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"There is still time, though one has escaped me," said the Dark Master, looking up suddenly at his sightless harper, who seemed to fall atrembling beneath the look. "The one who has escaped matters not, for his bane comes not at my hands. It is the other whom I shall slay Brian Buidh of the hard eyes. Then the Bird Daughter. But it seems to me that one stands in my path of whom I do not know."
They struck hands, and Brian felt a great thrill of admiration for this man whose terrible strength enclosed the simple heart of a child. But he shook his head. "I make no pacts, Cathbarr. My name is Brian Buidh. I made pact with the Dark Master, and now I am sorry for it; yet it must be held to, for I see no way out of it. But wait I have a cunning man whose wit may help us here."
Brian Buidh, or Brian of the Yellow Hair, himself The O'Neill, comes home from Spain, where he had been brought up to fight for his country. After a mysterious warning from the Black Woman, an old hag, he wins forty men from O'Donnell More, the Black Master, by a trick, and wins the friendship of Turlough Wolf and Cathbarr of the Ax.
"You shall meet me once again, on a black day for you; and when you meet with Cathbarr of the Ax you shall remember me, Brian Buidh; and when you ride into the west and meet with the Bird Daughter you shall remember me. "So go, Yellow Brian, upon whose heart is stamped the red hand of the O'Neills! Beannacht leath!" "Beannacht leath," repeated the man thickly.
"Yon man has the look o' Brian Buidh, aye." "Devil take you!" cried Vere irritably. "Do you mean to say yes or no? Speak out, one of you!" "Weel, Colonel," answered another cannily, "Jock here has the right of it. I wouldna swear tae the pawky carl, but I'd ken the een o' him full weel. An I had a peep in his een, sir. I'm thinkin' I'd ken their de'il's look. Eh, lads?"
"If that Cuculain of whom the seanachie spoke be not the man Brian Buidh, then may I go down to hell alive!" And the men, who feared Red Murrough's heavy hand and hated him, muttered that he would be like to travel that same road whether living or dead, in which there was some truth.
"He bade us say that he was leaving Galway to-morrow at dawn with a force of men, and that you should meet him at Bertragh Castle and fall on that place to take it." "That is good," laughed Brian. "Now learn that you have found the wrong ships, my man. We are not the Millhaven pirates, but I am Brian Buidh, who holds Bertragh; and here is the Lady Nuala, for whom I hold it."
When he asked for their compass, their leader grunted: "No need have we for a compass on this boat, Brian Buidh, save when warlocks turn the fog and wind upon us. I warrant that were it not for the fog, we would be safe in port ere now. As it is, the Virgin alone knows where we are or whither going." "This is some of the Dark Master's wizardry," growled out another.
Then he waited for her answer, and it was not long in coming. "There is some reason in your plan, Brian Buidh, but more reason against it. The castle that O'Donnell holds was formerly my father's. If you held it, there would be no peace between us, unless you gave fealty to me, which I see plainly you will not do. I claim that castle, and shall always claim it."
Then his head came out from between his rounded shoulders and his eyes spat fire at Brian. "A poor ending to proud talk, Brian Buidh!" Brian tried to smile, but with ill success, for he was chilled to the bone and there was blood on his face. "I am not yet dead, O'Donnell." "You will be soon enough," the Dark Master chuckled, and the hall thrilled with evil laughter.
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