PART 11

She thought about it. These men cannot be trusted. But here was a uniformed man giving her money, she mused. Evil; the money was evil. But the money was a lot, enough to make such journeys six times to the other villages. She opened her left palm to look at the money and visually count it. she concluded the money was up to half a thousand; about four hundred and seventy.

''Take this, and pay for your boat ride,'' she gave the maiden a small part of the money.

The maiden who was not like her thanked her more profusely than she would have dreamed of thanking the soldiers.