a heavy guardsman’s tread.

[Bat]

Hi,
Could someone please help me for I don't get the meaning of this idiom " a heavy guardsman’s tread." in a text from Frank O’CONNOR, The Ugly Duckling, 1957. The sentence is a description of a woman: "She scowled, bowed her head, and walked with a heavy guardsman’s tread" Does it mean -elle piétinait comme un garde- I don't think so.
Thank you for your help.

 

[sebnever]

Literally a heavy guardsman's tread means une lourde semelle de garde (semelle de chaussure)

My suggestions:
- Elle grimaçait, inclinait la tête, et marchait avec le pas lourd d'un garde
- Elle grimaçait, inclinait la tête, et piétinait