awned slightly.

"I always like to talk to people," he observed, "when they're worryin'
about what I'm likely to do to them, instead of what maybe they can do
to me."

Figures appeared on the ground level. They'd come out of a sally port to
one side. They were even extravagantly cordial when Hoddan's grandfather
admitted that it might be convenient to talk over his business inside
the castle, where there would be an easy-chair to sit in.

* * * * *

Presently they sat beside the fireplace in the great hall. Don Loris,
jittering, shivered next to Hoddan's grandfather. The Lady Fani
appeared, icy-cold and defiant. She walked with frigid dignity to a
place beside her father. Hoddan's grandfather regarded her with a
wicked, estimating gaze.

"Not bad!" he said brightly. "Not bad at all!" Then he turned to Hoddan.
"Those retainers coming?"

"On the way," said Hoddan. He was not happy. The Lady Fani had passed
her eyes over him exactly as if he did not exist.

There was a murmurous noise. The dozen spearmen came marching into the
great hall. They carried loot. It dripped on the floor and they blandly
ignored such things as stray golden coins rolling off away from them.
Stay-at-home inhabitants of the castle gazed at them in joyous
wonderment.

Nedda came with them. The Lady Fani made a very slight, almost
imperceptible movement. Hoddan said desperately:

"Fani, I know you hate me, though I can't guess why. But here's a thing
that ... has to be taken care of! We made a raid on Walden ... that's
where the loot came from ... and my men kidnaped this girl ... her name
is Nedda ... and brought her on the ship as a present to me ... because
she'd admitted that she knew me! Nedda's in an awful fix, Fani! She's
alone and friendless, and ... somebody has to take care of her! Her
father'll come for her eventually, no doubt, but somebody's got to take
care of her in the meantime, and I can't do it!" Hoddan felt hysterical
at the bare idea. "I can't!"

The Lady Fani looked at Nedda. And Nedda wore the brave look of a girl
so determinedly sweet that nobody could possibly bear it.

"I'm ... very sorry," said Nedda bravely, "that I've been the cause of
poor Bron turning pirate and getting into such dreadful trouble. I cry
over it every night before I go to sleep. He treated me as if I were his
sister, and the other men were so gentle and respectful that I ... I
think it will break my heart when t