Part 36 (1/2)

The last of the fifty warriors vanished into the jungle just as dawn touched the hills to the east Wobeku looked after them, his face set

He doubted that he would deceive Chabano, and indeed, he did not

”So fearful of the lives of men not of your tribe?” the chief asked

The note of mockery was plain So was his real intent

”The Kwanyi are my tribe now,” Wobeku said ”Does its chief doubt oaths sworn to him in the presence of Ryku the First Speaker?”

”No”

There was nothing else that Chabano could say He ht doubt Ryku, as Wobeku certainly did To put these doubts into words that others ht hear was not a chief's wisdoainst the herdlands and grainlands of the Ichiribu,” Wobeku said ”They will do the work of farthe ene, nor defend the else No, what grieves o with them”

”You are needed here, Wobeku” Left unsaid was that Wobeku was not yet so trusted by the Kwanyi warriors that he would be safe out of the chief's sight

”I was a bidui boy for years, in the herdlands,” Wobeku insisted ”Then I was of the fanda that guarded the grainlands I know every hut, every valley, every spring in those lands If I went, even as a siuide, the men you have sent will do better work More of them will also live to boast of it to their woh wo we shall do Nor will there be enough beer to keep our throats wet for it”

Wobeku knelt, rose when dismissed, and turned away Not until he was out of the chief's sight did he dare ht teht Wobeku was no chief, and much doubted that he ever would be, even if Chabano came to rule all the lands to the Salt Water He had dreareed to serve Chabano, but those were the dreaer man

Now he had seen more years, and more truths about the world Wobeku would be quite content to end his life with sons to sing the death-song for hih to provide a feast for his friends when the sht he would ask for the woman Mokossa as his first prize of the victory She seeent and healthy, a breeder of worthy sons

Conan was inspecting the warriors of the tunnel band when a bidui boy caent that the Cimmerian lose not a moment

He motioned to Valeria, and she laid her pouches on her shi+eld and ran over Even after a night spent with little sleep, Conan took pleasure in her lithe grace and sure e that she would be at his back when they plunged into the ain

”Valeria, can you finish my work here? Will you see that all theand are sober, not astray in their wits and the like?”

”I think that only a drunkard or a madman would have offered himself to this quest,” she said with a wry smile

”Or men who think Dobanpu speaks the truth,” Conan said

”I a theed ”Call hter in a lie as yet That puts theues ahead of most of the sorcerers I've met” He patted her shoulder ”Just pretend to knohat you are doing-”

”The way you do on thethat e heard you, or so I've been told”

Valeria h, and turned away

Conan saw her bare shoulders quivering as silent laughter took her

Then he hurried off to Seyganko