 〃Won't they recognize our boat？〃
〃We already hid your boat。〃
〃That was a good idea。 Thank you。〃
〃You're wele。〃 The self…possessed girl turned her dark eyes back down the trail and waited； as still and quiet as a deer。
〃Where do you go to school？〃 Sally asked； after a moment。
〃The Baptist school down the river。〃
〃A missionary school？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you a Christian？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said the girl； turning a serious face to Sally。 〃Aren't you？〃
Sally blushed。 〃Well； ah； my parents were Christians。〃
〃That is good；〃 she said； smiling。 〃I wouldn't want you to go to hell。〃
〃Well now；〃 said Tom； speaking into the awkward silence。 〃I'm curious to know； Marisol； if there is anyone in the village besides Don Alfonso who knows the way across the Meambar Swamp。〃
She shook her head gravely。 〃He is the only one。〃
〃Is it difficult to cross？〃
〃Very。〃
〃Why is he so anxious to take us？〃
She simply shook her head。 〃I do not know。 He has dreams and visions； and this was one of them。〃
〃He really did dream about us ing？〃
〃Oh yes。 When the first white man came； he said the sons would soon follow。 And here you are。〃
〃A lucky guess；〃 said Tom in English。
A distant shot echoed through the forest； then another。 It rolled about like thunder； curiously distorted by the jungle； taking a long time to fade away。 The effect on Marisol was terrible to see。 She turned white； trembled； and swayed。 But she said nothing and did not move。 Tom was horrified。 Had somebody been shot？
〃They aren't shooting people？〃 he asked。
〃I don't know。〃
Tom could see her eyes filling with tears。 But she betrayed no other emotion。
Sally grabbed Tom's arm。 〃They might be shooting people on account of us。 We've got to go give ourselves up。〃
〃No；〃 said the girl sharply。 〃Maybe they're shooting into the air。 We can do nothing except wait。〃 A single tear made a track down the girl's face。
〃We never should have stopped here；〃 said Sally； switching into English。 〃We had no right to put these people in danger。 Tom； we've got to go back to the village and face those soldiers。〃
〃You're right。〃 Tom turned to go。
〃They will shoot us if you go back；〃 the girl said。 〃With soldiers； we are powerless。〃
〃They'll never get away with this；〃 Sally said； her voice shaking。 〃I'll report this to the American Embassy。 Those soldiers will be punished。〃
The girl said nothing。 She had fallen silent and was standing still again； like a deer； just barely trembling。 Even her tears had stopped。
21
Lewis Skiba remained alone in his office。 It was still early in the afternoon； but he had sent everyone home to get them away from the press。 He had unplugged his office phone and shut the two outer doors to his office。 Now； while the pany was crumbling around him； he was locked in a cocoon of silence； wrapped in a golden glow of his own making。
The Securities and Exchange mission hadn't even waited until the close of trading to announce the investigation into accounting irregularities at Lampe…Denison Pharmaceuticals。 The announcement had fallen like a hammer blow on the stock； and now Lampe was at seven and a quarter and ticking down。 The pany was like a dying whale； paralyzed； wallowing； surrounded by a frenzied； mindless cluster of sharks…short sellers…tearing it apart； chunk by chunk。 It was a primitive； Darwinian feeding frenzy。 And every dolla