x was warm and close along the northern Holmaddan shore;
unusually and unpleasantly warm， particularly for so late in
summer--nearly autumn. The sun hung midway in a clear， deep
blue sky， turning the water a rich， white-capped aqua， reflecting
blindingly off knee-deep tide pools.
A ragged line of women came slowly along the sand. Behind
them， above the southem bluffs that separated the shore from the
village of North Bay， a line of thick black cloud was just visible.
And against the cloud， upon the leading edge of one high ledge，
the motionless outline of a boy. He stood very still for a long
moment， watching as the women straggled across hot sand， their
scarves and carry-bags fla~ping in a sudden gust of wind. Their
heads were down; if they talked to each other， he couldn t tell
from here. He raised his own head to gaze beyond them， at the
Lasanacxhi wreck the storm had tossed ashore， then brought his
eyes back to the women， studied them for such signs of trouble
as the headman had spoken of--but no， they weren t gabbling，
out there， gossiping， wasting time. Spreading--sedition， that city
guard had called it. Getting above themselves， the headman said，
using words a man could understand. Making trouble for those
they were created to serve， he d said. But the women had been
very subdued since the Duke s men came and took that outsider
woman away. Afraid their own heads are for the block， like hers
nearly was， he thought and nodded sharply， pleased with his
analysis of things. He ran a hand through sparse， silky beard，
turned and began working his way back to level ground， glanc-
ing over his shoulder one last time before the beach was out of
sight.
The headman was right; after that early morning raid on the
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