. He was a great, rugged, north-country man, of
immense physical power--as most chiefs were in those days. He seemed to
be brooding over his sorrows at the time his officer entered.

"A prisoner waits without," said the officer. "He is a stripling; and
says he has urgent business to communicate to you alone."

"Send him hither, and let every one get out of ear-shot!" said Gadarn
gruffly.

A minute later Cormac appeared, and looked wistfully at the chief, who
looked up with a frown.

"Are you the pris--"

He stopped suddenly, and, springing to his feet, advanced a step with
glaring eyes and fast-coming breath, as he held out both hands.

With a cry of joy, Cormac sprang forward and threw his arms round
Gadarn's neck, exclaiming--

"Father!--_dear_ father!"

For a few moments there was silence, and a sight was seen which had not
been witnessed for many a day--two or three gigantic tears rolled down
the warrior's rugged cheeks, one of them trickling to the end of his
weather-beaten nose and dropping on his iron-grey beard.

"My child," he said at length, "where--how came you--why, this--"

"Yes, yes, father," interrupted the lad, with a tearful laugh. "I'll
tell you all about it in good time; but I've got other things to speak
of which are more interesting to both of us. Sit down and let me sit on
your knee, as I used to do long ago."

Gadarn meekly obeyed.

"Now listen," said Cormac, putting his mouth to his father's ear and
whispering.

The chief listened, and the first effect of the whispering was to
produce a frown. This gradually and slowly faded, and gave place to an
expression of doubt.

"Are you sure, child?--sure that you--"

"Quite--quite sure," interrupted Cormac with emphasis. "But that is not
all--listen!"

Gadarn listened again; and, as the whispering continued, there came the
wrinkles of humour over his rugged face; then a snort that caused Cormac
to laugh ere he resumed his whispering.

"And he knows it?" cried Gadarn, interrupting and suppressing a laugh.

"Yes; knows all about it."

"And the other doesn't?"

"Has not the remotest idea!"

"Thinks that you're a--"

Here the chief broke off, got up, placed his hands on both his sides and
roared with laughter, until the anxious sentinels outside believed that
he had gone mad.

With the energy of a strong nature he checked himself and became
suddenly grave.

"Listen!" he said; "you have made me listen a good deal to you.