Nuala O'Malley Page 4

  CHAPTER IV.

  BRIAN LEANS ON HIS SWORD.

  As he had foreseen, Brian was allowed to ride across the narrow neck ofland where his men would have had to battle for progress. It was from nomere bravado that he had gone forward alone to the tower, but becausemen were worth saving, and he believed that his own sword was a matchfor any ax. If this ruffian Cathbarr was a freebooting outlaw, he wouldbe willing enough to stake his ten men on his prowess, and Yellow Brianwas very anxious to have those ten axmen behind him.

  At the top of the tower men watched and steel glistened, and as Brianrode up to the low gateway, it was flung open and a man strode out.This man hardly came up to Brian's conception of an outlaw, except as tostature.

  He was a good six feet four, reflected Brian as he drew rein and waited,and was built in proportion--or, rather, out of proportion. Hisshoulders and chest seemed tremendous, and a long mail-shirt reached tohis knees; his hair was short-clipped and brown, and beneath his curlybrown beard Brian made out a massive face, wide-set brown eyes, and anair not so much ruffianly as of cheerful good-humor.

  Brian had no need to ask his name, however, for in one hand he carried aweapon such as had seldom seen the light since powder had come toIreland. It was an ax, some five feet from haft to helve; double-bladed,each blade eight inches long, curved back slightly, and two inches thickby twice as much wide. The edges, which came down sharply from thethickness, were not overkeen, and were not meant to be so. When thething struck, that was the end of what stood before it.

  "_Cead mile failte!_" cried Cathbarr of the Ax in a deep, rumblingvoice, his white teeth flashing through his beard in a smile. "A hundredthousand welcomes to you, swordsman! Are you come to capture my lordlycastle?"

  "No; your men," laughed Brian, liking this huge, merry giant on theinstant. "I am come from O'Donnell Dubh to reduce you and fetch you tohim."

  The smile froze on the giant's face.

  "I am sorry for that, yellow one! I like your face and your thews, andto find that you serve the black traitor of Bertragh is an ill thing."

  "I serve no man," answered Brian easily. "I need men. If I conquer you,O'Donnell lends me twoscore men for three months; also, by conqueringyou I win your men to me, which makes fifty. With my seventy men, Ishall fall to work."

  "By my faith, a ready reckoner!" and Cathbarr grinned again. "Get downand fight."

  Brian swung out of the saddle and led his horse to one side. They werenot so badly matched, he reflected. Cathbarr's head was bared, while hehad steel cap and jack; but for some reason he felt hesitant at thoughtof killing this merry giant.

  "Not so bad," he said, baring his five-foot blade and holding it upagainst the huge ax. "Not so bad, eh?"

  Cathbarr burst into a laugh.

  "It will grieve me to crush your skull, dear man," he rumbled. "What apair we would make, matched against that Dark Master! But enough.Ready?"

  Brian nodded slightly, and the long ax flashed up.

  Now, Brian O'Neill had served a stiff apprenticeship at weapons, and hadfaced many men whose eyes boded him death, but here, for the first timein all his life, he felt the self-confidence stricken out of him.

  As Cathbarr heaved up his ax, he became a different man. All the goodcheer fled out of his face; his curly brown beard seemed to stand outabout his head like snakes, and the massiveness of his body wasreflected in the battle-fury of his face. He needed no blows to rousehim into madness; but with the ax swinging like a reed about him, hecame rushing at Brian, a giant come to earth from of old time. His menon the tower set up a wild yell of encouragement.

  Brian leaped swiftly aside and, thinking to end the fight at a blow,brought down his sword against the descending ax-haft. Sparks flew--thehaft was bound with iron; Brian only saved himself from falling by amiracle.

  Then began a strange battle of feet against brawn, for Cathbarr rushedand rushed again, but ever Brian slipped away from the falling ax, norwas he able to strike back. The play of that ax was a marvel to behold;it was shield and weapon in one, and it seemed no heavier than a thingof wood as it whirled. Twice Brian got in his point against themail-coat without effect, and twice the ax brushed his shoulder, so thathe gave over thrusting. He knew that he was fighting for his lifeindeed.

  An instant later he discovered that fact anew as a glancing touch of theax drove off his steel cap and sent him staggering back a dozen paces,reeling and clutching at the air. To his amazement Cathbarr did notfollow him, but stood waiting for him to recover; he had not looked forsuch courtesy on the west coast.

  He sprang back into his defense, desperate now. Again the ax whirled,seeming a part of the giant himself, and Brian knew that he was lost ifhe waited for it. So, instead of waiting, he leaped under the blow,dropped his sword, and drove up his fist into the bearded chin, nowflecked with foam.

  It was a cruel blow. Cathbarr grunted, his head rocked back, and heswayed on his feet. Before he could recover, Brian had set his thighagainst him, caught his arm, and sent him whirling to the ground, ax andall. Then he picked up his sword and stood leaning on it, panting.

  Cathbarr sat up and gazed around blankly, until his gaze fell on thewaiting figure. Brian looked at him, smiling slightly, and the eyes ofthe two men met and clinched. As if he had been a child caught doingwrong, the giant grinned and wiped the foam from his beard.

  "Was that fair fighting, yellow man?" he asked.

  "No," laughed Brian. "It was unfair, Cathbarr; but I think my fists canbest your ax yet."

  Slowly the giant got to his feet. To Brian's surprise he left his axwhere it lay and came forward with extended hand.

  "Had you claimed that blow as fair," he rumbled, "I would have slainyou. Now I love you, yellow man. Let us make a pact together. What isyour name?"

  They struck hands, and Brian felt a great thrill of admiration for thisman whose terrible strength enclosed the simple heart of a child. Buthe shook his head.

  "I make no pacts, Cathbarr. My name is Brian Buidh. I made pact with theDark Master, and now I am sorry for it; yet it must be held to, for Isee no way out of it. But wait--I have a cunning man whose wit may helpus here."

  He turned and flung up his sword in the air. His men rode down to thenarrow causeway, while from the tower came shouts warning Cathbarragainst treachery. But the giant only grinned again, and Brian shoutedto Turlough Wolf to come on alone.

  Old Turlough obeyed in no little wonder. When he came up Brian told himwhat had chanced--that out of enmity had arisen friendship.

  "But," he concluded, trouble in his heart, "you must find me a way out,Turlough. I have passed my word to O'Donness to reduce Cathbarr; to dothat I must slay him, or he me. I see little honor either way."

  "Few men find honor in their dealings with the Dark Master," grumbledTurlough, looking from Cathbarr to Brian. "Yet, if you want a way out,it is an easy matter. Cathbarr of the Ax, give service to my master.Thus, Brian Buidh, you shall reduce Cathbarr; yet the Dark Master saidnaught of giving up this man to him."

  "Good!" cried Brian, eagerness in his blue eyes, and swung on the giant."Will you give me your service, friend, and follow me? There shall be astorm of men--" He paused abruptly as the words fell from his lips, buthe had said enough.

  "I give you service, Yellow Brian," rumbled Cathbarr, taking his handagain, and his strong, white teeth flashed through his beard. "I willfollow you, and my men, and there shall be firm friendship between us.Is it good?"

  "It is good!" exclaimed Brian, his heart singing. But Turlough laughedharshly.

  "So you have again broken my rede, Brian Buidh, for this man knows younot as his master, but names you his friend. I bade you take, not give."

  "It was your own advice," retorted Brian, laughing.

  "Aye, since you asked it, I found the way out. But you have notconquered him."

  "He conquered me by not telling a lie," said Cathbarr simply. "I servehim."

  Turlough eyed them keenly, heard how the fight had gone, and thensuddenly comprehende
d what manner of man this huge, bearded fellow was.His face cleared, and without a word he clasped Cathbarr's hand, andasked Brian for orders.

  "How far from here is Bertragh Castle?" questioned Brian.

  "It overlooks Bertraghboy Bay," answered the giant. "Bide here tillnoon, while my men bring in their horses from the hills, and with thenight we can arrive there."

  To this Brian assented, well pleased that Cathbarr had horses. Turloughwent back to bring up his men, and Brian entered the tower that servedCathbarr for castle. It was a small place, but strong; the ten men whotook his hand and gave him service were cut after the pattern of theirmaster--huge fellows all, O'Flahertys from the mountains who hadfollowed Cathbarr down to loot the coast, with no ill success.

  It was a strange tale that he heard, while he and his men ate and drankwith their new comrades. For some months Cathbarr had maintained himselfhere, raiding O'Donnell's lands chiefly and making his ax feared throughall the coast. In fact, the giant had attempted his own errand--to sethimself up in power; but he had gone about it like a child.

  The Dark Master had come against him with a hundred men, and afterlosing a score and more at the causeway, had tried to starve him out. Atthat Cathbarr had calmly stolen away by boat, raided O'Donnell'schoicest farms overnight, and was back with his plunder before the DarkMaster guessed his absence. After this O'Donnell had kept watch and wardupon his lands, with better results; Cathbarr occupied himself withraiding against the scattered parties of plunderers in the hills, andhad won some booty.

  Brian discovered many things during the hour or two he waited for thehorses to be fetched in. Chief of these was that he had set himself adifficult nut to crack. The Dark Master held a strong castle, with richfarms around it, and could summon at need some three hundred men to hisstandard. In short, Brian found that O'Donnell held the very position hehimself wanted to hold--and was like to keep it.

  "Of course," he thought soberly, reflecting on his future course, "if Icome off clear to-night I can ride with my seventy men to a betterplace. And yet--I don't know! What better place than this? It will be nolong time before hoofs are in the land, for Royalist and Roundhead andUlsterman will be storming through the hills; Galway will be the last togive in to Cromwell, of a certainty. When the hurricane falls, I want aroof to shelter me--and whom could I turn out better than thisO'Donnell?"

  Cathbarr's tower was too small to serve him as a fortalice, for it wasbarely large enough to shelter the eleven axmen. Suddenly an ideaflashed across Brian's mind. Why not a union with this O'Malley womanagainst the Dark Master?

  Upon the thought, he rose and went out to the ice-rimmed shore below thetower, where he paced up and down, considering the matter. After all, itwould do no harm, and there were great possibilities in it. He returnedto the tower at sound of shouts and clattering hoofs, and took Turloughaside.

  "Turlough Wolf, in your advice you spoke against making pacts with men,but you said nothing of women. It is my purpose to send you to thisO'Malley castle, to propose a pact with Nuala O'Malley against the DarkMaster. You can tell her that I have a hundred horsemen behind me--forI will have them. Will you do this, bearing her word back to me?"

  Turlough plucked moodily at his ragged beard.

  "I see no harm in such a pact, master," he replied thoughtfully. "As toreaching the Bird Daughter, that is another matter. I think that I cando it, however. When shall I start, and where shall I find you again?"

  Brian reflected a moment.

  "Start now, Turlough. Cathbarr and I will have no need of advice thisnight, for we shall either fight our way clear, or else the Dark Masterwill keep to his word. When you return, you will find me here; if I amnot here, I will leave a man here to give you word of me."

  "I am to say that you have a hundred horsemen behind you?" Turlough'ssharp eyes swept to Brian's half-questioningly.

  "Say a hundred and a half," laughed out Brian, "and trust your silvertongue for the rest, old Wolf! Never fear, I will have the men. But mindthis, Turlough. I will make no other pact with her than this, againstthe Dark Master. It may be that when I have driven him forth I may flyafter other game."

  "Men have sought to drive the Dark Master forth," quoth Turlough, "andtheir heads have rotted above his gate. Take heed lest there be an emptyspike there this night, Yellow Brian!"

  But Brian only laughed shortly, and bade the old man affectionatefarewell, for he knew that Turlough loved him. And when Turlough hadridden somberly away, Brian felt a strange sense of desertion, of loss,that was no whit inspired by Turlough's gloomy last words. He shook itoff, however, at gripping hands again with Cathbarr. The axmen hadgathered most of their loot and buried what was of value, for Brian haddetermined to return here from Bertragh and make use of the tower untilhe had heard from Turlough's errand.

  So now, at the head of thirty men, he rode across the narrow causewaywith Cathbarr of the Ax at his side for friend and guide. The giant didnot yet quite comprehend exactly what plan had flashed across the brainof old Turlough, so as they rode Brian made the thing clearer to him.When the simple and straightforward Cathbarr grasped the matter, hesmote his horse's neck with a bellow of laughter.

  "Ho! So you bring me before the Dark Master ax in hand, reduced to_your_ service instead of his, my men added to yours--oh, it is a jest,brother, a jest! I think that O'Donnell will slay us both on the spot!"

  "Not if your axmen are true," retorted Brian.

  Cathbarr laughed again. "They fear me and they love me, brother," hecried, gazing back at the file of horsemen. "Your own men fear you andlove you also. Therefore we are men alike."

  Brian began to love the man for his utter simplicity, save where therewas killing in hand. Cathbarr seemed in reality to have the heart of achild, impulsive and passionate to an extreme, and there was always acertain rugged power in his bearing which bespoke him a true Flaherty ofthe mountains. His men were like himself in this respect, and after theyhad fraternized with Brian's men they began to feel the same unboundedsurety in Yellow Brian as Cathbarr expressed. Their axes were the usualsplay-bladed affairs that their grandfathers had used under Red Hugh atthe Yellow Ford, nor indeed in all his life had Brian ever seen anotherax like to that of Cathbarr's.

  They rode through the afternoon while a light snow fell and a keen eastwind cut down from the peaks of the Twelve Pins, until the shaggy horsesslithered along with tails tucked tight beneath them. But there was goodcheer in the company, for the news had spread of how Yellow Brian wouldhave seventy men behind him that night. When the darkness began to fall,Bertragh Castle came in sight far below--a gray crag jutting up fromthe plain, scarped and embattled, the sea behind it and the watch-firesof men twinkling from its keep. All about lay farms and steads, and thelowing of byred cattle rose on the evening air when the snow ceased.

  "Be careful not to drink or eat in that hall," warned Cathbarr blackly."Ill comes of it to all who accept hospitality there."

  Brian nodded and rode on in silence, for there were parties of horsemenand pikemen down below and the blare of horns shrilled up. Evidently theriders on the hills had been seen from afar.

  As they reached the lower ground Brian was aware of a band of men ridingto meet them, and halted. Through the dusk came a score of armedhorsemen, and their leader inquired their business, shouting from a safedistance. Brian returned the shout.

  "I am Yellow Brian, and I seek O'Donnell Dubh according to a pact madewith him yesterday. I have reduced Cathbarr of the Ax, and am come inpeace."

  "You are expected," called the other, riding up with his men. "The DarkMaster is waiting for you."

  And Brian rode on to Bertragh, not without some forebodings.