Page 140 (1/2)

He swung into the alley leading to Tehol’s home, and heard, somewhere beyond the squalid tene down in a cacophony that ended with a shriek

Brys hesitated He could not reach the source of the sounds froht permit him a vien on the opposite street He went on

With the pommel of his knife Brys tapped on the doorframe There was no reply He pulled aside the curtain and peered in A single wavering oil la down from above

Brys entered and clied onto the roof to see Tehol and hisdown – presuument that was still under way

‘Tehol,’ Brys called, approaching ‘Is this aabout, then shook his head ‘I don’t think so, brother A resolution is but ?’

‘I think so, since he’s als to throw’

Brys ca hi when objects were flung at him by a old woman in the tenement doorway

‘What happened?’ Brys asked

‘An associate of mine,’ Tehol said, ‘jumped onto the roof over there froh, I suppose Then the roof gave out, alas As you can see, he’s a big man’

The hapless associate had climbed free at last It appeared that he had taken most of the ith him in his descent It was afrom your roof, Tehol?’

‘It was a dare’

‘Yours?’

‘Oh no, I’d never do that’

‘Then who? Surely not yoursputtered, ‘Me? Most assuredly not, Finadd!’

‘Another guest,’ Tehol explained ‘Who has since gone, although not far, I i for dear Ublala’

‘Ublala? Ublala Pung? Oh, yes, I recognize him now An associate? Tehol, the man’s a criminal-’

‘Who proved his innocence in the canal-’

‘That’s not innocence,’ Brys retorted, ‘that’s stubborn will’