reasonably, in three weeks or a month you may take custody of this woman and go your way, and I shall not interfere, unless you attempt some act of mindless vengeance upon me. Otherwise this lady shall be dead, and I may also be dead, but for you that is only incidental. So, that is the proposition, which should satisfy us all, more or less. What is your response?”
From somewhere came a soft thud; Myron looked toward Maloof and the act nearly cost him his life. Orlo Cavke hurled his knife at Myron’s neck. Maloof shouted; Myron saw the flicker of steel and slumped over backwards, almost to the floor. Cavke reached behind him and took up a heavy cleaver which he slung with great force at Myron’s head. The cleaver spun through the air and with its butt end struck Myron’s shoulder, numbing his arm. Cavke took instant advantage of the occasion. Scooping up Myron’s gun, he lunged for the hallway, dragging Lady Maloof along with him. He gained the opening into the hallway, where he halted for a triumphant moment. “Now!” cried Cavke. “From behind this old woman I will shoot you dead. If you retreat to your boat, I will shoot you from the deck! You gambled with your lives, and you have lost at the great game! Prepare to meet the judgment of your —”
In the hall behind Cavke a heavy form appeared. A hand reached over Cavke’s shoulder, twisted and wrenched. Cavke screamed and the weapon clattered to the deck. Lady Maloof fell into a whimpering heap of scarlet birds and sprawling limbs. Cavke screamed again as his arm was wrenched into an unnatural position, and he was thrust stumbling into the saloon.
Three men entered from the rear cabin. Myron and Maloof recognized the three: Derl Mone, Avern Glister and Madrig Cargus, who had come up from behind Cavke in the rear passage. Mone and Glister advanced upon Cavke; they shackled his arms behind his back, then tied a lead-rope around his neck, while Cavke stood limp and stricken, his features sagging, overcome by the disaster which had so suddenly overtaken him. The men from Krenke, standing back, surveyed Cavke with cold satisfaction.
Mone spoke: “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Derl Mone. My daughter was Murs Mone. Do you remember her?”
Glister spoke: “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Avern Glister. My daughter was Lally Glister. Do you remember? She had brown hair and a tip-tilted nose.”
Cargus spoke. “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Madrig Cargus. My daughter was Salu. Surely you remember Salu?”
Cavke grinned a ghastly grin. “I know you all well, and the three girls also! The brain is a wonderful instrument, that it remembers so well.” Then he added in a voice suddenly husky: “How did you find me, so far from Krenke?”
Mone showed a small cold grin: “You have these off-worlders to thank. They flew their flitter out to Krenke and asked questions about you. We put a tracer button on their flitter and followed wherever they led. As we expected, they brought us to you.”
“Be assured that you will not escape us again,” said Glister. “We shall watch you with care, as if you were our ailing child!”
“Your return to Krenke will be a great sensation!” said Cargus. “The homecoming celebration will be remembered down the ages. The entire village will be in a froth of excitement!”
“Just so,” said Mone. “We plan a festival of seven days at which you shall be the dance-master.”
“But we must not keep all of your old acquaintances waiting! So now, it is back to Krenke, in grand style!”
“You will want to make an impressive entry,” said Cargus. “I will get you a shirt, a coat and shoes.”
Maloof asked Mone: “Will you be able to rise from the roof with so much of a load?”
“Feel no concern; we have come in our working flitter; it will carry double the weight and fly like a bird.”
7
The Flauts with their wretched prisoner were gone. Lady Maloof had changed her own costume and packed a few of her belongings into a
From somewhere came a soft thud; Myron looked toward Maloof and the act nearly cost him his life. Orlo Cavke hurled his knife at Myron’s neck. Maloof shouted; Myron saw the flicker of steel and slumped over backwards, almost to the floor. Cavke reached behind him and took up a heavy cleaver which he slung with great force at Myron’s head. The cleaver spun through the air and with its butt end struck Myron’s shoulder, numbing his arm. Cavke took instant advantage of the occasion. Scooping up Myron’s gun, he lunged for the hallway, dragging Lady Maloof along with him. He gained the opening into the hallway, where he halted for a triumphant moment. “Now!” cried Cavke. “From behind this old woman I will shoot you dead. If you retreat to your boat, I will shoot you from the deck! You gambled with your lives, and you have lost at the great game! Prepare to meet the judgment of your —”
In the hall behind Cavke a heavy form appeared. A hand reached over Cavke’s shoulder, twisted and wrenched. Cavke screamed and the weapon clattered to the deck. Lady Maloof fell into a whimpering heap of scarlet birds and sprawling limbs. Cavke screamed again as his arm was wrenched into an unnatural position, and he was thrust stumbling into the saloon.
Three men entered from the rear cabin. Myron and Maloof recognized the three: Derl Mone, Avern Glister and Madrig Cargus, who had come up from behind Cavke in the rear passage. Mone and Glister advanced upon Cavke; they shackled his arms behind his back, then tied a lead-rope around his neck, while Cavke stood limp and stricken, his features sagging, overcome by the disaster which had so suddenly overtaken him. The men from Krenke, standing back, surveyed Cavke with cold satisfaction.
Mone spoke: “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Derl Mone. My daughter was Murs Mone. Do you remember her?”
Glister spoke: “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Avern Glister. My daughter was Lally Glister. Do you remember? She had brown hair and a tip-tilted nose.”
Cargus spoke. “Orlo! Do you know me? I am Madrig Cargus. My daughter was Salu. Surely you remember Salu?”
Cavke grinned a ghastly grin. “I know you all well, and the three girls also! The brain is a wonderful instrument, that it remembers so well.” Then he added in a voice suddenly husky: “How did you find me, so far from Krenke?”
Mone showed a small cold grin: “You have these off-worlders to thank. They flew their flitter out to Krenke and asked questions about you. We put a tracer button on their flitter and followed wherever they led. As we expected, they brought us to you.”
“Be assured that you will not escape us again,” said Glister. “We shall watch you with care, as if you were our ailing child!”
“Your return to Krenke will be a great sensation!” said Cargus. “The homecoming celebration will be remembered down the ages. The entire village will be in a froth of excitement!”
“Just so,” said Mone. “We plan a festival of seven days at which you shall be the dance-master.”
“But we must not keep all of your old acquaintances waiting! So now, it is back to Krenke, in grand style!”
“You will want to make an impressive entry,” said Cargus. “I will get you a shirt, a coat and shoes.”
Maloof asked Mone: “Will you be able to rise from the roof with so much of a load?”
“Feel no concern; we have come in our working flitter; it will carry double the weight and fly like a bird.”
7
The Flauts with their wretched prisoner were gone. Lady Maloof had changed her own costume and packed a few of her belongings into a
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