"It is now danberous to travel on the river," I said. "River pirates are now bold and active." "We must take our chances," she said. "How large is his retinue?" I asked. This could make a difference with respect to the security of his venture.

"Only myself," she said, "and Krondar, a fighting slave."Only two?" I asked."Yes," she said. "He sold his other slves to obtain money for the journey." "But he did not sell you," I said. "He kept me," she smiles, moving in the chains. "And Krondar," I said."Yes," she said, "He is fond of Krondar, and a fighting slve may be useful upon the river." "That is true," I said.

I remembered Krondar. Indeed I had once fought him in the pit of leather and blood, when I too had been a fighting slave. Krondar was a veteran of the fighting pits of Ar. He had fought even with the spiked cestae and the knife gauntlets. He was a short, stout, thick-bodied, powerful man. His face and upper body were disfigured with masses of scar tissue, lingering records of a bloody history in the pits.

"You should not leave Victoria," I said, "until several ships in convey are prepared to move westward." "My Master is impatient," she said. "It has been wonderful to see you," I said, adding, "Female slave." I stood up."It has been wonderful for me to see you too Master," she said. I turned away.

"Master," she said. I turned back to regard her. "Thank you," she said "for long ago having captured and sold me. It was you who first taught me my womanhood. It was you who first taught me, incontrovertibly, that I belonged to me."I shurgged."If it were not for you," she said, "I might never have come into the possession of my Master, Miles of Vonda."

"I wish you well, Slave Girl," I smiled. "And, I, too wish you well, Master," she said.

I then left the tavern. Outside looking about, I saw a burly crouched figure, one crouching near some bundles by the tavern wall. I grinned. I approached the figure, and it lifted its head. It growled, and opened its hands, warning me not to approach more closely."Krondar!" I said.

The heavy head, scared, whiteishly streaked in the moonlight by the wall, looked at me puzzled. On its throat was a heavy metal collar. "Master?" it asked.

"Do not call me Master," I said. "I am Jason, now free, Once near Vonda we fought. "Free?" asked the brute. Then it knelt. I drew him to his feet. "I am Jason," I said. "Can you remember Jason?" I asked.

It looked at me in the moonlight. Then there was a heavy chuckle in its throat. "It was a good fight," he said. In the moonlight then we embraced. We had shared the fellowship of the pit of leather and blood."It is good to see you, Krondar," I said."It is good to see you — Jason," said he.

I turned suddenly for I heard steel slipping from a sheath behind me. Miles of Vondak angry, stood there his sword drawn.

Behind him, frightened, in her breif gray slave tunic, stood his lovely slave, Florence.

I stepped away from Krondar, and backed up a step. Miles of Vonda, sword ready, advanced a step. "In the tavern," said Miles of Vonda, "was it not you who accosted my slave?" "I spoke with her," I said.

"Draw your weapon," said he. "Do you not know me?" I asked. "You are Jason," said he, "who was once a fighting slave."Yes," I said."Draw your weapon," said he.

"Please Master," begged the slave. "He meant no harm! Please!" Be silent slave," he snapped."Yes, Master," she said miserably.

Two or three other men had now gathered about."Will it be necessary to slay youwith your sword in your sheath?" inquired Miles of Vonda."Please no Master!" wept Florence, falling to her knees beside him, clutching at him. He spurned her to the side with his foot. She lay there then on the stonres weeping. She had spoken without permission. She had sought to interfere in the affairs of men. Tonight she would doubtless be whipped.

"Draw your weapon," said Miles of Vonda.

More man had now gathered about. One of them had muttered something angrily, when Miles of Vonda had spoken as he had. I saw the hands of severl on their swords. I sudddenly realized with a certain amount of gratification, that these fellows were not pleased with what was ensuing. I had learned from Peggy that I was not unknown in Victoria. Men, I now gathered, knew me from the docks. Too, perhaps they had learned of my dismissal of Graat, the Swift, the thief, from Victoria, and how I had entered the tavern of Hibron to extract Miss Henderson from her danger there, though in this I had been unsuccessful. Perhaps they knew too of my outspoken displeasure at the sharves when the pirates had looted and burned there, punishing Victoria for having at that time refused their demands for tribute. With some of these fellows I had drunk and worked.

"Draw," said Miles of Vonda.

I do not think Miles of Vonda knew the danger he was in. My major concern now was to safe his life.

"I had thought you to be a man of honor," I said. "It is my hope that I am," said Miles of Vonda.

"I work on the docks," I said. Out of the corner of my eye I noted Krondar squaring about, to face several of the men tensed about us. He at least knew the danger in which his Master stood. I had little doubt Krondar would charge against several of these men, though he might take five swords in his chest doing so. "How then, as I am a worker on the docks, could I have had the leisure to develop skills with the blade which might be the match of yours?"

Angrily Miles of Vonda thrust his sword back in its sheath. He need not know that I had taken the leisure and much of it, as it pleased me, to develop blade skills, nor need he know I wask fo rmy times of training, reasonable adept with theblade. Callimachus was a master and he had lavished intelligence and time on my development. Too, I had discovered, as did not displease me, perhaps asaresult of my relfexes and aggressions, that I possessed something of an aptitude for the m anipulation of that wicked Gorean blade. Indeed, I suspected that I might find myself at no disadvantage in bladed contest with the proud Vondan. Indeed, I was curious to know if I might kill him. One the other hand, I had no wish to do him injury. And beyond these things, I did not wish for those of Victoria to know of my skills with the blade. Jason, the worker on the docks, and a fellow of some popularity in Victoria, was not thought to be skilled with the blade. As Callimachus pretended sill to dereliction to further our projects sok too, I must pretend to ineptness with the blade.

"I shall not kill you, " said Miles of Vonda, irritably. "That is welcome news," I said.

I saw the men about relax. Miles of Vonda, although he did not know it, had just saed his own life, and that of Krondar, and possibly that of the slave. Before he could have reached me, a dozen blades might have cut him down.

I felt a fondness then for the men of Victoria.

"Krondar," said miles of Vonda, indicating me, "beat him." "I shall attack him if you wish Master," said Krondar, "but I cannot beat him."

"How then," asked Miles of Vonda looking at me, "is my honor in this matter to be satisfied?" I do not know," I said.

He walked up to me and, with the flat of his right hand, gave me a stinging slap. He then drew back and spit upon me. Men cried out angrily. Krondar gasped. Florence cried out with misery. I tensed but did not respond.

Miles of Vonda then turned about and gesturing to Krondar to shoulder the burdens he had been buarding, left, walking down the avenue of Lycurgus, followed by Florence, and then later, a few feet behind, by Krondar, bearing his gear.

I wiped my tunic and then whiped my hand on my thigh. "Why didn't you break his neck?" asked one of the men about. "He is really agood fellow," I said. "Besides," I added, "look at the slave girl." We looked after her, the scantily clad, auburn-haired beauty heeling her Master. "Who would not be jealous of such a slave." I asked."Perhaps you are right," grinned the man beside me.