Gathon Dard was examining one of the knives--a folding knife with a
broad single-edged blade, locked open with a spring; the handle was of
tortoise shell, bolstered with brass.

"In all my travels," he said, "I never saw a knife of this workmanship
before. Tell me, Coru-hin-Irigod, do you know from what country these
outland slaves of Nebu-hin-Abenoz's come?"

"You think that might have something to do with it?" the Calera asked.

"It could. I think that these people might not have been born slaves,
but people taken captive. Suppose, at some time, there had been sold
to Nebu-hin-Abenoz, and sold elsewhere by him, one who was a person of
consequence--the son of a king, or the priest of some god," Gathon
Dard suggested.

"By Safar, yes! And now that nation, wherever it is, is at blood-feud
with us," Cavu-hin-Avoran said. "This must be thought about; it is an
ill thing to have unknown enemies."

"Look!" a Calera who had begun to strip the three dead men cried.
"These are not of the Usasu cities, or any other people of this land.
See, they are uncircumcised!"

"Many of the slaves whom Nebu-hin-Abenoz brought to Careba from the
hills have been uncircumcised," Coru-hin-Irigod said. "Jeseru, I think
you have your sights on the heart of it." He frowned. "Now, think you,
will those who had this done be satisfied, or will they carry on their
hatred against all of us?"