and men, since he looked for hard riding that
night; however, he gave what money and plunder he had to the townfolk
and got a blessing in return, and so rode forth again as the stars
peeped out.

"There are Maguires in Swineford, master," said old Turlough with a
cunning, sidelong look.

"I met them coming north," laughed Brian softly. "They will prove good
men to avoid, so I think that we shall ride around that burg."

Brian thought that he could get through the Maguires, but he intended to
take no chances. However, they had gained to within five miles of
Swineford and had halted to blow the horses, when one of the scouts came
riding back to say that a score of farmers with three carts were
approaching from the town.

Presently they came on them--a black mass swinging down the road, which
was very boggy on either hand. Neither Brian nor Turlough smelt any ill
in this until they were within a hundred paces of the party, when
suddenly the carts were swung across the road and a score of muskets
spat death into Brian's men.

"Back!" shouted Brian, when his men would have charged. "We have no time
and lives to waste on this party--what shall we do, Turlough? The fields
are all bog."

"We cannot well ride around," said Turlough, when they had ridden back a
little, leaving dead men on the road. "But a little way back is a path
that leads out and around Swineford. Put ten men here to keep these
O'Donnells from following us, and we will make a short cut to the Moy
near Kiltanmugh. It was a clever trick, this!"

It was indeed, and it had cost Brian a round score of men, so that he
followed Turlough out into the open land with less than a hundred men
behind him. His fury abated before dawn, when they had splashed across
the Moy and came upon the road once more, but he saw that the O'Donnells
were willing enough to die if the Dark Master might escape, and he
became more cautious.

When the night fell again they were far south of Claremorris, but a
score of horses had foundered and he was forced to leave more men
behind. Until evening Turlough led him at a distance from the main
roads, then they struck into good riding again and save for one detour
to avoid Tuam would have a clear road between themselves and Galway,
which Brian meant to reach before dawn unless his own horse foundered
with the rest.

Of the Dark Master they heard nothing until they were fording the Clare
north of Tuam, when two men gave them word that a