the appliance store dealers mustache was clearly as lush as it had been in his younger days, but it was grizzled now, even though the hair on his head was still black. he touched the mustache out of sheer habit as he gazed at dors and brushed it back on each side.

he said, "youre not a dahlite."

"yes, but i still want a knife."

he said, "its against the law to sell knives."

dors said, "im not a policewoman or a government agent of any sort. im going to billibotton."

he stared at her thoughtfully. "alone?"

"with my friend." she jerked her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of seldon, who was waiting outside sullenly.

"youre buying it for him?" he stared at seldon and it didnt take him long to decide. "hes an outsider too. let him come in and buy it for himself."

"hes not a government agent either. and im buying it for myself."

the dealer shook his head. "outsiders are crazy. but if you want to spend some credits, ill take them from you."

he reached under the counter, brought out a stub, turned it with a slight and expert motion, and the knife blade emerged.

"is that the largest you have?"

"best womans knife made."

"show me a mans knife."

"you dont want one thats too heavy. do you know how to use one of these things?"

"ill learn and im not worried about heavy. show me a mans knife."

the dealer smiled. "well, if you want to see one--"

he moved farther down the counter and brought up a much fatter stub. he gave it a twist and what appeared to be a butchers knife emerged. he handed it to her, handle first, still smiling.

she said, "show me that twist of yours."

he showed her on a second knife, slowly twisting one way to make the blade appear, then the other way to make it disappear. "twist and squeeze," he said.

"do it again, sir."

the dealer obliged.

dors said, "all right, close it and toss me the haft."

he did, in a slow upward loop.

she caught it, handed it back, and said, "faster."

he raised his eyebrows and then, without warning, backhanded it to her left side. she made no attempt to bring over her right hand, but caught it with her left and the blade showed tumescently at once--then disappeared. the dealers mouth fell open.

"and this is the largest you have?" she said.

"it is. if you try to use it, it will just tire you out."

"ill breathe deeply. ill take a second one too."

"for your friend?"

"no. for me."

"you plan on using two knives?"

"ive got two hands."

the dealer sighed. "mistress, please stay out of billibotton. you dont know what they do to women there."

"i can guess. how do i put these knives on my belt?"

"not the one youve got on, mistress. thats not a knife belt. i can sell you one, though."

"will it hold two knives?"

"i might have a double belt somewhere. not much call for them."

"im calling for them."

"i may not have it in your size."

"then well cut it down or something."

"it will cost you a lot of credits."

"my credit tile will cover it."

when she emerged at last, seldon said sourly, "you look ridiculous with that bulky belt."

"really, hari? too ridiculous to go with you to billibotton? then lets both go back to the apartment."

"no. ill go on by myself. ill be safer by myself."

dors said, "there is no use saying that, hari. we both go back or we both go forward. under no circumstances do we separate."

and somehow the firm look in her blue eyes, the set to her lips, and the manner in which her hands had dropped to the hafts at her belt, convinced seldon she was serious.

"very well," he said, "but if you survive and if i ever see hummin again, my price for continuing to work on psychohistory--much as i have grown fond of you--will be your removal. do you understand?"

and suddenly dors smiled. "forget it. dont practice your chivalry on me. nothing will remove me. do you understand?"