nd Brian leaped across the last of them into the hall with bullets
driving at his back-piece.

As he ran through the hall he knew that his falcons had punished
O'Donnell's men heavily, and that his twenty men had not fallen without
some payment for their lives. None the less, Bertragh Castle was now
lost to him and to the Bird Daughter; but he thought it likely that he
would yet make a play that might nip O'Donnell in the midst of his
success.

In this Brian was a true O'Neill and the true luck of the Red Hand had
seemed to dog him, for he had lost all his men without suffering a
defeat, and now that he was beaten down, he was planning to strike
heaviest.

He gained the tower well enough, and found Turlough there to receive
him, with food and wine and loaded pistols. They soon had the door of
the lower chamber fast barred and clamped, and Brian flung himself down
on his bed, panting, but unwounded to speak of.

"Now sleep, master," said the old man. "They will search elsewhere, and
finding this door closed will do naught here until the morning."

Brian laughed a little.

"It is not easy to sleep after fighting, Turlough. I think that now I
will send off that last pigeon, so give me that quill yonder."

With great care Brian wrote his message, telling what had passed, and
saying that he hoped to ride free from the castle next morning. In that
case he would be at Cathbarr's tower before evening came, and he told
Nuala to have all her men landed there at once, since she could hope to
do nothing by sea against the pirate ships.

When the writing was bound to the pigeon's wing he loosed the bird
through the seaward casement, and bade Turlough blow out their
flickering oil-light.

After eating and drinking a little, they lay down to sleep. Men came and
pounded at the door, then departed growling; but Turlough had guessed
aright. The Dark Master was plainly speeding the search for Brian
elsewhere, and since there was no sign of life from the powder-tower, he
did not molest this until close to dawn. Then Brian was wakened by a
shock at the door, and he heard the Dark Master's voice outside
directing his men. Still he seemed to have no thought that Brian was
there, but wanted to get at the powder and into his own chamber again.

Brian took up his pistols and went to a loophole opening on the
battlements, while Turlough still crouched on the bed in no little fear.
Finding that the Dark Master stood out of his sight, B