Rolla and her three friends stood taking this in, keeping a rather
curious silence meanwhile. At length Cunora gave a deep sigh, which was
almost instantly reproduced by all the rest. Corrus followed his own
sigh with a frank curse.

"By the great god Mownoth!" he swore fiercely. "It be a shame that we
cannot come hence a great deal oftener! Methinks They could allow it!"

"They care not for our longings," spoke Cunora, her eyes flashing as
angrily as his. "They give us enough freedom to make us work the better
--no more! All They care for is thy herd and my crops!"

"And for the labor," reminded the big man, "of such brains as Rolla's
and Dulnop's. It be not right that They should drive us so!"

"Aye," agreed the younger man, with much less enthusiasm. "However, what
can ye do about it, Corrus?"

The big man's face flushed, and he all but snarled. "I tell ye what I
can do! I, and ye as well, if ye but will! I can--"

He stopped, one hand upraised in mighty emphasis, and a sudden and
startling change came over him. Downright fear drove the anger from his
face; his massive body suddenly relaxed, and all his power and vigor
seemed to crumble and wilt. His hands shook; his mouth trembled. At the
same time the two women shrank from him, each giving an inarticulate cry
of alarm and distress. Dulnop gave no sound, but the anger which had
left the herdsman seemed to have come to him; the youngster's eyes
flared and his breast heaved. His gaze was fixed upon Corrus's neck,