e dark for Parliament, despite
Cromwell's activity, and the Dark Master was only one of many such who
counted strongly on the rumors that the new king, Charles II, was on his
way to Ireland with aid from France.

And indeed he was at that time; but Charles, then and later, was more
apt at starting a thing than at finishing it.

Red Murrough lost no time in getting his "clerkly writing," luckily for
himself. On the morning after his agreement he brought Brian a quill,
and blood for lack of ink, and sheepskin. Brian wrote the order for ten
pounds, promising to honor it himself if he escaped.

This, however, did not seem likely, and even Murrough frankly stated
that it was impossible. But Brian was tended well, and his perfect
health was a strong asset. His head had been little more than scorched,
and the scalp-wound stayed clean; after the first day there came a
festering in his broken hand, but Murrough washed it out with vinegar
which ate out the wound and cleansed it, after which he bound it firmly
in wooden splints and it promised well.

More than once Brian laughed grimly at the care he was getting, to the
simple end that he should hang over Galway gates as a warning to the
City of the Tribes and to all who entered the ancient Connacian town.
For in that day Galway was a second Venice, and its commerce made rich
plundering for the O'Malley's both of Gorumna and of Erris in the North,
though the war had somewhat dimmed the glory of the fourteen great
merchant families.

Brian wondered often what had become of Cathbarr and his two hundred
men, and Murrough could give him little satisfaction. It was known that
the force had slipped away from Cathbarr's tower and had vanished; Brian
guessed that Turlough had either led them north, or else into the
western mountains where the O'Flahertys held savage rule. However, it
was certain that neither the Dark Master nor the royalists had scattered
them as yet.

So Brian lay in his tower four days and might have lain there four-score
more by dint of Red Murrough's lies, had it not been that on the fourth
evening Colonel Vere managed to stay unexpectedly sober. Being thus
sober, it occurred to him that he had best make sure he had the right
man by the heels. So he ordered his ten Scots troopers in from the camp
outside the walls, and the Dark Master sent for Brian to be identified.

"I'll have you carried down," said Red Murrough on coming for him. "Play
the part, _ma boucal