27 The third attacker was stunned for a moment as he saw what happened to his companions. That moment was too long. The club flew from Gray Dove's hand and struck him soundly between the eyes. A dazed look came over the man's face. He fell to his knees, then drove his nose into the ground, never to rise again.
28 The second attacker had gained his feet, and Gray Dove turned to meet his attack, but not quite fast enough. A huge fist drove into the side of his face, and sent him reeling, but as the man closed to attack again, a swift foot caught him in the knee. "Damn you, you slime!" the man screamed. "I'll rip your head off!"
29 But Gray Dove remained silent. Suddenly he tripped on some unseen object in the dark. As he struck the ground, his attacker leaped to join him. But Gray Dove was ready. His feet flew up, catching the man square in the stomach, and the man let out a great cry of pain. Gray Dove seized his hands and pulled them downward, and with all his might, pushed up with his legs. The man sailed over him with a roaring cry, and crashed into the wall.
30 The first attacker had by now, gained his feet, but still sezied his manhood. Seeing what had happened to his companions took any idea of fight out of him. He quickly turned and fled down the street. Gray Dove went over to the remaining attacker, picking up the dead man's club as he passed. He pulled the man up by the front of his coat and held the club over his head. "Go ahead," the attacker told him, "finish it! I'd have finished you!"
31 "No, Gray Dove!" came a Voice out of the darkness. "You have used enough force to defend yourself. Do not shame yourself with helpless blood!"
32 Both men looked to where The Voice had come from, but there was no one there! Gray Dove looked back to his helpless attacker, then dropped him, turned, and sent the club flying down the street. "The Lords give you your life," he cried, "never make Them regret it!"
33 He turned and started to walk off. The large man began to rise, gave an agoniing cry, and fell back. Gray Dove stopped. "What's the matter?" he asked.
34 "You broke my leg," the man announced, "when you threw me against the wall. I can feel the bone sticking through my flesh."
35 Gray Dove returned. "If I leave you here," he said, "you'll bleed to death, and that will be the same as if I had used the club. Give me your hand!"
36 "You will help me?" the other asked. "I tried to kill you! I WOULD have killed you!"
37 "The Lords said spare you," Gray Dove explained, "I do not know why. We have no time to argue Give me your hand!"
38 He felt a strong hand grasp his in the darkness. It took all his strength to get the man to his feet. Slowly and painfully they made their way to the House of Fox. Finally, Gray Dove was banging on the gate knocker.
39 When the old servant that tended the gate opened it, and saw him, he ran away screaming, "Master! Master! Gray Dove is hurt! Gray Dove is hurt!"
40 Soon the yard was full of people with torches. Sure Hands, the first to arrive, helped Gray Dove lower his burden to the ground, and then helped him sit against the gate.
41 When The Old Fox arrived, he asked no questions, but immediately went to work.
42 He sent one servant to fetch a Healer, grabbed a knife from another servant's belt, screamed for a stretcher, and began to cut away the injured man's leggings. "I will not lie to you, sir," he told the stranger, "this is bad....very bad! We must do what we can to stop the bleeding. Get him into the kitchen. Bathe the wound, and tend him, until The Healer arrives."
43 After the man was carried off, The Old Fox turned to Gray Dove. "What happened?" he asked, "Who is he?"
44 "I do not know," answered Gray Dove, "we were walking down the street and hit by a runaway wagon in the dark."
45 The Old Fox looked at him with questioning eyes. "Take him to his room," he told his servants. "Take care of him until The Healer comes."
46 The Healer arrived quickly, and wasted no time. It was several hours, though, before he would leave his first patient, and attended to Gray Dove. He was weary when he came to The Old Fox.
47 "Gray Dove is all right," he announced, "a few bruises, maybe a cracked rib, but nothing that will not heal. The other man is badly hurt, though. It is only by his great strength that he survived. I had to use gold pins and wire to put his leg back together. I will have to come back when the bone starts to heal and remove them. He will be an invalid for many weeks. He is fortunate that he will ever walk again. It must have been quite a fight!"
48 "Fight?" asked The Old Fox.
49 "Yes," said The Healer, "I have been a Healer for nearly thirty years. I know the marks of a fight when I see one. That man was severely beaten, not only his leg, but his stomach is injured, and, his back. Somebody's been throwing him around like a sack of grain!"
50 "Is he awake?" asked The Old Fox.
51 He should be, by now," The Healer told him. "Well, I must be off."
52 The Old Fox paid The Healer and went in to speak with the stranger. The man stared at the ceiling as if deep in thought. The Old Fox pulled up a stool and his kind eyes made the man smile. The Old Fox had the impression he did this very rarely.
53 "What is your name?" asked The Old Fox.
54 "I am called Mad Dog," the other answered.
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