This men knew for some vengeance of the
Dusky Men, for it was clear to see that these poor people had been
sorely tormented before they were slain. Also the same watch had
stumbled on the dead body of an old woman, clad in rags, lying
amongst the rank grass about a little flow; she was exceeding lean
and hunger-starved, and in her hand was a frog which she had half
eaten. And Dallach, when he heard of this, said that it was the wont
of the Dusky Men to slay their thralls when they were past work, or
to drive them into the wilderness to die.
Lastly came a watch from the men of the Face, having with them two
more thralls, lusty young men; these they had come upon in company of
their master, who had brought them up into the wood to shoot him a
buck, and therefore they bare bows and arrows. The watch had slain
the master straightway while the thralls stood looking on. They were
much afraid of the weaponed men, but answered to the questioning much
readier than the first man; for they were household thralls, and
better fed and clad than he, who was but a toiler in the fields.
They yeasaid all his tale, and said moreover that the Folk-mote of
the Dusky Men should be holden in the market-place that forenoon, and
that most of the warriors should be there, both the new-comers and
the Rose-dale lords, and that without doubt they should be under
arms.
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