le you wear the collar, you'll have to heed the word of him who holds
the chain--mark you that. You're in for a flogging as it is--best not
let your case get to higher quarters." He turned to Nicodemus. "Can we
get him started, think you?"

Nicodemus let the shaggy head drop back into the bunk, and rose.

"Let him bide an hour and he'll be ready for you," he suggested. "Which
is to say that he'll be able to walk, with help. Sit you down,
comrade--the night's young yet."

He beckoned Valerius with him to the table, with a nod at Myleia. She
brought cups and an ampulla of wine--not from among those upon the
shelves. Valerius, with a grunt of satisfaction, pushed his sword out of
his way and sat down. But voices at the door, a shout, a pounding of
horses' hoofs, recalled Nicodemus to his duties as host. He signed to
Valerius to help himself, and hurried to the door.

The twilight had deepened into dusk, through which the fires at the ford
glowed redly. The air, sharp with the evening chill, was vibrant with
sounds of preparation for the night. Outside the wine-shop door a group
was gathered,--three men mounted, three others afoot. One of the latter,
a slave, was calling lustily for admittance, beating with his staff upon
the door.

"Here, lords, here!" cried Nicodemus in alarm. "What may the lords be
pleased to want?"

"Food and drink and a place to sleep if you have it," said one on
horseback. His voice was full and resonant and very deep; the tones of
one used to command men. Another added querulously:

"This place is crowded to the doors. Every public-house--Say quick if
you can take us in, for a cloud of vermin is swarming at our heels,
ready to snap the food from our very jaws."

Nicodemus's eye, long used to sizing up the purses of would-be
customers, lighted to quick and eager greed.

"All I have is at your lordships' service. You say truly; Thorney is
crowded, so that many will sleep on the naked ground to-night."

There came a group of weary carters along the street, smelling loudly of
drink and of the stables, clamoring at every crowded house for bed and
board. Nicodemus saw the disgusted scorn with which the lord who had
last spoken regarded these; saw the other two on horseback turn away as
though contaminated by the very atmosphere of their presence,--an
atmosphere none too sweet, in truth,--and promptly took his cue.

"Nay, friend," said he to the foremost carter, as they clustered close
around,