e. So they say he escaped. They say he slugged a
guard--took his weapons. And he's supposed to have shot his way out of
Khor Fortress, after releasing some other prisoners. They say he forced
his way clear from Hikoran to the Doer valley." He laughed bitterly.

"Did you ever see Khor Fortress?

"And you should have seen my uncle. He was a little, old man. He'd
stand less chance of beating up some guard and taking his weapons than
I would have of knocking out all three of those fellows a few minutes
ago." Again, he paused, looking at Don searchingly.

"I don't know why I'm telling you all this, unless maybe I better tell
someone while I'm still around to talk," he added.

"Now wait." Don shook his head. "Aren't you making----"

"A great, big thing? No." Pete shook his head decidedly. "I've talked
to my uncle. I've heard my uncle and father talk about things. And ...
well, maybe I've gotten mixed up in things a little, too. Maybe I'm
really mixed up in things, and maybe----" He stopped talking suddenly
and got to his feet.

"No, my uncle didn't escape. That whole affair was staged, so they
wouldn't have to bring him to trial. Too many things would have come
out, and they could never make a really legal case. This way ... this
way, he can't talk. No one can defend him now, and no one will ask too
many questions." He turned away.

"Oh, listen." Don was impatient. "That flight developed into a national
affair. All kinds of witnesses. It was spread out all over the map.
People got killed. Who could set up something like that and make it
look genuine?"

Pete didn't look around.

"Look who got killed. A lot of old-line royalists," he said shortly.
"And some of the Waernu. You think my uncle would kill his own
clansmen?" He expelled an explosive breath.

"And there's one man who could set up something like that. He doesn't
like the old royalists very well, either. And he hates the Waernu.
Think it over." He walked quickly out of the room.

* * * * *

Don looked after him for a few seconds, then sat down and fixed an
unseeing gaze on the far wall of the locker room.

"Gaah!" he told himself, "the kid really pulled the door open. Wonder
why he picked me?"

Come to think of it, he wondered, why was it people seemed to tell him
things they never mentioned to anyone else? And why was it they seemed
to get a sort of paralysis when he barked at them? He scratched an ear.
He coul