d the distant mountains.

It would be cold outside--probably down around sixteen degrees or so.
It had dropped to fifteen this morning, and unless the weather cleared
up, there'd be no point in going up to the hills this weekend. The
Korental and his clan would be huddled in their huts, waiting for
warmer weather. A wild Ghar hunt would be the last thing they'd be
interested in. Besides, the Gharu would be----

He jerked his attention back to the classroom. A student was reciting.

"... And ... uh, that way, everything was all mixed up with the taxes
and the government couldn't get enough money. So King Weronar knew he'd
have to get someone to help un ... straighten the taxes out, so he ...
uh, well, Daniel Stern had been in the country for a couple of years,
and he had ... well, sort of advised. So the king----"

Don looked out the window again.

With this weather, the ranch would be quiet. Hands would be all in the
bunkhouses, crowding around the stoves. Oh, well, he and Dad could fool
around down in the range. Since Mom had---- He jerked his head around
to face the instructor.

Mr. Barnes was looking at him.

"Um-m-m, yes. That's good, Mara," he said. "Michaels, suppose you go on
from there."

Don glanced across at the student who had just finished her recitation,
but she merely gave him a blankly unfriendly stare. He looked back at
the instructor.

"I lost the last few sentences," he admitted. "Sorry."

Barnes smiled sardonically. "Well, there's an honest admission," he
said. "What's the last you picked up?"

Don shrugged resignedly.

"The appointment of Daniel Stern as Minister of Finance," he said.
"That would be in eight twelve."

"You didn't miss too much." Barnes nodded. "You just got a little
ahead. Take it from there."

"After a few months, the financial affairs of the kingdom began to
improve," Don commenced.

"By the middle of eight thirteen, the tax reforms were in full effect.
There was strong opposition to the elimination of the old system--both
from the old nobility, who had profited by it, and from some of the
colonists. But an Enforcement Corps was formed to see that the new
taxes were properly administered and promptly paid. And the kingdom
became financially stable." He paused.

Actually, he realized with a start, it had been Stern who had founded
and trained the Enforcement Corps--first to enforce the revenue taxes,
and later as a sort of national police force. And it had alway