"But in case I'm wrong," Stulwig said sud-'denly, "I'd like my payment now."

The slaver's head came up with a jerk, but his aide had fore-reached him."Here," Saliman said, tossing the healer a small pouch of coins, "for yourservices and your silence."

Alten hefted the purse with raised eyebrows, nodded and started for the doorway.

"Healer!" Jubal called from the floor, halting the man in mid-stride. "Currentlyonly the three of us know my whereabouts. If any come hunting us and fail tofinish the job, one, or both, of us will see you suffer hard before you die."

Alten hesitated then moistened his lips. "And if someone finds youaccidentally?"

"Then we'll kill you-accidentally," Saliman concluded.

The healer looked from one set of cold eyes to the other, jerked his head in ahalf-nod of agreement and finally left. For a long time after his departuresilence reigned in the hovel.

"Where did you get the money?" Jubal asked when such thoughts were far from hisaide's mind.

"What?"

"The money you gave Stulwig," Jubal clarified. "Don't tell me you had thepresence of mind to gather our house-funds from their hiding places in themiddle of the raid?"

"Better than that," Saliman said proudly, "I took the records of our holdings."

From the early beginnings of Jubal's rise to power in Sanctuary, he had followedSaliman's advice-particularly when it concerned the safety of his wealth.Relatively little of his worth was kept at the estate but was instead spreadsecretly through the town as both investments and caches. In a town likeSanctuary there were many who would gladly supplement their income by holding apackage of unknown content for an equally unknown patron.

Jubal forced himself up into a sitting position. "That raises a question I'vebeen meaning to ask since the raid: why did you save me? You placed yourself in