declaration of cessation of friendship. Was anybody hurt or
discarnated?"

"None of us," Olirzon said. "How about Marnik?"

"He was warned before hostilities were begun against him," Sarnax
replied. "We will allow five minutes until--"

Olirzon, who had been looking up the well, suddenly sprang at Dalla,
knocking her flat, and at the same time jerking out his pistol. Before
he could raise it, a shot banged from above and he fell on his face.
Dirzed, Verkan Vall, and Sarnax, all drew their pistols, but whoever
had fired the shot had vanished. There was an outburst of shouting
above.

"Get to cover," Sarnax told the others. "We'll let you know when we're
ready to attack; we'll have to deal with whoever fired that shot,
first." He looked at the dead body on the floor, exclaimed angrily,
and hurried to the ascent tube, springing upward.

Verkan Vall replaced the small pistol in his shoulder holster and took
Olirzon's belt, with his knife and heavier pistol.

"Well, there you see," Dirzed said, as they went back to the gun room.
"So much for political expediency."

"I think I understand why your picture and the Lady Dallona's were
exhibited so widely," Verkan Vall said. "Now, anybody would recognize
your bodies, and blame the Statisticalists for discarnating you."