All the men had cut themselves heavy cudgels from the stock
of firewood, and the fact that they were not as before wholly
defenceless was no slight gratification to them. Even the ladies spoke
confidently of being able to walk the twenty miles to Newcastle should
they not meet vehicles coming to fetch them. They could go ten miles now
and then halt till the sun was setting, and after such a long rest could
certainly go on to Newcastle.
"I am afraid, mother," Chris said as they started, "that what seems so
easy now will be too much for many of the women. We started without
breakfast, and unless we can get something by the way I doubt if many
will reach the town to-night. Of course for the men it is nothing. Very
often when I have been out on the veldt and have started early, I have
had nothing till I got back late in the evening. What are you wearing
that veil for, mother? I saw that you pulled it down over your face
yesterday afternoon. I suppose you did it to keep the dust out of your
eyes, but there is none now."
"I had a reason for doing it, but I can put it up now."
She lifted the white veil to its usual place round her hat; as she did
so, Chris uttered a sharp exclamation as his eye fell on a bluish-red
mark across her face.
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