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and spur and bearing-rein, the clumsy load and the slippery street, the
insufficient food, and the knacker's yard, that was to replace the wide
grass-land and the freedom of the earth.
Down in the Wey marshes Ugh-lomi and Eudena had never seen the horses
closely, but now they saw them every day as the two of them raided out
from their lair on the ledge in the gorge, raiding together in search of
food. They had returned to the ledge after the killing of Andoo; for of
the she-bear they were not afraid. The she-bear had become afraid of
them, and when she winded them she went aside. The two went together
everywhere; for since they had left the tribe Eudena was not so much
Ugh-lomi's woman as his mate; she learnt to hunt even--as much, that is,
as any woman could. She was indeed a marvellous woman. He would lie for
hours watching a beast, or planning catches in that shock head of his,
and she would stay beside him, with her bright eyes upon him, offering
no irritating suggestions--as still as any man. A wonderful woman!
At the top of the cliff was an open grassy lawn and then beechwoods, and
going through the beechwoods one came to the edge of the rolling grassy
expanse, and in sight of the horses. Here, on the edge of the wood and
bracken, were the rabbit-burrows, and here among the fronds Eudena and
Ugh-lomi would lie with their throwing-stones ready, until the little
people came out to nibble and play in the sunset. And while Eudena would
sit, a silent figure of watchfulness, regarding the burrows, Ugh-lomi's
eyes were ever away across the greensward at those wonderful grazing
strangers.
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