o his side with a jug of water. As she gave
it to him, she put one hand, gnarled, distorted by work, hairy as a
man's, on his broad shoulder, and he put his own hand up over it. They
stood silent, looking down at the black head buried in the dingy
blankets. The lamplight fell soddenly on their faces, throwing them into
relief against the murky gloom of the room. Nicodemus grunted, and
without warning emptied the water over the black head. Myleia laughed
huskily. The remedy was partially effectual. The head rose dripping from
the blankets, with dazed and drunken eyes.

"Pull thyself together, Nicanor, lad!" Nicodemus said sharply. "Valerius
is coming for thee. Thou hast overstayed thy leave; he is to take thee
back to the house of thy lord. Dost understand?"

Nicanor, answering nothing, sat upright with an effort, pressing his
hands to his head, his body swaying slightly from the hips. Nicodemus
put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come!" he urged.

Nicanor looked at him, blinking stupidly. Still he did not speak, but
moistened his lips with a swollen tongue. He began to sink slowly back
into the blankets, supine and inert. Nicodemus sat on the edge of the
bunk and passed a long gorilla arm about his shoulders. He motioned to
his wife, who stood watching, arms akimbo, her face expressive of lively
sympathy. She went to the shelves where stood the jars of liquor,
returning with a brimming horn cup. Nicodemus took this, tilted back the
heavy head at his shoulder, and started to pour its contents down
Nicanor's throat. Nicanor choked, gasped, and swallowed automatically.

A black figure blocked out the twilight in the door.

"Peace be with ye, friends! What's all this?" said a hearty voice.
Valerius entered; saw the face of the patient, and stopped short.

"Nicanor!" he exclaimed. "Why, I'm come for him. He should have been
back last night. Hito--prince of overseers--hath a black mark against
him. Drunk again?"

Nicodemus nodded casually. "Bide a bit, friend, and I'll have him in
shape. He's awake now."

Nicanor, slowly recovering his sodden wits, looked at Valerius,
recognizingly, opened his mouth to speak, found the exertion too great,
and shut it again. He let his head sink back against Nicodemus.
Presently, with his eyes closed, he said thickly:

"You, Valerius? What now?"

"I want you, my friend," said Valerius, promptly. "It would seem you
forget the trifling fact that Hito commanded your return last night.
Whi