The Keeper

Evil men had stolen his treasure, and Raud set out with his deer rifle and his great dog Brave to catch the thieves before they could reach the Starfolk. That the men had negatron pistols meant little-Raud was the Keeper..."The Keeper" is H. Beam Piper's classic novella, the last in his Terro-Human Future History series. Raud, a childless man on a lonely, desolate planet in the 301st Century of the Atomic Era, is charged with protecting a valuable artifact. It is an ancient crown from the time before humans began interstellar travel. But from what kingdom did the crown arise, and what is the true history of Raud's planet? Menaced by greedy thieves and visited by wealthy collectors from the interstellar Terran Empire, Raud must discharge his duties and protect the crown.