s face, and Brian
laughed.

"Lady," he said in the same tongue, "he is Cathbarr of the Ax, and he
will be a good man to stand with us against the Dark Master."

She betrayed no surprise, except that a little tinge of red crept to her
temples.

"I did not know you spoke English, Brian Buidh. Still, it was not to
Cathbarr that I referred."

At that it was Brian's turn to redden, and mentally he cursed himself.
There was no evil in this woman's heart, he saw at once. For an instant
he was confused and taken aback. Then she smiled, slowly rose, and
tendered him her hand. Going to one knee, he put her fingers to his
lips.

"Now sit, Yellow Brian," she said, "and let us talk. First, these
captives of yours. Do you in truth bring them as a tribute? How do I
know they are O'Donnell's men?"

"Ask these seamen of yours," laughed Brian, seating himself beside her.
Cathbarr remained standing and leaning on his ax, looking like some
giant of the old times.

She took him at his word, and when she had heard from the seamen certain
tales of what cruelties the ten prisoners had done, her violet eyes
suddenly turned black and an angry pallor drove across her face.

"That is enough," she interrupted curtly. "Take them out and hang them."

The men were led away, and Brian saw that her hands were tightly
clenched, but whether in fury or in fear of herself he could not tell.
Then she turned to him, looking straightly into his face, and on the
instant Brian knew that if this girl-woman bade him go to his death, he
would go, laughing.

"Tell me of yourself, Brian Buidh. Of what family are you? By the ring
on your finger you are an O'Neill; yet I have heard nothing of such a
man as yourself leading that sept. When your messenger came to me, I
read cunning in his face, and took it for a trap set by the Dark Master;
but now that I have seen you and Cathbarr of the Ax, I will take fealty
from you if you wish to serve me."

Brian smiled a little.

"Serve you I would, lady, but not in fealty. I take fealty and do not
give it. My name is indeed Brian Buidh, and as for that ring, it was a
gift from Owen Ruadh."

"Owen Ruadh died two days since," she said softly, watching his face. "I
had word of it this morning."

At that he started, and Cathbarr's eyes widened in fear of magic. Owen
Ruadh had lain on the other side of Ireland, and three months would have
been fast for such news to travel. But Brian nodded sadly.

"Carrier pigeons