The Lost Stories Read Online Free PDF

Must have killed a dozen of them too!”
    Halt smiled quietly at that. The man was inclined to exaggerate. “He did a great job,” he agreed.
    The jerky chewer turned to his friends. “Did you see the sarge?”
    Both of them shook their heads.
    â€œWe were farther over, on the right,” the jerkin patcher replied. “All we saw was that the line was about to break and run, then it started to move forward again. Then the Wargals were running instead.”
    But the question had been rhetorical and the beef chewer was keen to continue his story.
    â€œHe did four or five of them with his spear. Then one of them chopped the head off it and he used it like a quarterstaff, spinning it around, knocking them over like ninepins. Then he grabbed a sword and killed eight or nine of them before they got him.” He looked to Halt for confirmation. “You saw it, Ranger! How many do you reckon he killed?”
    â€œAt least eight,” Halt said. He saw no reason to contradict the man. The atmosphere was suddenly a lot more welcoming than it had been at first. “I wanted some information about him,” he said. “Any idea where he lived?”
    He was disappointed to see the three faces cloud over in a now familiar expression of uncertainty.
    â€œSorry,” said the man who had been extolling Daniel’s deeds and courage.“He was new to the unit and the area. Got promoted quickly.”
    â€œThat’s right,” said one of the others, laying aside the patched jerkin. “The captain liked the look of him. Made him a sergeant almost immediately. Apparently, he’d had some military experience in Norgate before he came to Aspienne.”
    â€œHe was promoted so quickly, we didn’t really have time to get to know him,” said the man who had been whittling.“I think I heard him mention a farm somewhere . . .” He trailed off, unsure of his facts. There was an awkward silence. Halt made a move to rise from the stool, thinking that once again his efforts to trace Daniel’s family were doomed to failure. The first man who had spoken, the beef jerky chewer, seemed to come to a decision.
    â€œYou could try Kord and Jerrel,” he said. “They might have an idea.”
    â€œIf they’d tell you,” the man with the repaired jerkin put in.
    Halt looked from one to the other. “I take it you’re not fond of these two?”
    The three men exchanged glances. Then the one who had suggested the two names answered him.
    â€œThey’re a pair of liars and cheats. They run a dice game and they tried to make a friend of Daniel initially, playing up to him and inviting him to play. My guess is they were letting him win at dice to get in his good books. But he saw through their scheme before long and they found themselves doing their fair share of fatigue duties. So they dropped him.”
    â€œWhat makes you think they’d know where he lived?” Halt asked, and again there was an awkward pause. Finally, the whittler spoke.
    â€œThey always wanted to know where everyone lived. Always asking you questions about where you came from, what you did back home. Can’t prove anything, but I reckon they were keeping a record, planning to go back after the war and rob people.”
    â€œParticularly those who’d been killed in battle,” the jerkin patcher said heavily. “They’d know the families would be easy prey. It’s the sort of thing they’d do, all right. They probably know where to find the sergeant’s farm.”
    â€œThe trick will be getting them to tell you,” the beef jerky chewer said, and the others nodded. Halt looked around the small circle of faces, seeing the distaste for the two vultures called Kord and Jerrel.
    â€œHow would I get to meet these two?” he asked.
    The jerkin patcher raised an eyebrow.
    â€œPlay dice with them,” he said. “But be prepared to