“And, Merchant,” said she, “do not seek hereafter to mix in the affairs of Verna and Marlenus.” “I understand,” I said.

The girl turned and, swiftly, disappeared in the shadows, the others disappearing with her.

My men leaped to their feet and seized their weapons.

I went to Sheera, and lifted her head. “Did you see Verna?” I asked her. “Yes,” she said.

“Were you at the camp?” I asked.

“No,” she said.

“Do they hold Talena?” I demanded. I held her cruelly by the shoulders. “I do not know,” she said.

I released her.

“Did Verna give you any message for me?” I asked.

“It is unimportant,” she said.

“What was it?” I asked.

“It concerns me,” said Sheera, head down.

“What was the message?” I asked.

“I am to say it to you,” whispered Sheera.

“Say it,” said I.

“Teach me slavery,” whispered Sheera. Then she put her head down.

I thrust her aside with my foot, furious. “Thurnock,” said I, “replace the stakes.” The peasant giant did so.

I looked into the darkness of the forests. We would indeed leave the forests, and by noon of the morrow.

But we would come back.

I had given Verna, and her band, her chance.

I unsnapped the slave bracelets from Sheera.

“Cara,” said I, “see that this girl is taught the duties of a female slave.” “Yes, Master,” said Cara. She led Sheera away. Sheera looked at me, over her shoulder.

She would be taught to cook, to sew, to iron and wash clothing.

The former panther girl would learn to perform well the menial tasks of the female slave.

She would find Cara a helpful but exacting teacher.

We had been welcomed by my men. We had returned to the camp by the river but within the Ahn. My first task had been to see to the Tesephone. The work was going well.

In my absence, some hunters and outlaws had brought sleen fur to trade. We had given them good prices, in gold or goods. As far as those in Laura knew, or those in the forests, with the exception of the panther girls of Verna’s band, we were what we seemed, traders in fur and sleen.

I was not dissatisfied.

“Look,” said Rim. “The little she-sleen!”

I observed Tina, carrying a pitcher of water to two of the men working at the side of the Tesephone.

Her feet sank to her ankles in the sand. I noted that she had, with a light cord, belted her brief woolen slave tunic. I smiled.

Rim and I approached her. She turned about, startled, and looked up at us. “Masters?” she asked.

“Raise you arms over your head,” I said.

Apprehensive, she did so. The men watched, curious.

The cord belt she wore, drawing the brief tunic tight about her, dramatized the small, sweet delights of her body.

But we suspected that that was not the reason the little she-sleen wore the belt as she did.

Rim tugged the knot loose.

From the garment, to the sand about her ankles, there fell several small Gorean plums, a small larma fruit and two silver tarsks.

“Pretty little thief,” said Rim.

“My father was a thief!” she cried. “And his father!”

Several men had gathered around. “I am missing two silver tarsks,” said one. He retrieved his tarsks from the sand.

The girl was now frightened. Thievery on Gor is not much approved.

She attempted to run but one of my men seized her by the arm, and flung her back before us.

“Where is your cache?” I asked.

She looked at me, and from face to face. Then again she looked at me. “I have no cache,” she whispered.

“You have ten Ihn,” I told her,to show us where it is.”

“I have no cache!” she cried.

“One,” I said.

“I have no cache!” she cried. “There is none!”

“Two,” I said.

With a moan she ran from us, to a place near the wall, near which she was, at night, chained in the sand.

We walked over to where she knelt in the sand, terrified, digging, weeping. “Nine,” I said.

She lifted a piece of folded leather, many particles of sand clinging to it, to me.

Then she knelt with her head to my feet.

I opened the folded leather. It contained many small articles, some rings, trinkets, small mirrors, coins.

“You are a skilled thief,” I said.

“My father was a thief,” she said, “and his father before him.”

She trembled at my feet.

I passed her bit of loot about, and cast aside the scrap of leather in which she had wrapped her small horde.

“You understand,” I said, “that a slave girl may not possess goods.” She shook. “Yes, Master,” she said.

“Do you think, within the Ehn,” I asked, “that you could bring me a tarn disk, of gold, of double weight?” “I have no gold!” she cried.

“Then it seems you must be beaten,” I said.

“No!” she cried, “No!” then she turned and tried to flee, pushing her way through my men, closing her in. in an instant, two men holding her arms, she was thrust again before me, and forced to her knees. She put her head down.

“It seems,” said Rim, “that we must now beat her.”

“I do not think so,” I said.

Tina lifted her head. She was smiling. She held up her right hand to me. It held a golden tarn disk. It was of double weight.

There was a shout of pleasure from the men. They were striking their left shoulders with their right fists, repeatedly, in Gorean applause.

I lifted her to her feet. She was smiling. “You are superb,” I told her. “My father was a thief,” she said.

“And his father before him,” added Rim.

She looked down, smiling.

“Is it your intention to steal further in this camp?” I asked.

She looked up into my eyes, earnestly. “No, Master,” she said. “No!” “On the contrary,” I said, “it is my wish that you keep your skills fresh. You may steal in this camp where and when you wish, but within the Ahn you are to return what you have stolen.” She laughed, delightedly.

The men looked at one another, uncomfortably.

“Tonight,” I said, “you will, following our supper, give a demonstration.” “Yes, Master,” she said.

“Whose gold piece is this?” I asked, lifting the double tarn.

The men checked their pouches. None of them claimed the gold.

I did not think she had taken it from me. “Is it mine?” I asked her. “No,” she said, smiling. “It is Thurnock’s.” Thurnock, who had not checked his pouch, knowing it had not been taken form him, snorted in derision, a great peasant snort, like a bosk.

“It is not mine,” said Thurnock.

“Did you have a double tarn with you?” I asked him.

“Yes,” said Thurnock. He fished about in his pouch. Then he reddened. The men laughed.

I tossed Thurnock the coin.

I regarded Tina. “You are a lovely little thief,” I said. “Turn your back to me.” She did so.

I took up the cord with which she had bound in her slave tunic.

I looped it twice about her belly, and jerked it tight, tying it.

She gasped. “Do you permit me the cord,” she asked, “that I may more easily conceal what I steal?” “No,” I said. “I permit it to you that men may more easily note your beauty.” This time lovely Tina, beneath her tan, from the wharves of Lydius, blushed red, and put her head down.

I lifter her head, and took her in my arms. She trembled. I kissed her upon the lips. Her body, that of a white-silk girl, fresh to the collar, was terribly frightened. Not releasing her, I looked upon her. She lifted her lips delicately to mine, those of her master, and kissed them. Her eyes were frightened. “If I do not return, with the Ahn, what I steal,” she asked, “what will be done with me?” “For the first offense,” I said, “your left hand will be removed.” She struggled to escape my arms.

“For the second offense,” I said, “your right hand will be removed.” Her eyes were but inches from mine, dark, dilated, filled with terror. “Do you understand?” I asked.

“Yes, Master,” she whispered.

“You are slave,” I said.