o the side of the
patch of bad ground.

Then it dawned on him how they had been followed; for behind the
stallioned squires rose the hills, which bordered the straight hunting
course, and on them showed small dots of color, the keen-eyed watchers
of the gentry. No matter where he ran on this long narrow coursing
ground, there would be eyes upon him.

At least the ravening dogs were not nearby. He picked up Jerran, tucked
him under one arm, and dashed for the shelter of the evergreen woods
before him. The hoofs of the horses pounded behind. He dodged in among
the pines, and the mournful call lifted--"Gone to earth! Go-ho-hon to
earth!"

"Damn you, put me down!" rasped Jerran. "Am I a child, to be carted like
this?" Revel dropped him. They skittered from tree to tree, and then a
charging horse was on them, and Jerran was rolling aside, bleating with
fear of the hoofs, while Revel turned and stood foursquare in the path.
As the stallion all but touched him, he jumped aside, jumped back, so
that the head of the beast passed him but the rider was struck and
clutched and hurled from his saddle, losing his trumpet-gun as he fell.
The Mink was sitting astride him before he could bounce up, and two
ruthless hands took him by the throat and tore out his jugular. The
second rider at that instant drew rein behind them, and lifted his own
gun for a quick shot.

Jerran hurled a rock. It took the squire on the head, spilled him out of
his saddle, and the subsequent proceedings interested him no more.

"Two guns, by Orbs!" crowed Revel, gathering them up. "And two horses!"
He put a foot into the stirrup of the second one, but it shied madly at
the touch of a bloody, naked man; dashed forward, startling the other,
and together they vanished among the trees. "Hell!" said Jerran, taking
one of the guns; "nothing gained but two bullets, Mink."

"Two bullets is two more slain squires. Come on!"

* * * * *

The evergreens gave out shortly, and they were in a valley channeled by
sluggish rivulets and grown with noxious weeds and clumps of coarse
grass. Some distance away, a priest walked slowly, head bent, his double
scalp lock flopping down over the radiant blue-green robe. Above him,
apparently in communion with him, hung a golden globe.

Revel shifted his gun up and took aim at the orb. He must risk a shot,
rather than a god's exposure of his whereabouts. The priest looked up,
saw him, yipped in su