ok his place he could see every
person who was noted in the land for any reason. He would know every one
who was present, for the fame of all men is sealed at Tara, and behind
his chair a herald stood to tell anything the king might not know or had
forgotten.

Conn gave the signal and his guests seated themselves.

The time had come for the squires to take their stations behind their
masters and mistresses. But, for the moment, the great room was seated,
and the doors were held to allow a moment of respect to pass before the
servers and squires came in.

Looking over his guests, Conn observed that a young man was yet
standing.

"There is a gentleman," he murmured, "for whom no seat has been found."

We may be sure that the Master of the Banquet blushed at that.

"And," the king continued, "I do not seem to know the young man."

Nor did his herald, nor did the unfortunate Master, nor did anybody; for
the eyes of all were now turned where the king's went.

"Give me my horn," said the gracious monarch.

The horn of state was put to his hand.

"Young gentleman," he called to the stranger, "I wish to drink to your
health and to welcome you to Tara."

The young man came forward then, greater-shouldered than any mighty
man of that gathering, longer and cleaner limbed, with his fair curls
dancing about his beardless face. The king put the great horn into his
hand.

"Tell me your name," he commanded gently.

"I am Fionn, the son of Uail, the son of Baiscne," said the youth.

And at that saying a touch as of lightning went through the gathering
so that each person quivered, and the son of the great, murdered captain
looked by the king's shoulder into the twinkling eye of Goll. But no
word was uttered, no movement made except the movement and the utterance
of the Ard-Ri'.

"You are the son of a friend," said the great-hearted monarch. "You
shall have the seat of a friend."

He placed Fionn at the right hand of his own son Art.

CHAPTER XII

It is to be known that on the night of the Feast of Samhain the doors
separating this world and the next one are opened, and the inhabitants
of either world can leave their respective spheres and appear in the
world of the other beings.

Now there was a grandson to the Dagda Mor, the Lord of the Underworld,
and he was named Aillen mac Midna, out of Shi' Finnachy, and this Aillen
bore an implacable enmity to Tara and the Ard-Ri'.

As well as being monarch of Ireland