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. Flint sensed the
near-collapse of the hill dwarves around him and knew that
the respite had come none too soon.
Then he looked over his shoulder and saw disaster.
Chapter 23
The Last Bastion
"Damn your filthy cowardiance!" Pitrick exploded at
the two sergeants who stood before him.
At first, things had seemed to develop fairly well. His reg-
iments had formed with parade-ground precision, and their
advance had proceeded with apparently irresistible momen-
tum. It seemed certain that the hill dwarves would be over-
whelmed by the first rush!
His eagerness for battle had increased with a conclusion
he had gradually drawn over the preceeding day's forced en-
campment. He had brooded and cursed and schemed, still
tormented by Perian's existence, out of his reach. But the
more he thought, the more he believed that she would be
here, in Hillhome, once again within his grasp.
After all, had she not dwelled in Mudhole with the very
hill dwarf who, to Pitrick, embodied the pestilential stub-
borness of Hillhome? And would not Flint Fireforge be cer-
tain to race to his village's defense? It therefore seemed very
likely that Perian would be here, too, and this added heat to
Pitrick's hatred, made him more determined than ever to
wipe out the town and all its inhabitants
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