gc.shadowslinger-第13部分

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while　before　the　Captain's　courier　letter　would　have　left　Charm）　for　help　solving　a　local　problem。　That　someone　had　approached　the　Lady；　when　the　world's　desire　is　to　keep　her　far　away；　argued　that　we　faced　interesting　times。　I　wondered　about　the　connection　with　the　Barrowland。
　　The　negative　was　that　Juniper　was　so　far　away。　I　was　pleased　that　I　would　be　there　when　the　Captain　learned　he　was　expected　to　head　there　after　resting　in　Oar；　though。
　　Could　be　I'd　hear　his　howl　of　outrage　even　from　that　far。　I　knew　he　wouldn't　be　happy。
　　　
　　　Chapter　Thirteen：　JUNIPER：　THE　ENCLOSURE
　　
　　Shed　slept　badly　for　weeks。　He　dreamt　of　black　glass　walls　and　a　man　who　hadn't　been　dead。　Twice　Raven　asked　him　to　join　a　night　hunt。　Twice　he　refused。　Raven　did　not　press；　though　they　both　knew　Shed　would　jump　if　he　insisted。　Shed　prayed　that　Raven　would　get　rich　and　disappear。　He　remained　a　constant　irritant　to　the　conscience。
　　Damnit；　why　didn't　Krage　go　after　him？
　　Shed　couldn't　figure　why　Raven　remained　unperturbed　by　Krage。　The　man　was　neither　a　fool　nor　stupid。　The　alternative；　that　he　wasn't　scared；　made　no　sense。　Not　to　a　Matron　Shed。　Asa　remained　on　Krage's　payroll；　but　visited　regularly；　bringing　firewood。　By　the　wagonload；　sometimes。　〃What're　you　up　to？〃　Shed　demanded　one　day。　　〃Trying　to　build　credit；〃　Asa　admitted。　Krage's　guys　don't　like　me　much。〃
　　〃Hardly　anybody　does；　Asa。〃
　　〃They　might　try　something　nasty。　。。。〃
　　〃Want　a　place　to　hide　when　they　turn　on　you；　eh？　What're　you　doing　for　Krage？　Why　is　he　bothering　with　you？〃
　　Asa　hemmed　and　hawed。　Shed　pushed。　Here　was　a　man　he　could　bully。　〃I　watch　Raven；　Shed。　I　report　what　he　does。〃
　　Shed　snorted。　Krage　was　using　Asa　because　he　was　expendable。　He'd　had　two　men　disappear　early　on。　Shed　thought　he　knew　where　they　were。　　Sudden　fear。　Suppose　Asa　reported　Raven's　night　adventures？　Suppose　he'd　seen　Shed。　。　。　。
　　Impossible。　Asa　couldn't　have　kept　quiet。　Asa　spent　his　life　looking　for　leverage。
　　〃You've　been　spending　a　lot　lately；　Asa。　Where　are　you　getting　the　money？〃
　　Asa　turned　pale。　He　looked　around；　gobbled　a　few　times。　〃The　wood；　Shed。　Selling　the　wood。〃
　　〃You're　a　liar；　Asa。　Where're　you　getting　it？〃
　　〃Shed；　you　don't　ask　questions　like　that。〃
　　〃Maybe　not。　But　I　need　money　bad。　I　owe　Krage。　I　almost　had　him　paid　off。　Then　he　started　buying　my　little　debts　from　everybody　else。　That　damned　Gilbert！　。。。　I　need　to　get　ahead　enough　so　I　don't　have　to　borrow　again。〃
　　The　black　castle。　Two　hundred　twenty　pieces　of　silver。　How　he　had　been　tempted　to　attack　Raven。　And　Raven　just　smiled　into　the　wind；　knowing　exactly　what　he　was　thinking。　〃Where're　you　getting　that　money；　Asa？〃
　　〃Where　did　you　get　the　money　you　paid　Krage？　Huh？　People　are　wondering；　Shed。　You　don't　e　up　with　that　kind　of　money　overnight。　Not　you。　You　tell　me　and　I'll　tell　you。〃　Shed　backed　down。　Asa　beamed　in　triumph。
　　〃You　little　snake。　Get　out　before　I　lose　my　temper。〃　　Asa　fled。　He　looked　back　once；　face　knotted　thoughtfully。　Damnit；　Shed　thought。　Made　him　suspicious。　He　ground　his　rag　into　a　tacky　mug。
　　〃What　was　that？〃
　　Shed　spun。　Raven　had　e　to　the　counter。　His　look　brooked　no　crap。　Shed　gave　him　the　gist。
　　〃So　Krage　hasn't　quit。〃
　　〃You　don't　know　him　or　you　wouldn't　ask。　It's　you　or　him；　Raven。〃
　　〃Then　it　has　to　be　him；　doesn't　it？〃
　　Shed　gaped。　〃A　suggestion；　Shed。　Follow　your　friend　when　he　goes　wood…gathering。〃　Raven　returned　to　his　seat。　He　spoke　to　Darling　animatedly；　in　sign；　which　he　blocked　from　Shed's　view。　The　set　of　the　girl's　shoulders　said　she　was　against　whatever　it　was　he　was　proposing。　Ten　minutes　later　he　left　the　Lily。　Each　afternoon　he　went　out　for　a　few　hours。　Shed　suspected　he　was　testing　Krage's　watchers。
　　Darling　leaned　against　the　door　frame；　watching　the　street。　Shed　watched　her；　his　gaze　sliding　up　and　down　her　frame。　Raven's；　he　thought。　They're　thick。　I　don't　dare。　　But　she　was　such　a　fine　looking　thing；　tall；　lean　of　leg；　ready　for　a　man。　。。。　He　was　a　fool。　He　did　not　need　to　get　caught　in　that　trap；　too。　He　had　troubles　enough。　　〃I　think　today　would　be　good　for　it；〃　Raven　said　as　Shed　delivered　his　breakfast。　〃Eh？　Good　for　what？〃
　　〃For　a　hike　up　the　hill　to　watch　friend　Asa。''　
　　〃Oh。　No。　I　can't。　Got　nobody　to　watch　the　place。〃　Back　by　the　counter；　Darling　bent　to　pick　something　off　the　floor。　Shed's　eyes　widened　and　his　heart　fluttered。　He　had　to　do　something。　Visit　a　whore；　or　something。　Or　get　hurt。　But　he　couldn't　afford　to　pay　for　it。　〃Darling　couldn't　handle　it　alone。〃
　　〃Your　cousin　Wally　has　stood　in　for　you　before。〃　Caught　off　balance；　Shed　could　not　marshall　his　excuses　quickly。　And　Darling　was　driving　him　to　distraction。　She　had　to　start　wearing　something　that　concealed　the　shape　of　her　behind　better。　〃Uh。　。。。　He　couldn't　deal　with　Darling。　Doesn't　know　the　signs。〃　　Raven's　face　darkened　slightly。　〃Give　her　the　day　off。　Get　that　girl　Lisa　you　used　when　Darling　was　sick。〃　Lisa；　Shed　thought。　Another　hot　one。　〃I　only　use　Lisa　when　I'm　here　to　watch　her。〃　A　hot　one　not　attached。　〃She'll　steal　me　blinder　than　my　mother。　。。。〃
　　〃Shed！〃
　　〃Eh？〃
　　〃Get　Wally　and　Lisa　here；　then　go　keep　an　eye　on　Asa。　I'll　make　sure　they　don't　carry　off　the　family　silver。〃
　　〃But。　。　。　。〃　Raven　slapped　a　palm　on　the　tabletop。　〃I　said　go！〃
　　The　day　was　clear　and　bright　and；　for　winter；　warm。　Shed　picked　up　Asa's　trail　outside　Krage's　establishment。
　　Asa　rented　a　wagon。　Shed　was　amazed。　In　winter　stable…keepers　demanded　huge　deposits。　Draft　animals　slaughtered　and　eaten　had　no　provenance。　He　thought　it　a　miracle　anyone　trusted　Asa　with　a　team。　　Asa　went　directly　to　the　Enclosure。　Shed　stalked　along　behind；　keeping　his　head　down；　confident　Asa　would　not　suspect　him　even　if　he　looked　back。　The　streets　were　crowded。
　　Asa　left　the　wagon　in　a　public　grove　across　a　lane　running　alongside　the　wall　which　girdled　the　Enclosure。　It　was　one　of　many　similar　groves　where　Juniper's　citizenry　gathered　for　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Rites　for　the　Dead。　The　wagon　could　not　be　seen　from　the　lane。
　　Shed　squatted　in　shadow　and　bush　and　watched　Asa　dash　to　the　Enclosure　wall。　Somebody　ought　to　clear　that　brush　away；　Shed　thought。　It　made　the　wall　look　tacky。　For　that　matter；　the　wall　needed　repairing。　Shed　crossed　and　found　a　gap　through　which　a　man　could　duck…walk。　He　crept　through。　Asa　was　crossing　an　open　meadow；　hurrying　uphill　toward　a　stand　of　pines。
　　The　inner　face　of　the　wall　was　brush…masked；　too。　Scores　of　bundles　of　wood　lay　among　the　bushes。　Asa　had　more　industry　than　Shed　had　suspected。　Hanging　around　Krage's　gang　had　changed　him。　They　had　him　scared　for　sure。
　　Asa　entered　the　pines。　Shed　puffed　after　him。　Ahead；　Asa　sounded　like　a　cow　pushing　through　the　underbrush。
　　The　whole　Enclosure　was　tacky。　In　Shed's　boyhood　it　had　been　park…like；　a　fit　waiting　place　for　those　who　had　gone　before。　Now　it　had　the　threadbare　look　that　characterized　the　rest　of　Juniper。
　　Shed　crept　toward　hammering　racket。　What　was　Asa　doing；　making　so　much　noise？
　　He　was　cutting　wood　from　a　fallen　tree；　stacking　the　pieces　in　neat　bundles。　Shed　could　not　picture　the　little　man　orderly；　either。　What　a　difference　terror　made。　An　hour　later　Shed　was　ready　to　give　up。　He　was　cold　and　hungry　and　stiff。　He　had　wasted　half　a　day。　Asa　was　doing　nothing　remarkable。　But　he　persevered。　He　had　a　time　investment　to　recoup。　And　an　irritable　Raven　awaiting　his　report。
　　Asa　worked　hard。　When　not　chopping；　he　hustled　bundles　down　to　his　wagon。　Shed　was　impressed。
　　He　stayed；　watched；　and　told　himself　he　was　a　fool。　This　was　going　nowhere。　Then　Asa　became　furtive。　He　collected　his　tools　and　concealed　them；　looked　around　warily。　This　is　it；　Shed　thought。　　Asa　took　off　uphill。　Shed　puffed　after　him。　His　stiff　muscles　protested　every　step。　Asa　traveled　more　than　a　mile　through　lengthening　shadows。　Shed　almost　lost　him。　A　clinking　brought　him　back　to　the　track。
　　The　little　man　was　using　flint　and　steel。　He　crouched　over　a　supply　of　torches　wrapped　in　an　oilskin；　taken　from　hiding。　He　got　a　brand　burning；　hastened　into　some　brush。　A　moment　later　he　clambered　over　some　rocks　beyond；　disappeared。　Shed　g