the landlord of the inn, who was standing behind the heavy, rough-hewn
counter polishing his plain pewter tankards, gave a cursory glance toward
the stranger who had just entered. The other customers stopped talking and
.watched the stranger, suspiciously and surreptitiously, as he passed
“Wipe yer boots! I run a clean establishment,” the landlord yelled to be heard
.over the din
When the stranger didn’t respond, he realized the place was strangely quiet, the
.usual low buzz of conversations had fallen silent