"Life without Milo will be so very different. If I really thought Julian were responsible, I'd I don't know what I'd do."

Glawen said nothing. Presently Wayness asked: "What will happen to Orreduc?"

"I expect that justice will be quick and to the point."

"And what of Julian?"

"Nothing can be proved against him, even if he were guilty, which he's probably not."

"I hope that I never see him again."

The flyers from Araminta Station arrived. Glawen conferred with Captain Ysel Laverty, then flew the biologists to Lake Dimple, where they tested the blood of the dead bunters.

"No question about it! Their blood is full of ari acting and they were beside themselves with rage."

Glawen and the biologists returned to the lodge. Julian, and Milo's body, had been conveyed back to Araminta Station;

Wayness had joined the dismal flight.

While Ysel Laverty questioned the understablemen, Orreduc waited;:

in the manager's office, showing increasing signs of uneasiness. The! understablemen told varying stories. All insisted that the hunters had| been teased and enraged to an intense pitch, 'ij.

"And then what? Who threw out the puppets?" | Here the stories took different directions. Each groom disclaimed! responsibility for this particular step; each declared that other duties | had distracted him at that particular time.

"Most odd," said Ysell Laverty to the last of the three.

"All of you teased the four hunters, I then all of you went away and none of you seem to know who threw in the puppets."

"It surely must have been done! That is part of the process!

We are all highly careful workers."

"I don't find any used puppets in the trash bin. It's quite empty."

"That is astonishing! Who could have taken them away?"

"I can't imagine," said Ysel Laverty, and went to question Orreduc. He seated himself at the manager's desk, and signaled to one of his sergeants, who brought in the defective blinders, then went to stand by the door.

Ysel Laverty placed the blinders carefully on the table, one so that the leather flaps overlapped and the other gaping wide.

Orreduc watched in fascinated silence.

Ysel Laverty leaned back and fixed Orreduc with a long dispassionate scrutiny. At last, with a trembling half-smile, Orreduc asked: "Why do you look on me with eyes that peer and stare? It is unusual when a person looks so long at another person, and the second person will always start to wonder."

Ysel Laverty said: "I am waiting to hear what you have to say."

"Come, sir! I am not paid to chat or to say things with different people. The manager will be angry if I am not hard at my work. It is important, if guests should want to ride."

"The manager has given orders that you should answer my questions Right now, that is your only duty. What do you think of these blinders?"

"Aha, my dear fellow! Look here and here; you will see that the blinders are broken! That is my opinion! These must now be fixed and fixed well. I will take them to the leather shop."

"Come, Orreduc, be serious. You are a murderer. Do you care to answer my questions?"

Orreduc's face fell.

"Ask what you will. Your mind is like stone and I am already facing what may be a severe penalty."

"Who prompted you to do this deed?"

Orreduc shook his head, and, smiling, looked off across the room.

"I am not sure of your meaning."

"What did Julian Bohost tell you last night?"

"It is hard to remember. I am frightened by your threats. If you were kind and said to me: "Ah, Orreduc, you are a good person. A mistake has been made; did you know that?" Then you would say:

Please be more careful the next time these young folk go for their ride!" I would say: "Of course! And now I remember everything, since my mind is free of fear and I am happy again."" Ysel Laverty looked to his sergeant.

"Do you have a strong charge in your gun? Because soon we must shoot Orreduc."

"Charge is strong, sir."

Ysel Laverty turned back to Orreduc.

"What did Julian say to you?"

Orreduc was now sullen.

"He said many things. I paid little heed."

"Why did you decide to kill these four young people?"

"Why does the sun shine? Why does the wind blow? I admit nothing. On the Lutwen Islands live a hundred thousand folk.

At Stroma are a few hundred; at Araminta a few hundred more.

If every Lutwenese still on Deucas were able to kill four woskers, there would be none left."

"Quite so. Lucidly and reasonably put." Ysel Laverty smiled grimly.

"We had hoped to terminate jobs like yours by attrition. You were trusted and might have remained here as long as you liked. It seems to have been a mistaken policy.

Because of your act, every Yip on Deucas will be sent home, or perhaps off-world."

"You may send me home or off-world also," said Orreduc ingenuously.