d's pouting mouth
and a queer, mad glint in her dark eyes.

The older woman said, "No right? You've had your own Nest for all of
three months now, dear Qanya, and already you tell your Mother that she
has no right to enter?"

The girl quailed. She retreated step by step until her back was against
the wall beside Dworn, and met the old woman's eyes with a look half
fright, half defiance.

"But, of course, you have your reasons," the Spider Mother went on
bitingly. Her hard eyes stabbed at the bound and helpless Dworn.
"Somewhere you managed to catch this, and bring him in without letting
anyone know, and paint your face and prepare the needle.... You chose to
forget that in times like these there are others of the Family whose
claim to a mate has priority over yours!"

"_That's_ true, Mother!" said the tall blonde energetically. The plump
girl licked her full lips and said nothing.

"Quiet, Purri!" snapped the Spider Mother. Her eyes raked the girl Qanya
again. "Well, and what do you have to say for yourself?"

Qanya's black eyes flashed. "I caught him myself," she blazed. "You've
no right--"

"No right, no right," mocked the old woman. "Why, I believe that, if
you'd dared, you'd have blocked up the connecting tunnel so we couldn't
walk in on you. Who has rights is for _me_ to decide--and for me to
decide whether you're whipped and sent back to the young girls'
dormitory. Until I've made up my mind--" She turned and frowned
thoughtfully at her two companions, jabbed a finger at the tall one.
"You, Purri, stay here and see that nothing happens to the catch, and
make sure our little Qanya doesn't misbehave. I'm going to my Nest and
check over the Family ledger, to settle the question of who's first in
line for a mate. We've got to be strict, now that the cursed
night-fliers are everywhere and it's been so long since we trapped a
presentable male." She eyed Dworn once more, and smiled thinly. "He's a
fine youth. Who knows? I might even take him for myself."

Dworn had no stomach for the compliment. Secretly, he was twisting his
bound hands behind him, trying to loosen the knots. Those knots had been
none too skillfully tied, and given time.... But he had to desist as the
tall Purri strode near and stood over him. She cast a glance after the
retreating backs of the Spider Mother and her other proteges, then
devoted all her attention to Dworn, surveying him in critical silence
and with a business-like eye for detail