The matter of clothing was attended to shortly after he had crossed the
mountain and descended into the valley on the other side. Hearing a
clinking sound some distance from the road, as of metal striking stone,
Hradzka stole cautiously through the woods until he came within sight of
a man who was digging with a mattock, uprooting small bushes of a
particular sort, with rough gray bark and three-pointed leaves. When he
had dug one up, he would cut off the roots and then slice away the
root-bark with a knife, putting it into a sack. Hradzka's lip curled
contemptuously; the fellow was gathering the stuff for medicinal use. He
had heard of the use of roots and herbs for such purposes by the ancient
savages.
The blaster would be no use here; it was too powerful, and would destroy
the clothing that the man was wearing. He unfastened a strap from his
belt and attached it to a stone to form a hand-loop, then, inched
forward behind the lone herb-gatherer. When he was close enough, he
straightened and rushed forward, swinging his improvised weapon. The man
heard him and turned, too late.
* * * * *
After undressing his victim, Hradzka used the mattock to finish him, and
then to dig a grave.
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