Konar raised an eyebrow. "I felt it," he said. "Good thing Ciernar and I backed you up a little. Wouldn't help us much to knock out the baron's river detachment right now, would it?" He reached into the case. "Looks as though the merchants weren't exaggerating, if you ask me," he added. He approached Meinora, a small swab in his hand. "Hold still, sir," he instructed. "This'll sting for a few seconds." He dabbed at the cut cheek, then reached back into the case for an instrument. "Ouch!" Meinora winced. "Did you have to use that stuff full strength? After all, I can wait a couple of hours for it to heal." He shook his head as his companion turned back toward him, then dashed involuntary tears from his eyes and blinked a few times to clear his vision. "No," he added, "the merchants aren't exaggerating a bit on this one. Bel Menstal's a pretty rough customer, and he keeps rough boys. Now, we'll see whether he's the guy we've been looking for, the guy with our equipment." Konar focused the small instrument on his superior's face, passing it along the line of the jagged cut. "You didn't explain that part." "Simple enough." Meinora grinned wolfishly. "Those coins were a Vadris-Kendar alloy. Now that they're out of their force field, they'll start to sublimate. In a couple of hours or so, they'll be gone, and someone will be asking a lot of questions. Set up the detectors. If the baron is the boy we think he is, we should be getting a fairly strong reading shortly after that guard's relieved." * * * * * From somewhere atop the cliff, a bell tolled. The hoarse voice of the lookout drifted down to the wharf. "Relieve the guard." Nal Gerda looked up. A line of men were coming down the steep path, stepping cautiously as they wound about the sharp turns. Gerda nodded and walked back into the guard room. "Draw up your guard," he ordered. He beckoned to two of the serfs. "Take the chest," he directed, "and stay close in front of me." Herding the bearers before him, he went out to the wharf. His guard was drawn up in their proper station, facing upstream, so that they could view both the steps from the cliff and the river. No traffic was in sight in the long gorge. The new guard came slowly down the trail, formed at the foot of the steps, and marched to the tower portal. Their commander dressed their ranks, motioned to his clerk, and came forward, saluting as he approached Gerda. "Anything unusual?" "Nothing," Gerda told him. "Seven barges, this watch. Traders are gathering for the fair at Orieano." "I know," the other agreed. "We'll have rich collections for the rest of the summer, what with fairs all down the valley. You'll be going to the Orieano Fair?" "Got my permission yesterday. I'm to ride with the Baron. Have to give the merchants back part of their money, you know." "Yes, I suppose so." The other grinned, then sobered. "I'll relieve you, sir." "Very good." Gerda saluted, then turned.