A colonizer ran up breathlessly. "Ninety thousand? Let me see it!"
I opened the purse, pulled out the wad of bills, and flung the purse on the ground.
The colonizer riffed through the wad. "That's for me! I'll take it!"
He reached for the money.
"Just a minute," I said. "It's yours after you give that lady over there your berth and make it legal with the ship."
"Hey," said a companion, "how about all your belongings? Your cattle and equipment? You haven't time any more to take it off."
"Heck, my whole outfit isn't worth more than fifteen thousand! I'll give it to the lady."
He ran to Celia and the two of them dashed for the passenger ramp. It was eight-thirty-five. Twenty-five minutes before take-off.
I put the money in my coat pocket.