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"You shall have food," replied the officer. "None may say that the prisoners of
Manator are ill-fed. Just are the laws of Manator," and he departed.
No sooner had the sounds of their passing died away in the distance than Ghek
clambered from the shoulders of his rykor, and scurried to the burrow where he
had hidden the key. Fetching it he unlocked the fetter from about the creature's
ankle, locked it empty and carried the key farther down into the burrow. Then he
returned to his place upon his brainless servitor. After a while he heard footsteps
approaching, whereupon he rose and passed into another corridor from that
down which he knew the warrior was coming. Here he waited out of sight,
listening. He heard the man enter the chamber and halt. He heard a muttered
exclamation, followed by the jangle of metal dishes as a salver was slammed upon
a table; then rapidly retreating footsteps, which quickly died away in the distance.
Ghek lost no time in returning to the chamber, recovering the key, relocking the
rykor to his chain. Then he replaced the key in the burrow and squatting on the
table beside his headless body, directed its hands toward the food. While the
rykor ate Ghek sat listening for the scraping sandals and clattering arms that he
knew soon would come. Nor had he long to wait. Ghek scrambled to the
shoulders of his rykor as he heard them coming. Again it was the officer who had
been summoned by U-Van and with him were three warriors. The one directly
behind him was evidently the same who had brought the food, for his eyes went
wide when he saw Ghek sitting at the table and he looked very foolish as the dwar
turned his stern glance upon him.
"
It is even as I said," he cried. "He was not here when I brought his food."
But he is here now," said the officer grimly, "and his fetter is locked about his
"
ankle. Look! it has not been opened--but where is the key? It should be upon the
table at the end opposite him. Where is the key, creature?" he shouted at Ghek.
"
How should I, a prisoner, know better than my jailer the whereabouts of the key
to my fetters?" he retorted.
"
But it lay here," cried the officer, pointing to the other end of the table.
Did you see it?" asked Ghek.
"
The officer hesitated. "No but it must have been there," he parried.
"
Did you see the key lying there?" asked Ghek, pointing to another warrior.
The fellow shook his head negatively. "And you? and you?" continued the kaldane
addressing the others.
107
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