"Wha...? Camel's eye ... bu...'

He stiffened, the heels of his feet striking the bottom of the closet door.Masha pressed her hand down on his mouth. She was afraid that he might cry outin his death agony. If this were it. And it was. He groaned, and then relaxed.Masha took her hand away. A long sigh came from his open mouth.

She looked around the edge of the closet. Though it was dark outside, it wasbrighter than the darkness in the house. She should be able to make out anyonestanding in the doorway. The noise the heels made could have attracted thehunters. She saw no one, though it was possible that someone had already come inand was against a wall. Listening for more noise.

She felt Benna's pulse. He was dead or so close to it that it didn't matter anymore. She rose and slowly pulled her dagger from the scabbard. Then she steppedout, crouching, sure that the thudding of her heart could be heard in this stillroom.

So unexpectedly and suddenly that a soft cry was forced from her, a whistlesounded outside. Feet pounded in the room - there was someone here! - and thedim rectangle of the doorway showed a bulk plunging through it. But it was goingout, not in. The Raggah had heard the whistle of the garrison soldiers - halfthe city must have heard it - and he was leaving with his fellows.

She turned and bent down and searched under Benna's tunic and in his loincloth.She found nothing except slowly cooling lumpy flesh. Within ten seconds, she wasout on the street. Down a block was the advancing light of torches, theirholders not yet visible. In the din of shouts and whistles, she fled hoping thatshe wouldn't run into any laggard Raggah or another body of soldiers.

Later, she found out that she'd been saved because the soldiers were looking for