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.Page 124 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlIt was held in the hand of a black-haired girl, collared of course, long-legged, in brief slave livery."Greetings," said she, "Warrior." She jerked menacingly on the rope."You arenow the slave of the girls of the Street of Pots," she informed me.I felt five or six more ropes suddenly looped about me, drawn tight.Two girlshad even, behind me, darted unseen to my ankles, and in an instant had loopedand drawn tight ropes on them.My feet could be thus jerked from beneath meshould I attempt to run or struggle."What shall we do with this prisoner?" asked the black-haired girl of herfellows.Numerous suggestions were forthcoming."Take off his clothes!" "Brand him!""The whip!" "Put him in a collar!""Now look here," I said.But they had now set off down the street, dragging me along amongst them.We stopped when I was pushed stumbling into a large room, in which there werenumerous baskets and harnesses hanging about, apparently a storeroom of sortsin an unimportant cylinder.A wide area had been cleared in the center of theroom, on which, over straw, had been spread some rep-cloth blankets.Againstone wall there were two men, bound hand and foot.One was a Warrior, the othera handsome young Tarn Keeper."Kajuralia," said the Warrior to me, wryly."Kajuralia," I said to him.The black-haired girl, the tall girl, walked back and forth before me, herhands on her hips.She also strode over to the other two men, and then shereturned to me."Not a bad catch," said she.The other girls laughed and shrieked.Some leaped up and down and clappedtheir hands."Now you will serve us, Slaves," announced the black-haired girl.We were freed, save that two ropes apiece were kept on our throats, and a ropeon each ankle, each rope in the care of one of the girls.We were given some small cups of tin, containing some diluted Ka-la-na thatthe girls had probably stolen."After we have been served wine," announced the girl, "we will use theseslaves for our pleasure."Before we were permitted to serve the wine, garlands of talenders were swiftlywoven about our necks.Then each of us gave some of the girls wine, asking each "Wine, Mistress?" towhich each of the girls, with a laugh, would cry out, "Yes, I will have wine!""You will serve me the wine, Slave!" said the long-legged, black-haired girl.She was marvelous in the brief slave livery."Yes, Mistress," I said, as humbly as I could manage.I reached out to hand her the small, tin cup."On your knees," she said, "and serve me as a Pleasure Slave!"The girls gasped in the room.The two men cried out in anger."I think not," I said.I felt the two ropes on my throat tighten.Suddenly the two girls on the ankleropes jerked on their ropes and I fell heavily forward, spilling the wine tothe stones."Clumsy slave," jeered the long-legged girl.The other girls laughed."Give him more wine," ordered the long-legged girl.Another small tin cup was placed in my hands.I no longer much cared for theirfoolery.The long-legged girl, doubtless a miserable slave most of the year,seemed intent on humiliating me, taking revenge probably on her master, forwhomI now stood as proxy.Page 125 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Serve me wine," she ordered harshly."Kajuralia," I said, humbly.She laughed, and so did the other girls as well.My eye strayed to a room offthe storeroom, in which I could see some boxes, much dust.Then the room was very still.I put down my head, kneeling, and extended the small tin cup to the girl.The other girls in the room seemed to be holding their breath.With a laugh the long-legged girl reached for the tin cup, at which point Iseized her wrists and sprang to my feet, swinging her off balance and, notreleasing her, whirled her about, tangling her in the ropes, preventing themfrom being drawn tight.Then while the girls shrieked and the long-legged girlcried out in rage I swept her into my arms and leaped into the small room,whereI dropped her to the stones and spun about, throwing the door shut and boltingit.I heard the angry cries of the girls and their fists on the door for amoment, but then I heard them suddenly begin shrieking, and crying our, asthough slavers might have fallen upon them.I glanced about the room.Therewas one window high in one wall, narrow, barred.There was no escape for thegirl locked within with me.I removed the ropes from my body, coiled themneatly, and dropped them inside the door.I put my ear to the door, listening.After about five Ehn I heard only a number of sobs, frustrated noises of girlsin bonds
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