One of the others observed； 〃He looked like he was in shock。〃
The little man asked； 〃How'd you ever get that far into a moneylender； anyway？〃
〃A skirt。 I thought I was going to marry her。 She was just taking me for my money。 I finally woke up。〃
His panions shook their heads。 One said； 〃Women。 Got to watch them； buddy。 They'll pick your bones。〃
〃I learned my lesson。 Hey。 Drinks on the house。 I've got some wine I used to keep for a special customer。 He left town； so I'm stuck with it。〃
〃That bad； eh？〃
〃No。 That good。 Nobody can afford it。〃
Shed spent his entire evening sipping wine； even after the sailors decided they had business elsewhere。 He broke into a grin each time he recalled Gilbert's reaction to the ring。 〃Got to be careful now；〃 he muttered。 〃He's as crazy as Krage。〃
In time the good feeling departed。 Fear took over。 He'd face anything Gilbert did alone； and he was still very much the same old Shed under the patina left by Raven and a few deals since。
〃Ought to haul the bastard up the hill；〃 he muttered into his mug。 Then： 〃Damn！ I'm as bad as Raven。 Worse。 Raven never delivered them alive。 Wonder what that bastard is doing now； with his fancy ship and slick young slot？〃
He got himself very； very drunk and very； very filled with self…pity。
The last guest went to his bunk。 The last outsider went home。 Shed sat there nursing his wine and glowering at Lisa； angry with her for no reason he could define。 Her body； he thought。 Ripe。 But she wouldn't。 Too good for him。 And her pushiness lately。 Yeah。
She studied him as she cleaned up。 Efficient little witch。 Better even than Darling； who had worked hard but hadn't the economy of movement Lisa had。 Maybe she did deserve to manage the place。 He hadn't done such a great job。
He found her seated opposite him。 He glowered。 She did not retreat。 A hard lass； too。 Wouldn't bluff。 Didn't scare。 Tough Buskin bitch。 Be trouble someday。
〃What's the matter； Mr。 Shed？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃I hear you paid Gilbert off。 On a loan you took on this place。 How could you take a loan on the Lily？ It's been in your family for ages。〃
〃Don't give me that sentimental crap。 You don't believe it。〃
〃Where did you get the money？〃
〃Maybe you shouldn't be so nosy。 Maybe nosiness could be bad for your health。〃 He was talking surly and tough but not meaning what he said。 〃You've been acting strange lately。〃
〃I was in love。〃
〃That wasn't it。 What happened to that； anyway？ I hear Sue disappeared。 Gilbert says you did her in。〃
〃Did what？ I was over to her place today。〃
〃You see her？〃
〃No。 The door guard said she wasn't home。 Which means she didn't want to see me。 Probably had somebody else up there。〃
〃Maybe it meant she wasn't home。〃 Shed snorted。 〃I told you I don't want to talk about her anymore。 Understand？〃
〃Sure。 Tell me where you got the money。〃 Shed glared。 〃Why？〃
〃Because if there's more； I want a chunk。 I don't want to spend my life in the Buskin。 I'll do whatever it takes to get out。〃
Shed smirked。
She misunderstood。 〃This job is just to keep body and soul together till I find something。〃
〃A million people have thought that； Lisa。 And they've frozen to death in Buskin alleys。〃
〃Some make it。 I don't intend to fail。 Where did you get the money； Mr。 Shed？〃 She went for a bottle of the good wine。 Vaguely； Shed thought it must be about gone。 He told her about his silent partner。 〃That's a crock。 I've been here long enough to know that。〃
〃Better believe it； girl。〃 He giggled。 〃You keep pushing and you're liable to meet him。 You won't like him； I guarantee。〃 He recalled the tall creature telling him to hurry back。
〃What happened to Sue？〃
Shed tried to rise。 His limbs were limp。 He fell back into his seat。 〃I'm drunk。 Drunker than I thought。 Getting out of shape。〃 Lisa nodded gravely。 〃I loved her。 I really loved her。 She shouldn't ought to have done that。 I would have treated her like a queen。 Would have gone into hell for her。 Almost did。〃 He chuckled。 〃Went in with her。 。 。 。 Oops。''
〃Would you do that for me； Mr。 Shed？〃
〃What？〃
〃You're always trying to get me。 What's it worth？〃 Shed leered。 〃Don't know。 Can't tell till I've tried you。〃
〃You don't have anything to give me； old man。〃
〃Know where to get it； though。〃
〃Where？〃
Shed just sat there grinning； a bit of drool trailing from one corner of his mouth。
〃I give up。 You win。 e on。 I'll help you get up the stairs before I go home。〃
The climb was an epic。 Shed was one drink short of passing out。 When they reached his room； he just toppled into bed。
〃Thanks；〃 he mumbled。 〃What're you doing？〃
〃You have to get undressed。〃
〃Guess so。〃 He made no effort to help。 〃What're you doing now？ Why're you grabbing me like that？〃
〃You want me； don't you？〃 A moment later she was in the bed with him； rubbing her nakedness against his。 He was too drunk to make anything of the situation。 He held her； and became maudlin； spouting his trials。 She played to it。
Chapter Twenty…Nine： JUNIPER： PAYOFF
Shed sat up so suddenly his head twisted around。 Somebody started beating drums inside。 He rolled to the edge of the bed and was noisily sick。 And then became sick in another way。 With terror。
〃I told her。 I told her the whole damned thing。〃 He tried to jump up。 He had to get out of Juniper before the Inquisitors came。 He had gold。 A foreign captain might take him south。 He could catch up with Raven and Asa。 。 。 。 He settled onto the cot； too miserable to act。 〃I'm dying；〃 he muttered。 〃If there's a hell； this is what it's going to be like。〃
Had he told her？ He thought so。 And for nothing。 He had gotten nothing。 〃Marron Shed； you were born to lose。 When will you ever learn？〃
He rose once more； cautiously； and fumbled through his hiding place。 The gold was there。 Maybe he hadn't told her everything。 He considered the amulet。 Lisa could follow the trail blazed by Sue。 If she hadn't told anybody yet。 But she would be wary； wouldn't she？ Be hard to catch her off guard。 Even assuming he could find her。
〃My head！ Gods！ I can't think。〃 There was a sudden racket downstairs。 〃Damn；〃 he muttered。 〃She left the place unlocked。 They'll steal everything。〃 Tears rolled down his cheeks。 Such an end he had e to。 Maybe that was Bullock and his thugs knocking around down there。
Best to meet his fate。 Cursing； he eased into his clothing； began the long journey downstairs。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Shed；〃 Lisa called brightly。 〃What will you have for breakfast？〃
He stared； gulped； finally stumbled to a table； sat there with his head in his hands； ignoring the amused stare of one of his panions of the Gilbert adventure。
〃A little hung over； Mr。 Shed？〃 Lisa asked。
〃Yes。〃 His own voice sounded thunderous。
〃I'll mix you something my father taught me to make。 He's a master drunkard； you know。〃
Shed nodded weakly。 Even that proved painful。 Lisa's father was one reason he had hired her。 She needed all the help she could get。 Another of his charities gone sour。
She returned with something so foul even a sorcerer would not have touched it。 〃Drink fast。 It goes down easier that way。〃
〃I can imagine。〃 Half praying it would poison him； he gulped the malodorous concoction。 After gasping for breath； he murmured； 〃When are they ing？ How long do I have？〃
〃Who； Mr。 Shed？〃
〃The Inquisitors。 The law。 Whoever you called。〃
〃Why would they e here？〃
Painfully； he raised his gaze to meet hers。
She whispered； 〃I told you I'll do anything to get out of the Buskin。 This is the chance I've been looking for。 We're partners now； Mr。 Shed。 Fifty…fifty。〃
Shed buried his head in his hands and groaned。 It would never end。 Not till it devoured him。 He cast curses on Raven and all his house。
The mon room was empty。 The door was closed。 〃First we have to take care of Gilbert；〃 Lisa said。
Shed bobbed his head； refused to look up。
〃That was stupid； giving him jewelry he would recognize。 He'll kill you if we don't kill him first。〃
Again Shed bobbed his head。 Why me？ he whined to himself。 What have I done to deserve this？
〃And don't you think you can get rid of me the way you did Sue and that blackmailer。 My father has a letter he'll take to Bullock if I disappear。〃
〃You're too smart for your own good。〃 And： 〃It won't be long till winter。〃
〃Yes。 But we won't do it Raven's way。 Too risky and too much work。 We'll get charitable。 Let all the derelicts in。 One or two can disappear every night。〃
〃You're talking murder！〃
〃Who'll care？ Nobody。 They'll be better off themselves。 Call it mercy。〃
〃How can anybody so young be so heartless？〃
〃You don't prosper in the Buskin if you have a heart； Mr。 Shed。 We'll fix a place where the outside cold will keep them till we get a wagonload。 We can take them up maybe once a week。〃
〃Winter is。 。 。 。〃
〃Is going to be my last season in the Buskin。〃
〃I won't do it。〃
〃Yes； you will。 Or you'll hear from Bullock。 You don't have a choice。 You have a partner。〃
〃God； deliver me from evil。〃
〃Are you less evil than m