Guard Against Dishonor

favor by just staying out of things and letting Morgan dump his drugs onto the

streets."

"Now don't be like that, Isobel. Most people in Haven are just like anyone else

in any other city—good people struggling to make ends meet, keep their heads

above water, and hold their families together. They're too busy working all the

hours God sends to think about making trouble. That's why we do this job;

because they're worth protecting from the scum out there who try to steal what

little those people have. Most people here are all right."

"Yeah?" growled Fisher. "Name two."

She broke off as a woman wrapped in tattered furs waded through the thick slush

to get to them. She was hauling along by one hand a little girl of about five or

six, so buried under mismatched furs as to be little more than a bundle on legs.

The mother lurched to a halt before Hawk and Fisher and stopped for a moment to

get her breath. The little girl looked up at Hawk, smiled shyly, and then hid

her face behind her mother's leg. The mother nodded to Fisher, and smiled

broadly at Hawk.

"I just wanted to say thank you, Captain. For going down into the rubble after

the tenement collapsed, and bringing out my little Katie safe and sound. She'd

have died, if it hadn't been for you. Thank you."

Hawk looked down at the little girl, and smiled slowly. "They told me she was

dead."

"Bless your heart, no, Captain! Someone found her foot in the rubble, and the

doctors stuck it back on with a healing spell! And the Guard is paying the bill!

Almost makes you believe in miracles. She's right as rain now. Thanks to you,

Captain. I never did believe all the terrible things they say about you."

She plunged forward, hugged him tight, kissed him quickly and stepped back

again. She nodded to Fisher and set off down the street, hauling her daughter

along behind her. The little girl looked back briefly and waved goodbye, and

then mother and child disappeared into the crowd and were gone. Fisher looked at

Hawk.

"All right, that's two."