Of these twelve were seven women, and all, save two
of the women, were clad in one scanty kirtle or shirt only; for such
was the wont of the Dusky Men with their thralls. They had brought
away weapons, and had amongst them six axes and a spear, and a sword,
and five knives, and one man had a shield.
Yet though these were clad and armed, yet in some wise were they the
worst of all; they were so timorous and cringing, and most of them
heavy-eyed and sullen and down-looking. Many of them had been
grievously mishandled: one man had had his left hand smitten off;
another was docked of three of his toes, and the gristle of his nose
slit up; one was halt, and four had been ear-cropped, nor did any
lack weals of whipping. Of the Silver-dale new-comers the three men
were the worst of all the Runaways, with wild wandering eyes, but
sullen also, and cringing if any drew nigh, and would not look anyone
in the face, save presently Face-of-god, on whom they were soon fond
to fawn, as a dog on his master. But the women who were with them,
and who were well-nigh as timorous as the men, were those two gaily-
dad ones, and they were soft-handed and white-skinned, save for the
last days of weather in the wood; for they had been bed-thralls of
the Dusky Men.
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