The faces in that group had changed in expression.  Ralph’s became black and lowering.  Honey looked surprised but interested; his color did not vary; Billy turned a deep brick-red.  Pete went white.  Frank Merrill alone studied the phenomenon with the cool, critical eye of scientific observation.

The women paused at a little distance where the path dipped to coil around a little knoll.  They abandoned the path to climb this knoll; they climbed it with surprising ease; they almost flew up the sides.  They stood there silently grouped about Julia.  For an instant the two parties gazed at each other.

Then, “What does this mean, Peachy?” Ralph asked sternly.

Julia answered for Peachy.

“It means — rebellion,” she said. " It means that we have decided among ourselves that we will not permit you to cut Angela’s wings.  It means that rather than have you do that, we will leave you, taking our children with us.  If you will promise us that you will not cut Angela’s wings nor the wings of any child born to us, we in our turn will promise to return to our homes and take our lives up with you just where we left off.”

A confused murmur arose from the men.  Ralph leaped to his feet.  He made a movement in the direction of the women, involuntary but violent.

The women shrank closer to Julia.  They turned white, but they waited.  Julia did not stir.

“Go home, you — " Ralph stopped abruptly and choked something back.

“Go at once!” Billy added sternly.

“I’m ashamed of you, Clara,” Pete said.

“Better go back, girls,” Honey advised.  He tried to make his tone authoritative.  But in spite of himself, there lingered a little pleading in it.  To make up, he unmasked the full battery of his coaxing smile, his quizzical frown, his snapping dimples.  “We can’t let Angela fly after she’s grown up.  It isn’t natural.  It isn’t what a woman should be doing.”

Frank said nothing.

Julia looked at them steadily an instant.

“Come!” she said briefly to her little band.  The women ran down the knoll and disappeared up the trail.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Ralph remarked.

“Well, when you come to that, I’ll be damned,” Honey coincided.

“Who was it said that God did not intend them to walk?” Frank asked slyly.

“So that’s what all this bandaging of feet meant,” Billy went on, ignoring this thrust.  “They were learning to walk all the time.”

“You’re on,” Ralph said in a disgusted tone.  “Foxy little devils!”

“Gee, it must have hurt!” Honey exclaimed.  “They must have been torn to ribbons at first.  Some pluck, believe me!”

“I bet you dollars to doughnuts, Julia’s at the bottom of it,” remarked Pete.

“No question about that,” Frank commented.  “Julia thinks.”

“Considerable bean, too,” said Honey.  “Well, we’ve got to put a stop to it to-night.”