s in it. "She
lives."

"Where?"

Revel sucked in his breath. If the priest could see all, as they'd been
taught, he was doomed. Then, before any other voices beyond the wall
could speak, Nirea--he had been a muddleheaded and drooling fool not to
seal her mouth--Nirea screamed. "In here, father! Tear down the
barricades!"

Revel was on her in two bounds and hit her a crack on the jaw, a vicious
blow that sprawled her into a pile of clay tablets (inscribed with
writing she had refused to read to him), dead to the world. Then Revel
was at the hole, waiting tensely with a gun in his hand.

"What can lie in the rocks?" he heard Jerran say. "The voice was a
ghost's."

"Hold your tongue," roared Ewyo. "You'll make a fox for the hunt, small
yellow man!"

* * * * *

A gap appeared. "Look in there," said Ewyo, and a head came thrusting
in, the head of a squire's servant topped with the distinctive peaked
cap and green ear flaps. Revel could not shoot a rucker. He hit the man
full in the mouth, and the head disappeared with a howl.

"Tear them down, he's in there. We'll let the zanphs harry him a bit,"
said Ewyo. "Hear that, rebel?"

"Send in your zanphs," yelled Revel, grinning. "Let 'em come in,
squire!"

The gap grew. Up over the rocks charged a zanph, its six legs scrabbling
frantically, its snake's head darting back and forth to search him out.
He let it see him and utter its war cry, a hiss that became a growl.
Then he pointed the gun's muzzle at its face and calmly pulled the
curved metal below the barrel. There was a crash as of a mountain
falling; dust rained on him from the roof, echoes raged together; and
the zanph, its skull fragmented all over four yards of floor, sank to
the furred belly and slowly rolled over.

[Illustration]

"Send me a globe!" roared Revel, delirious with glee. "Send me a god,
Ewyo!"

There was silence beyond the wall; then the priest croaked, "He has a
gun. Certainly this is more than a matter of a kidnapped daughter,
Ewyo!"

Jerran's voice rose in a laugh. "It is, Lord Ewyo, it is!"

What the hell did the old fellow mean? Revel shrugged. He'd learn later.
Now was the time for action.

Going to the prostrate girl, he slung her over his shoulder, a limp
light weight. The tattered silver gown flapped as he walked to the hole.

"Stand back," he cried. "I'm bringing your daughter to you, Squire!"

Another zanph showed its horrible reptilian hea