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〃We must。。。〃 he heard Guthwulf begin； then the blind man gasped and something smashed against Simon； who slid backward and only barely retained his hold on the edge of the sluice。
〃What happens here？'〃 Inch's voice was a dreadful rumbling growl。 〃You do not touch my kitchen boy！〃
Simon felt hope fade； replaced with sick terror。 How could this happen？ It was wrong！ That he should have e back from death； from nothingness； only to have Inch show up a few moments too soon…how could Fate play such a monstrous trick？
Guthwulf gave a choking cry。 then Simon could hear nothing but frenzied splashing。 He slowly let himself back down until his feet touched the slippery bottom of the sluice。 Putting weight on his wounded legs sent a blinding cloud of black fire through his head and back； but he stood。 After his torments he knew he should not even be able to move； but he still retained some of the strength given to him by Maegwin's sacrifice； he felt it smoldering in him like a low…banked fire。 He forced himself to remain upright in the slow…moving water until he could see again。
Inch had waded into the sluice； and now stood waist…deep in the center like some beast of the swamps。 In the dim torchlight； Simon saw Guthwulf burst up from beneath the water； struggling wildly to escape the overseer's clutches。 Inch grabbed the blind man's head and pushed him back under。
〃No！〃 Simon's crippled voice was barely louder than a whisper。 If it carried across the short distance。 Inch gave him no heed。 Still； the silence nagged at Simon in some obscure way。 Was he deaf？ No； he had heard both Guthwulf and Inch。 So why did the chamber seem so quiet？
Guthwulf's arms jerked above the surface； but the rest of him remained submerged in the dark waters。
Simon stumbled toward them； thrashing against the slow current。 The great wheel hung unmoving above the waterway。 As he saw it； Simon realized why the cavern was strangely quiet： Guthwulf had somehow managed to lift the wheel so he could cut Simon free。
As he neared Inch； the cavern began to grow lighter； as though dawn had somehow found its way down through the rock。 Shadowy figures were approaching； a few of them bearing torches。 Simon thought they must be soldiers or Inch's henchmen； but when they came a little closer he saw their wide； frightened eyes。 The forge workers had been roused； and now came hesitantly forward to see what was causing the uproar。
〃Help！〃 Simon rasped。 〃Help us！ He cannot stop you all！〃
The tattered men stopped； as though Simon's words alone might make them traitors； liable to Inch's punishment。 They stared； too cowed even to whisper among themselves。
Inch was paying neither Simon nor his slave labor any attention。 He had allowed Guthwulf to surface briefly； gasping and spitting； and now was shoving him back into the water again。 Simon lifted his hands； still numb with their long binding； and struck at Inch as hard as he could。
He might as well have kicked a mountain。 Inch turned to look at him。 The overseer's scarred face was curiously expressionless； as though the act of violence in which he was engaged took all his attention。
〃Kitchen boy；〃 Inch boomed。 〃You do not run away。 You are next。〃 He reached out a huge hand and jerked Simon forward。 He released his grip on drowning Guthwulf long enough to pick Simon up with both hands and throw him out of the sluiceway onto the hard stone。 All Simon's breath blew out； and another rush of pain coursed through him； fiercer even than the simmering agony of his limbs。 For a moment he could not make his battered body respond。
Simon sensed somebody stooping over him。 Certain it was Inch e to finish the job； he curled into a ball。
〃Here； lad；〃 someone whispered； and tried to help him into a sitting position。 Stanhelm； the forge worker who had befriended him； was crouching at his side。 The older man seemed barely able to move： one arm curled uselessly in front of his chest； and his neck was bent at an odd angle。
〃Help us。〃 Simon struggled to rise。 His chest felt dagger…stabbed with each breath。
〃Nothing left of me。〃 Even Stanhelm's speech was slurred。 〃But look to your wheel； lad。〃
While Simon fought to make sense of this； one of Inch's helpers strode over。
〃Don't touch him；〃 he snarled。 〃He's Doctor's。〃
〃Shut your mouth；〃 said Stanhelm。 The henchman lifted his hand as if to strike； but suddenly several other forge men moved in on either side of him。 Some of them held bits of iron scrap； heavy and sharp…edged。
〃You heard；〃 one of them growled quietly at Inch's man。 〃Shut your mouth。〃
The man looked around； judging his chances。 〃You'll pay pretty when Doctor hears。 He'll be done with that'un in a moment。〃
〃Then go watch；〃 spat another of the forge workers。 The men seemed frightened； but somehow they had drawn a line： if they were not yet willing to fight back against the hulking overseer； neither would they stand by and see Inch's crony harm Simon or Stanhelm。 The henchman cursed and backed off； then hurried to the safety of his master's vicinity。
〃Now； lad；〃 Stanhelm whispered。 〃Look to your wheel。〃
Dizzied by all that was happening； Simon stared at the forge man as he tried to make sense out of his words。 Then he turned slowly and saw。
The great wooden paddlewheel had been lifted up so that it hung almost twice a man's height above the water…course。 Inch； who had pursued floundering Guthwulf a short way down the sluice； now stood beneath the wheel。
Stanhetm extended a bent and shaking arm。 〃There。 Them are the works。〃
Simon struggled to his feet and took a few shaky steps toward the vast framework。 The lever which he had seen Inch use was cocked； secured by a rope。 Simon slowly tugged the rope free； straining his burning muscles and cramped hands； then grasped the lever itself in slippery； numbed fingers。 Inch had pushed Guthwulf under again； he watched his victim's suffering with calm interest。 The blind man was floundering away from his tormentor； toward Simon； and now appeared to be beyond the wheel's rim。
Simon said the few words of the Elysia prayer that he could remember； then heaved on the wooden lever。 It moved only slightly； but the frame that held the wheel groaned。 Inch looked up and around； then gradually turned his monocular gaze toward Simon。
〃Kitchen boy！ You 。。。〃
Simon heaved again； this time lifting his feet from the ground so that all his weight hung on the lever。 He screamed with the pain of holding on。 The frame groaned again； then； with a grating squeal； the lever banged down and the wheel shuddered and dropped into the sluice with a thunderous splash。 Inch tried to dive forward out of the way； but disappeared beneath the huge paddles。 For a moment nothing moved in the whole cavern but the wheel； which began； slowly； to revolve。 Then； as if the frothing channel gave birth to a monster； Inch burst to the surface howling in anger； water running from his wide…stretched mouth。
〃Doctor！〃 he spluttered； waving his fist。 〃Can't kill me！ Not Doctor Inch！〃 Simon slumped to the ground。 He had done all he could。
Inch took a sloshing