The Witches of Karres Read Free

whistle no buttons off him! Your time is up! Go on and whistle all you want! Bust every vase in the place--"
    The Leewit blinked her grey eyes thoughtfully at him.
    "Might!" she said.
    "But if you try to climb down from there," the store owner went on, on a rising note, "I'll chop you into bits, into little, little bits!"
    He raised his arm as he spoke and weakly brandished what the captain recognized with a start of horror as a highly ornamented but probably still useful antique battle-ax.
    "Ha!" said the Leewit.
    "Beg your pardon, sir!" the captain said, clearing his throat.
    "Good evening, sir!" the store owner repeated, without looking around. "What can I do for you?"
    "I came to inquire," the captain said hesitantly, "about that child."
    The store owner shifted about in his chair and squinted at the captain with red-rimmed eyes.
    "You're not a Holy Man!" he said.
    "Hello, Maleen!" the Leewit said suddenly. "That him?"
    "We've come to buy you," Maleen said. "Shut up!"
    "Good!" said the Leewit.
    "Buy it? Are you mocking me, sir?" the store owner inquired.
    "Shut up, Moonell!" A thin, dark, determined looking woman had appeared in the doorway which led through the back wall of the store. She moved out a step under the shelves; and the Leewit leaned down from the top shelf and hissed. The woman moved hurriedly back into the doorway.
    "Maybe he means it," she said in a more subdued voice.
    "I can't sell to a citizen of the Empire," the store owner said defeatedly.
    "I'm not a citizen," the captain said shortly. This time he wasn't going to name it.
    "No, he's from Nikkel--" Maleen began.
    "Shut up, Maleen!" the captain said helplessly in turn.
    "I never heard of Nikkel," the store owner muttered doubtfully.
    "Maleen!" the woman called shrilly. "That's the name of one of the others, Bruth the Baker got her. He means it, all right! He's buying them!"
    "A hundred and fifty maels!" the captain said craftily, remembering Bruth the Baker. "In cash."
    The store owner looked dazed.
    "Not enough, Moonell!" the woman called. "Look at all it's broken! Five hundred maels!"
    There was a sound then, so thin the captain could hardly hear it. It pierced at his eardrums like two jabs of a delicate needle. To right and left of him, two highly glazed little jugs went clink-clink!, showed a sudden veining of cracks, and collapsed.
    A brief silence settled on the store. And now that he looked around more closely, the captain could spot here and there other little piles of shattered crockery, and places where similar ruins apparently had been swept up, leaving only traces of coloured dust.
    The store owner laid the ax carefully down beside his chair, stood up, swaying a little, and came towards the captain.
    "You offered me a hundred and fifty maels!" he said rapidly as he approached. "I accept it here and now, before witnesses!" He grabbed the captain's hand in both of his and pumped it up and down vigorously. "Sold!" he yelled.
    Then he wheeled around in a leap and pointed a shaking hand at the Leewit.
    "And NOW," he howled, "break something! Break anything! You're his! I'll sue him for every mael he ever made and ever will!"
    "Oh, do come help me down, Maleen!" the Leewit pleaded prettily.
    For a change the store of Wansing the jeweler was dimly lit and very quiet. It was a sleek, fashionable place in a fashionable shopping block near the spaceport. The front door was unlocked and Wansing was in.
    The three of them entered quietly, and the door sighed quietly shut behind them. Beyond a great crystal display counter Wansing was moving about among a number of opened shelves, talking softly to himself.   Under the crystal of the counter and in close-packed rows on the satin-covered shelves reposed a many-coloured gleaming and glittering and shining. Wansing was no piker.
    "Good evening, sir!" the captain said across the counter.
    "It's morning!" the Leewit remarked from the other side of Maleen.
    "Maleen!" said the captain.
    "We're keeping out of