Page 211 (1/1)

He turned bloodshot eyes to me He looked tired but cheerful After a moment he said, "I never found her I searched for a tiood sense to stay at ho for you but never found you Too many people Will you ask after her when you write to your uncle?"

"I will" I realized I had neglected to send him a letter yesterday For that matter, I hadn’t received a letter from him Well, bad neill keep,to tell hi Spink abouthiht aside So to hope To speak of us being culled see down on us by speaking it aloud My htly less ht than I did," I told him, and recounted ht he would laugh, but he looked grave

"You probably saved his life, but we all knohat a little snake Caulder is He’ll never appreciate what you did for him"

Our conversation was interrupted when Oron belatedly joined us at the table He looked paler than usual, save for the dark circles under his eyes His hands shook slightly as he heaped food onto his plate He gave us a sick sort of smile "It orth it," he said to our unanswered question

"Did Rory go back to the Speck woman?" I asked bluntly

Oron looked down at his heaped plate "He and Trist did," he adled to keep a strained smile fro"

I don’t think Spink picked up on ere discussing "Well, all of Dark Evening was a ood mood that I could scarcely stand to look at hi that still hung over our heads He went on, "Never inlike it I didn’t think there were that many people in the entire world; well, you knohat Ifood I saw this woman, and she was dressed only in paper chains! The s with leaves attached to the so wildly, I was shocked! And, oh, did you go to the circus? Did you see the tiger tah hoops of flairl with flippers instead of arms Oh, and while I was there, the Specks broke their usual custoe of them said it had never been seen this far west before! And-"

"They did it when I was there, too" Light suddenly dawned in my mind "It was all a trick, Spink He probably always says they never do it, and they probably do it at every show That way he makes it seem more special"

"Oh" Spink looked deflated

Oron, across the table froely "Most of the acts in that tent were a sham, I’d bet"

"I talked to the fat man, and he claimed he’d once been a cavalla lieutenant Can you believe that?" I asked theht He’d break a horse’s back"

Spink looked so crestfallen, I ale toquietly, "He said the saave him some money"

"Gullible country boys!" Oron exclairoaned and put a hand to his belly "Maybe I’ht I’m back to bed, lads"

He left the table, and Spink and I followed him a short time later Spink didn’t look well, and I suspected I was as pale as he was I followed him back to Carneston House, where we found ishly about I sat down and wrote a long letter toeant Rufet himself entered our common room He seldom ventured upstairs outside of inspection tirave as he said, "Cadet Burvelle, come with me You are to report to Colonel Stiet iave my letter to Spink to post and fetched ive hten my uniform I followed him down the stairs, and then was shocked when he accoeant," I said in some confusion