nd Brian perceived a
faint, ruddy light against the sky. Also, the fog began to lessen
somewhat; and upon making out that the beacon undoubtedly came from a
high tower or crag, the shout passed around that they had headed back to
Gorumna with the shifting wind.

This heartened them all greatly, the more so since the gale drove them
straight onward toward the beacon. The fog closed down again, but the
ruddy glare pierced through it; and of a sudden there was no more fog
about them--only a blinding thick snow, which made all things grotesque.
Then two more beacons were made out, lower than the first, and the men
yelled joyously that fires had been lighted on either side the harbor to
guide them in. And so they had been, but otherwise than the men thought.

Half frozen with the cold, they drove on through the snow and spray
until at length they swept in between the guiding fires and scanned the
shores for landing. Then the snow ceased, though the hurricane howled
down behind them with redoubled fury; and as they floated in against a
low, rocky shore, silence of wild consternation fell on them all. For
they had come to Bertragh Castle, and fifty feet away a score of men
were waiting, while others were running down with torches.

Even in that moment of terrible dismay, Brian noted their muskets, and
how the lighted matches flared like fireflies in the wind.

"Trapped!" groaned one of the men, and they would have rowed out again
into the teeth of the storm had not Brian stayed them.

"No use, comrades. They have muskets, and there are cannon up above. Row
in, and if we must die, then let us die like men and not cowards."

Seeing no help for it, the men growled assent, and they drifted slowly
in, all standing ready with drawn swords, while Brian's Spanish blade
flared in the prow. Then in the midst of the gathered men he saw a dark
figure with hunched shoulders, sword in hand. As he turned to the seamen
behind him, there was a glitter in his blue eyes colder than the icy
blast behind them.

"There is the Dark Master, comrades! Let him be first to fall."

They drove up on the shore, and Brian leaped out, with the men behind
him. Still the group above stood silent until the voice of O'Donnell
sheared through the gale. "Fire, and drop Yellow Brian first."

So there was to be no word of quarter! As the thought shot like fire
through Brian's mind, he leaped forward with a shout. A ragged stream of
musketry broke out from t