"H. Turnip Smith - All Traffic Keep Right" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith H Turnip)

clothes to alter my description further. As I left my room, I
noticed that there had been a fight outside. Two bodies were in
the road. I checked one and he had no pulse. Quickly searching
him, I came across two coppers. Going to the other, I saw that
it was the Ra'Kash gypsy from my cabin. Searching quickly, I
took a pouch containing one silver and nine coppers! A fortune!
Also, enough to pay my fine! I left quickly as there were other
people about. But as later events show, not quickly enough.
I divided my take, taking the silver and three coppers and
hiding the rest. As a courtesy, I left my roommate's money
pouch (now empty) on his bed. Still having no pouch of my own,
I stuffed the money into my cheek to hide it. Then, off I went
to pay my fine.
I no sooner got to the Inn to celebrate my new wealth, when I
was arrested! It seems that I was seen after all as I was
searching those two bodies. I was again beaten but now I was
searched extensively. In frustration at finding nothing, the
private took a practice sword and beat me bloody. After one
such blow, the money flew from my mouth.
I was then beaten senseless and the money taken. But the
Ra'Kash could not identify me so I was released, protesting my
innocence. Well, I still had my stash. Going back to my room, I
checked my stash. Empty! I've been robbed! I hurried to the
town scribe to ask the sheriff for an extension but the scribe
told me that the matter had been given to Corporal Mudd to
dispose of. Ouch! Nothing for it but to bite the swordhilt and
go see him. I found him in the Inn.
I explained my situation, offered services, even volunteered
(gulp) for the guard (shudder). To no avail. Mudd wants the
money. He must be getting part of it for himself. I looked up
the scribe again and asked his advice about making some money.
He suggested that I become a bounty hunter. Now that sounded
interesting! However, I soon learned that to be a legal bounty
hunter, I must register and pay a fee of two coppers! Me, with
no money! I was considering my (short) future when the Famori
mage, Psyche, made me an offer: if I could obtain the
ingredients for a potion of Mana, she would pay me two silvers.
Saved! I checked with an apprentice alchemist and found that I
needed powdered ruby and Tantalos berries. Surely I could find
the berries and I was sure that I could find a citizen with an
extra ruby to 'share'. I set off with high hopes.
I found out what to look for and searched far and wide but
found nothing but a two-headed bear. Very friendly. Rub his
stomach and feed him and he goes to sleep. I finally gave up
the search and headed back to Lowtown. When I got there,
red-faced monsters were running amok but seemed to be confined
by the running water at the bridge. Here was my chance to make
a difference! I called my intentions to the others so that the
knowledge would not be lost if I died. I taunted the monster
who was by the bridge to see if it could cross. It hesitated,