deration。〃
〃Not always。〃 His voice carried a warning now； but she sat straighter
and barreled on。
〃Then you acknowledge that profit is your raison d'etre？〃
To her chagrin； Ross laughed。 〃I would never be where I am today if I
didn't have an eye out for profit！〃
She felt oddly betrayed。 〃That's really pathetic；〃 she said； recalling
the tall； handsomely bearded man in jeans； boots； and a simple peasant
shirt。 〃I'd have thought that； with what you stood for at one time； you
might have minimized crass capitalism。 You have sold out； which just
goes to show how terribly wrong one person can be in the judging of
another； or how necive。〃
Ross had risen。 His eyes were too dark to distinguish anger from hurt。
〃You don't know what you're talking about。 You didn't know me then； and
you certainly don't know me now。 When I returned from Africa that last
time with my grungy denims； my dashiki； and my beard〃…his eyes
narrowed…〃it took me all of a week to shuck them。 And do you know why？〃
He went on only when she shook her head。 〃Because I saw that there was
more narrow…mindedness； more prejudice； ing from the mouths of the
hippie generation than anywhere else。 Because of my appearance； I was
assumed to be one of them； until they discovered that I didn't always
think the way they did； that I had a mind of my own。 The true sign of a
liberal；