t the Parliament.

"It is not taken yet," laughed Nuala as old Turlough came shuffling up,
and they gave him the sele of the day merrily enough. "You had best keep
these birds, Brian, so that if there is any need you may send me
messages to Gorumna. Now, shall we bide here until the Dark Master comes
against us?"

"I thought you were going to take me cruising with you?" smiled Brian,
but at that Turlough struck in and asked what the messages were. When he
had heard them he stood pulling at his gray beard for a little, then
turned to Brian.

"How is your body, master?"

"Well enough," said Brian, feeling his head. "Save for this beard, which
now I may not cut for a time."

He intended to abide by that oath of his, and so his beard was growing
out and his hair as well, of which latter he was glad.

Since he had ever kept his face clean shaven, however, the beard was not
to his liking. He was quite unaware that it built out his face greatly
and made him grimmer-looking than before, and yet so young were his blue
eyes except when he was in anger that it was not hard for Nuala to
believe that he was only two years older than herself.

None the less, she made great sport of his beard, saying that it curled
at the end like a drake's tail, as indeed it did; and as Brian only
repaid her laughter with the open wonder and admiration that he held for
her, there was great good-comradeship between them.

"There is still one chance for stopping the Dark Master," said Turlough
thoughtfully. "If we cut off those pirate ships on their way south he is
not like to get much help from Galway."

"Oh--and I never thought of it!" cried Nuala, staring at him.

Turlough chuckled. "That was spoken like a woman, mistress! If the rede
seems good we could lay aboard men from here for fighting, and sail out
with those two ships of yours."

Now Brian's heart filled with new hope, and after no long discussion
they decided to adopt the plan. Nuala was of the opinion that a short
cruise would do Brian great good, so they decided to set off that
evening in her two ships, leaving Turlough to keep the castle against
Cathbarr's return.

Had they taken Turlough Wolf with them or had Brian been less
close-mouthed on his return from that cruise, the evil that befell might
have been averted. The old man was cunning and swift at piercing beneath
the craft of other men and turning it back upon themselves; but as
Brian's mind lost its bitterness at hi