o feed it.' I
think maybe he are afraid that if he ever hit my Princess Ryra, I wirr
kirr him." The brown eyes looked up at Hunter, and suddenly they were
unlike he had ever seen them; cold with deliberate decision. "I wirr,
too."

* * * * *
* * * *

Hunter was still standing by the cabin, thinking of what Alonzo had
said, when Rockford returned.

"I also stopped by to see Val Boran," Rockford said. "While you're off
with Lyla, we'll go to the city. Lyla is giving us free access to the
Royal Library and the records of a neutral world carry more weight than
anything I could say. Not that it's going to change his mind any--but
it will give me a chance to work on him in another way."

Rockford went into the cabin as Val Boran came up the path, Princess
Lyla walking beside him. She was saying, "... And anything we have in
the library is yours for the asking."

They were close enough for Hunter to see her expression as she looked up
at Val and added with what seemed a touch of wistfulness, "I'll be glad
to go in with you and Mr. Rockford and do what I can to help if you want
me to."

"Lyla"--it was the grating voice of Narf who seemed to have the ability
to materialize anywhere--"I'm sure the man knows his business. Besides,
I want to talk to you about something as soon as I have finished my
discussion with Mr. Sonig."

With that, Narf started on toward his cabin. Sonig, close behind him,
paused long enough to bow to Lyla and say with the meaningless smile,
"Good afternoon, Princess Lyla. Your husband was just demonstrating his
marvelous skill with weapons. I would very much dislike"--the little
eyes darted to Hunter and back again--"being the man who aroused his
lordship's wrath."

Then Sonig followed Narf, with one last flickering glance at Hunter to
see how the remark had fallen.

Rockford came out of the cabin with his brief case and said to Val, "Are
we ready to go?"

"I just told Val"--Lyla spoke quickly--"that I would be glad to go along
and help any way I can." The words were addressed to Rockford but her
eyes were on Val, with the same wistful expression. "Do you want me to?"

Val answered her with cool, formal courtesy: "The librarian can find all
the records we will need, Princess Lyla, without our interrupting your
schedule for the day or your discussion with your husband. Thank you
very much."

For an instant Lyla's face had the hurt ex