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Butler snapped the dead girl back into the bag but left it on the rug in the middle of the floor。 Before leaving the room； he checked to make sure Hillary Butler was still alive in her plastic cage； then slammed the lid of the heavy trunk shut。
Back on the bridge； Butler called the captain to one side。 From his inside jacket pocket； he took an envelope containing 5；000 in hundreds。
〃Here；〃 he said。 〃Your fee。〃
The captain pocketed it and then looked again at Butler with a bland open face。
〃What do I do this time to earn it？〃
〃There is a bag on the floor of your cabin；〃 Butler said。 〃When your ship is underway ten minutes and it is still dark； dump its contents overboard。 It would be best if you were to do it yourself。 Your crew should not know。〃
The captain nodded。
〃And there is a trunk in your room。 Inside there is another bag with another set of contents。 You will follow our usual procedure with that； turning the trunk over to my man who will meet you at your next port。 He will fly it to Busati。〃
〃I see；〃 the captain said。
Butler reached into his pocket and withdrew a half dozen of the foil packages of chloroform pads。 〃Take these；〃 he said。 〃They may be helpful in keeping your cargo。。。 let us say； pliable。〃
The captain stuck the packs in his pocket 〃Thank you。 By the way；〃 he said； with a small smile at the corners of his mouth； 〃May I make use of this cargo？〃
The Busati chief of staff thought a moment； thought of Hillary Butler； thought of her warm white breast； thought of her next home in the house behind the pearl door button； and shook his head。 〃Not this time； Captain；〃 he said。 Hillary Butler was the last one； and random rape simply would not do。 There just was not enough terror in it； at least not for one whose ancestors had given his ancestors their slave name。 Nothing but gang rape under his own personal supervision would suffice。 For a starter。
〃Sorry；〃 he said。
The captain shrugged。
〃Now don't forget with the other bag；〃 Butler said。 〃Ten minutes out to sea； dump her。 The current should run her ashore sometime tomorrow。〃
〃It shall be as you say； Colonel。〃
〃Oh； by the way； it's General now。 I've been promoted。〃
〃I'm sure you're worthy。〃
〃I try to be；〃 Butler said。
He took his car keys； trotted lightly down the gangplank and returned 。to his car。 For the first time since he'd reached America； he turned his air conditioner up high。
Two hours later； he was back in the 707 jet； on his way home to Busati。
The last name on his list； he thought。 The legend was ing true。
For a moment； a random thought of that American Remo and the elderly Oriental intruded on his mind； but he rejected it。 By now； they would either be out of Busati or in the custody of the troops； in which case he would see that they were exiled from the country for good。 The Loni legend was to be his alone to fulfill。
CHAPTER NINE
〃Once we lived in palaces。 Our buildings stretched to〃 the clouds。 Our land was rich and we were at peace。〃
The girl turned away from Remo who lay on his back on a hillock； chewing a piece of grass。 〃And now； this is our world；〃 she said bitterly； waving her arm across the field of her view。 〃A land bf thatched huts and poverty； of ignorance and disease。 A land in which we are hunted by the Hausa like game animals。 We are a people from whose men the courage has been bred out； like milk…giving is bred into a cow。〃
Remo rolled on his left side to look at the girl。 She was tall and lithe； and silhouetted against the white daylight sky of Africa； she seemed blacker than was her dark skin。 She wore only a short white robe hi the fashion of a Grecian toga； but its outlines； too； looked dark against the hot white sky。 Her back was toward Remo； and out hi front of her； down at the bottom of the hill； he could see the grubby little camp which now represented the once…great Empire。
〃Could be worse；〃 Remo said。
〃How？〃 The girl turned and came to Remo； and in a smooth graceful motion slid down to the grass alongside him。 〃How could it be worse for my Loni people？〃
〃Take my word for it；〃 Remo said。 〃You plain that civilization has kind of passed your people by。 Well； you haven't missed a thing。 I e from what they call civilization； and I prefer it here。 At least； if you stay out of the Hausas' way； you've got some kind of peace。〃
He reached forward and took her left hand in his。 She recoiled involuntarily from him； then tried to relax； but Remo released her hand。 Princesses of the Loni Empire were virgins till they were wed； they knew not of men and no man entered into them until it was by ceremony and custom ordained。 His was probably the first male hand which had ever touched the beautiful artist's hand of Princess Saffah of the Loni Empire。
〃Do not release me；〃 she said。 〃It feels warming； your hand。 And you are right； it is peaceful here。 But peacefulness is like rain。 It is nice； but always to have it pressed upon you is quite another thing。〃
She took Remo's hand up in hers； silent for a moment as if shocked by her own boldness。 〃You； for instance；〃 she said。 〃You lie here now； sucking grass like a cow； and talking of how lovely peace is； and you know that as soon as you can you will go back to this world you hate。〃
Remo said nothing； she was right。 When he found and freed the slave girls and discovered what had happened to James Forsythe Lippincott； he would leave。
〃Could I stay if i wanted？〃 he finally said。
〃I do not know。 The legend is silent〃
〃Oh； yeah。 The legend。〃
Since he and Chiun first had arrived two days before； they had heard of little else but the legend。 Chiun had been installed； seven steamer trunks and all； in the finest thatched hut the Loni had to offer。 Princess Saffah who ruled this camp as her two younger princess sisters ruled the other two Loni encampments in the nearby hills； had moved out to make room for Chiun。
〃Dammit； Chiun； that's not right；〃 Remo had said。 〃Move into some other place instead of moving people around。〃
〃Not right？〃 Chiun said。 〃What is not right？ That the people of the Loni should not honor a man who has e thousands of miles across the seas to repay a debt centuries old and to put them back into power？ They should not give up a hut to a man who will give them palaces？〃
〃Yeah； but moving their princess？〃
〃Princess？ Suddenly you are a royalist。 Remember this then。 Princesses and princes and kings and queens e and go。 But there is only one Master of Sinanju。〃
〃Talk about the world being lucky；〃 Remo said sarcastically。
〃Yes； the world is lucky to have such a one。 But even luckier are you who have been permitted to bask in the warmth of the Master's magnificence。〃
And so Chiun had moved into the hut of Princess Saffah。
In quiet protest； however； Remo refused。 He insisted upon moving into one of the smaller huts of the village。 The first night he was cold。 The second night he was wet。 The morning of the third day； he walked into Chiun's hut with his blanket in his hand。
〃I thought you might be lonely；〃 Remo said； 〃so I decided to move in to keep you pany。〃
〃I am happy you think so much of me；〃 Chiun said。 〃But please； I would not want you to do anyth